Oak Veener doors. Some advice on using varnish.

isotonic_uk

Hi folks

After weeks looking at doors, finally made a decision to buy oak veener, probably 4 panel for upstairs and 2 pane glass glazed doors for downstairs. Cant' afford for real oak so will go for these cheaper ones.

Been looking around and just require some advice if that is possible. I managed to find some on Wickes and going to be ordering them in the next day or so as they have a sale on.

One question on this, I want to use clear varnish so we get the best possible finish. if we decide to go with varnishing them ourselves. I am assuming these need to be varnished before we get them attached to the frame and best to do this before they are attached?

How best would it be to do this? I am going to need to rest them on the garage wall but i am thinking how will i get around the whole door with varnish. Am i going to need to wait till they dry before doing them the other side? Would it be advised to use something like a treastle for me to balance a door, paint one side, wait till it dries and then paint the other side?

Something like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...?!!!!!ho01f-21

Any advice on this would be most appreciated.


Thanks

A.Penny.Saved

I would prop it on some blocks of wood, in a clean environment indoors. Put something soft behind the door to keep it away from whatever is behind. Stick something to the wall to prevent it falling and damaging the door if it bumps the wall.

Having it standing up should help prevent any dust/hairs etc from dropping onto the wet surface. Varnish one side and 3 edges. Then turn it over and upside down and repeat when totally dry. Be careful to make sure it is totally dry which should be sooner rather than later in the coming hot weather.

I would do it before attaching so you can do all around and keep the door away from the floor and dust. It's easier to varnish/paint if it is off the floor. Get some steps or a stool that allows you to reach the top. Varnish the top and sides first so that you do not get hairs/dust/clothes onto the varnish.

Your link does not work, it probably got chopped because it is too long.
I have some of ##these## but I would not use them to paint a door.

There are many door places online. The quality and range at Wickes is limited IMO.

phill99

If it was easier to varnish it before it was hung, professional decorators would do it but they don't. Far easier to get it hung then varnish it and you can do both sides at once.

A.Penny.Saved

The door might need trimming and the hinges need to be fitted. However you cannot seal the edges with the door fitted so you would need to remove it anyway.

Professional decorators do what is quickest and easiest and not necessarily what is best. Quicker means more profit. I would not just follow everyone else if I wanted something done well.

wallbash

A.Penny.Saved wrote: »

The door might need trimming and the hinges need to be fitted. However you cannot seal the edges with the door fitted so you would need to remove it anyway.

Professional decorators do what is quickest and easiest and not necessarily what is best. Quicker means more profit. I would not just follow everyone else if I wanted something done well.

Disagree with that , phill99 summed it up .

The professional does it one way ....... you do it another.

Ps I had 11 new doors end of last year. The guy was here a week, the varnish was applied at the end of the week. wonderful job. Cost me over £2000 , worth every penny.

anotherbaldrick

Did the doors not have finishing instructions ? Ours said that any re-finishing had to be with shellac varnish because they were veneered finish .
Other varnish resins may be alkyd, acrylic, polyurethane, vinyl, epoxy, and others...many times a combination of several different resins such as an acrylic modified polyurethane...these resins may be modified with different oils such as linseed, tung, tall or fish oil to achieve different finish results. SOME OF THESE CAN LIFT THE VENEER BY SOFTENING THE ADHESIVE>

A.Penny.Saved

wallbash wrote: »

Disagree with that , phill99 summed it up .

The professional does it one way ....... you do it another.

Ps I had 11 new doors end of last year. The guy was here a week, the varnish was applied at the end of the week. wonderful job. Cost me over £2000 , worth every penny.

Yes I do it my way. My way and my fathers way before me was always done far better than many professionals could ever dream of. There are things that my father did which I still don't know how he did them, flawless. Me and my father both have very high standards and very little measures up in comparison. I can find better ways and fault with just about anything! Tradesmen beware!

BTW re your doors, some people are easily pleased :rotfl:

anotherbaldrick wrote: »

Did the doors not have finishing instructions ? Ours said that any re-finishing had to be with shellac varnish because they were veneered finish .
Other varnish resins may be alkyd, acrylic, polyurethane, vinyl, epoxy, and others...many times a combination of several different resins such as an acrylic modified polyurethane...these resins may be modified with different oils such as linseed, tung, tall or fish oil to achieve different finish results. SOME OF THESE CAN LIFT THE VENEER BY SOFTENING THE ADHESIVE>

I don't think that he has purchased them yet but your points are definitely worth taking into account.

wallbash

Yes I do it my way. My way and my fathers way before me was always done far better than many professionals could ever dream of. There are things that my father did which I still don't know how he did them, flawless. Me and my father both have very high standards and very little measures up in comparison. I can find better ways and fault with just about anything! Tradesmen beware!

And if anyone believes that bulls*it , it will amaze me.

A.Penny.Saved

wallbash wrote: »

And if anyone believes that bulls*it , it will amaze me.

Sir, you neither know me and you did not know my father, god rest his soul, so you cannot possibly give an accurate judgement. Like father like son because ideas such as doing the very best get passed on like many such ideas get passed through families. For example some people say/think that "I cannot do that" without trying, I'm the polar opposite of that, I believe that I can do anything. I would not do some jobs where I judge the risk of error or mistake being too great such as working with gas being the #1.

I have fitted two satellite dishes, one 1m dish above the 2nd floor roof at the rear of my home. It's been there for 3 years and still fitted securely.

A neighbour 3 houses away has a very tall tree in front of his home and an enormous dish on the front. He liked the idea of a dish on the back to avoid obstruction from the tree so he got his satellite installation professional to fit a dish of approx 1m on a pole on the rear.......it fell off the wall in about a week. Another try by the Pro with a tiny sky size dish attached to a TV aerial post has survived so far.

If you want a job done properly, do it yourself! With professionals, time is money and a well finished job is always at odds with that. Some people have lower standards and are willing to accept lower quality work and finishes, I will not.

wallbash

I refer you to #8

isotonic_uk

Thanks for everyone's replies on this.

The next question is whether i go with Varnish or Stain?

These are the doors I have.
http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Denham-Internal-Oak-Veneer-Door-Glazed-4-Panel-1981x762mm/p/187313

It does state that I cannot wax these. We want to give the doors a none shiny finish, I am guessing matt or satin would be my best options?

To varnish 7 doors both sides, would 1 X 2.5l tub be enough? I think it should be, my only concern was I been told I need to apply at least 3 coats.

Thanks