strange door coating...

ellal · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 8:23 am Post Subject: strange door coating...

I'm just tring to strip a door which has a strange type of coating on it.

It is like a mixture of paint and wax. Certain areas are quite hard, and removed with a heatgun. Other areas 'feel' wet, and can be scrapped off easily. However, these areas behave as if the wood is damp when sanding, and results in a 'furry' finish.

Any ideas what is in the wood, and how to clean it? I'm planning to apply a light stain and wax the door.

hazard1yard · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 11:09 am Post Subject: door coating

I had a very similar problem on a whole bunch of Victorian doors I had and the only way I found was to get it srtipped professionally. These I have lightly sanded and waxed and they look stunning. Sorry I cannot be of more help

ellal · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 12:08 pm Post Subject:

Thanks for the reply anyway...

JohnD · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 1:23 pm Post Subject:

how old do you think the coating is?

Does it look like paint or like varnish?

Does it smell like it could be oiled timber?

Could it be that you are stripping knotty softwood, and the heatgun is making the resin come out under your paint as you are stripping it?

ellal · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 1:36 pm Post Subject:

Ok, here's a picture which may help.

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As you can see the horizontal piece is one of the bits in question, whereas the vertical piece is OK (this is repeated in various sections of the door)

The coating was at least 5 yrs old (before we moved in) with no noticeable smell

If the timber was oiled before, surely it would have been the same all over?

JohnD · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 1:50 pm Post Subject:

might it be that condensation has formed and soaked into the horizontal piece?

ellal · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 1:55 pm Post Subject:

condensation?...

JohnD · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 2:08 pm Post Subject:

keep up, man

ellal · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 2:22 pm Post Subject:

I was...