Looking to Spray-Stain Old Doors
I have the original pocket and front doors from my brownstone and before I re-install them I would like to have them professionally stained – spray stained in a booth – but I am having trouble finding someone to do this.They have already been dip-stripped. Ideas, suggestions, recommendations, anyone??
I have the original pocket and front doors from my brownstone and before I re-install them I would like to have them professionally stained – spray stained in a booth – but I am having trouble finding someone to do this.They have already been dip-stripped. Ideas, suggestions, recommendations, anyone??
Thanks, Steve.
I am not sure I would use varnish over regular shellac – I would use dewaxed shellac. But there is some debate about this –
A good resource for a lot of these questions is Abbott Paint on Eagle Street in Greenpoint (Charlie the manager is the person to direct questions to). Aside from the technical know-how with respect to wood finishing (as opposed to simply painting) they have all of the products. Not just Minwax stains like a paint store has (and which you should consider not using) but alcohol and lacquer based stains which are much more forgiving than Minwax (minwax is oil based and once applied seals the wood, so additional coats are almost negligible; alcohol stains will allow many additional coats including using darker stains with results). They carry all of the top coats.
Mopar, you can use oil based products outside well into the cold weather, though I am not sure I would go below freezing. Oil primer like the Zinsser oil base (not the alcohol based) and an oil top coat. Caulk open joints after priming.
Steve
On the interior doors, just rubbing oil on it looks very pretty. (Not sure if you must use Tung or anything will do.) But agree that would not have been the original finish. KCorey16 has good advice.
K.Corey, our exterior door and surround is painted and peeling. What is the proper procedure: Scrape, paint with exterior primer, paint with exterior paint? Oil or latex for the top coat? Can I do this in October/November, as long as it’s not raining, or must I wait until spring?
If you have something “spray stained” you will not get any character from the wood grain…most cheap furniture is finished this way. Hand staining gives the person applying the stain to highlight the grain and texture of the wood…like a fine piece of furniture. Now, what’s very important (and what most people do not do). You must use and exterior stain, not Min-Wax. Look at the label. If it doesn’t say it’s for exterior use than don’t use…it will only fade in about a year. Also, don’t use polyurethane on the exterior…it will peel like a bad sunburn. Poly dries very hard and will not expand or contract. So, only use spar varnish or marine varnish. Just follow the directions on the can. You can use interior stain on the interior doors (although exterior stain will match the exterior better) and you can use polyurethane on the interior also. Personally, I have always used shellac (2 coats)and then 2 coats of clear varnish on the inside wood. This is the way the interiors of the houses were originally finished. Shellac is an excellent sealer and will last at least 100 years. Oh, my “expertise” comes from having been in the retail trade for many years with N.Y.’s leading retailer of paint products. Hope this is some help.