help. can I have the handles i want????

[whitecross]

I have chosen new door handles as our others are very tatty, the ones I have chosen will not quite cover the old screw holes. The painter I have employed says the old srew holes will show due to the fact our doors aren't solid wood or is it just to make life easier for himself.

 

[JohnD]

are the doors hollow and made of cardboard?

are you willing to do some DIY?

 

[whitecross]

sorry, not sure just the standard modern doors that you buy everywhere these days!!

 

[sparkwright]

I take it the doors were previously painted, and about to be re-painted, correct?

He needs to remove the handles, sand down well. It's likely the wood isn't too flat round the screw holes, so he should sand it flat, fill and prime and undercoat any bare wood.

Or find handles with the fixings in the same place - which is just about impossible.

 

[JohnD]

if he has not allowed for the cost of the extra work in his quote, you might have to buy a tube of filler and a piece of sandpaper and do it yourself.

either that or pay him extra.

 

[dcdec]

Your painter is talking utter rubbish, must be another insurance broker lost his job.

Follow sparkwrights advice.

 

[whitecross]

Thanks for your advice everyone.
Apparently our door are not solid wood but have a wood veneer which isn't very thick!!!
Does this make a difference??

 

[sparkwright]

Thanks for your advice everyone.
Apparently our door are not solid wood but have a wood veneer which isn't very thick!!!
Does this make a difference??

It means the handles won't have such a good fixing as they would in a solid door. But since the old handles were fixed to these doors, then so should the new ones. If the new screw holes will be very close to the old screw holes you may struggle getting a decent fixing as the holes may merge into one.

Proper two part wood filler would be the best way to fill the old holes, as it is stronger than most fillers.

 

[whitecross]

Thank you.
I will tell him this......Might be that fact he there are 16 doors !!!
Failing that I will be looking for another painter decorator, which is not easy these days.

 

[sparkwright]

Has he actually put the final coat on the doors yet?

The best solution may for him to remove the old handles, sand, fill, paint etc, - then get SOMEONE ELSE to fit the new handles.

 

[whitecross]

No, he has not touched doors just doing skirting, door surrounds and walls. He is leaving doors till I can come to a decision about the handles.
I don't think he is worried about fitting them but is convinced the old holes will show through!!!!

 

[misterhelpful]

If you have the standard white moulded panelled doors (grain effect) then where the screws are removed you will find the holes are rather fibrous (basically MDF). Trying to fill them and match the grained pattern well, can be time consuming.
This is likely to be the reason for saying they will show as a fair bit of patience will be needed for him to do 16 doors.

 

[sparkwright]

Tell him to TRY to fill the holes, and see what it's like before the final coat of paint goes on.

Don't forget, the old handles will still be able to be put back if it really does look rubbish.

Using a thick oil based primer should eliminate a fair bit of the filled in bit I would imagine.

Out of interest, what's he like at making good other imperfections which you may have?