Oak Veener doors. Some advice on using varnish.

DirectDebacle

Varnish, stain or both? Depends on what you want to achieve.

For example you use a clear varnish. This will slightly darken the wood but won't stain it. Varnish is for protection. Damp a rag with white spirit and wipe it over a section of door. This will show you the approximate effect of using a clear varnish.

A stain is exactly that. It changes the colour of the wood but does not of itself offer much in the way of protection.

Personally I would apply three coats of clear polyurethane varnish.

Coat 1 60/40 thinner to varnish
Coat 2 40/60 thinner to varnish
Coat 3 Full coat varnish.

De nib with 320/400 grit paper between coats if necessary.

If using stain and varnish ensure they are compatible. Eg water based stain you need water based varnish, oil based varnish = oil based stain. Varnish that is thinned with white spirit is oil based.

Satin is a bit easier to clean than matt. Satin can be brought back to matt by gently rubbing with OOOO gauge (very fine) wire wool.