Finishing Tips
 Preparation and Finishing:
Wood
panel doors should be finished after they have been fitted and hung.
Remove door from hinges to a dry area. Avoid finishing immediately
after a rain or damp weather, or during periods of higher than average
humidity. The door itself must be dry. Sand the entire surface
with 150-180 grit sandpaper and/or steel wool to remove marks,
fingerprints, stamps, etc. Grease and oily stains can be removed
with mineral spirits. Do not use water or caustic or abrasive
cleaners. Clean the door thoroughly with a cloth to remove dust.
“Do not use wood
conditioners prior to staining mahogany, oak, cherry. Conditioner is good
on woods with wild grain variations and most softwood products. On
hardwoods, it most often seals the wood and prevents your stain from doing
its job and penetrating the wood grain. Your finishes will tend to be
light and off color.”
To obtain a quality stain or clear finish,
step 1 is to sand the door. Step 2 clean the door using paint
thinner or acetone. Now, follow the finishing procedure according to the
instructions of the product you are using. Brush on 1st coat, let dry & lightly sand. Repeat for
2nd coat. Apply 3rd coat. Done.
Finishing Tips:
Whatever finish desired, use sealers,
primers, stains and finish coatings from the same manufacturer, if
possible, to insure compatibility. Follow the manufacturer's
instructions. Consult your paint dealer.
Use sealer, primer, clear finishes and paint liberally to fill in and
bridge all voids in the joints between wood sections and between the wood
and any glass or insets in the door.
Sand lightly between coats of sealer, stain, and clear finishes.
Never use lacquer-base stains or finishes on wood panel doors. Nor
should lacquer-thinner be used to clean any acrylic doors.
 Painting
a previously finished wood door:
If you would like to paint a
previously finished door, we recommend using KILZ as the base coat.
It can be mixed to a tint close to your paint choice and comes in standard
white. Available at Lowes, Home Depot and paint stores everywhere.
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