Wax/Varnish/Staining/Paint - interior doors?

JustAnotherSaver

We've small french doors separating our living room & dining room. After much debate (i didn't mind the colour, the wife hated it), the wife seems to have won the debate & there's going to be a colour change to them.

They're a dark reddy-brown, sort of mahogany like. She wanted them painted white but i wasn't keen & then there's the same colour wooden platform/base like thing at the bottom which i wasn't keen on being painted white as i reckon it'll mark incredibly easily & chip/flake.

She got some Nitromors & tested a small patch on the inside of the frame which can't be seen & it took the colouring off very well.


So was looking at the various things you can do with wood & saw the waxing, the varnishing, the staining & obviously the painting.


What's the +/- of the first 3 then really?

I think the colour she's wanting is like a light oak colour, so i imagine then that the only option is to go staining route. Any hints/tips on this approach? # of coats for e.g. or any other pointer?

Do you put anything on top of it once you've finished staining it? Is that where the wax and/or varnish comes in? Why would you select one instead of the other?

adandem

If you can strip them successfully I'd be more inclined to oil them or use a matt/ satin varnish. I also white is a good option if they don't strip well.

JustAnotherSaver

Is that something that needs regular maintenance though? Whatever we go for we don't want to be topping it up every 6/12/18/24 months etc.

Everything seems fine except that wooden base - the bit you'd step on. It's quite dark & is being a bit awkward to get the colouring out.



Also, the previous owner seems to have screwed the door in at all angles & rounded most of the heads off. When i say all angles i mean the screws are going through the hinges at funny angles.

So how do you get those bloody things out? They're those cross headed screws & they've just gone daft with them.

adandem

Oiling is so easy, literally wipe on with a cloth. We have oiled furniture and I haven't treated it yet and we've had it few years. Waxing isn't always durable, it can come iff if you have to wipe the doors. Clear varnish would not need further treatment.

JustAnotherSaver

Would this change the colour though?

I forgot to get a photo but as said it's like a dark reddy/browny colour. The colour is lightening but it's not light. We're wanting like a light oak colour, so would we get it to that by just oiling?

adandem

It darkens slightly but really enhances the grain. Any treatment, even clear ones will make it slightly darker than bare wood would be.

adandem

If you want it to be lighter than it is I dont think you can do this with a wood treatment.

JustAnotherSaver

Would using a light oak stain not lighten it, or is it a case of once it's been darkened then the only way around this is to paint?

adandem

Yes you would have to paint it to lighten it.

JustAnotherSaver

Ahh knackers. Looks like she'll get her original wish of doing white then lol.

Just not convinced that base board thing wont chip though.