I've stained my front door now I'm freezing!!!

[AdamW]

Would it be a bad thing if I used a heatgun to try and dry woodstain faster? Would it crack and craze, would it oxidise, would it run everywhere and look rubbish afterwards?

I had to fit a new weather bar to my door frame, and whilst the door was out of the frame I thought I would give it a spruce up. I prepped properly and used Sadolin wood stain (was really good stuff last time I used it... on a warm summer's day...).

It is 7:30, the stain is still wet (some hours later) and it is currently 2 degrees celsius. It was about 8-degrees when I applied the stain, and the tin said not to use it below 5 degrees...

So, in order to improve drying time, I was wondering if I could use my electric heatgun (the hairdryer-on-steroids type), and would it be worth the hassle?

Feel free to call me a silly chilly boy, but only if you have some useful advice too

I just need to get it dry enough that I can refit it to the frame, and close it for the night without the door glueing shut.

 

[big-all]

might help to open the door about 70 degrees
secure a board to the outside point a fan heater from about7ft towards the door
or if theres a radiator nearby that may give enough heat you need to raise the teperature towards the mid teens but evenly and slowly

this is assuming its inward opening

 

[AdamW]

Cheers Big-all!

After posting, I tried the heatgun thinking "if it knackers the finish I'll just redo it another day".

Heatguns don't help dry sadolin!

By about 8:30 I bit the bullet, put LOTS of newspaper down on the hallway carpet and reinstalled the door, still wet.

I did think first of course: When trimming the door I had ensured a uniform gap around the door all the way around, and as I hadn't yet painted the exterior-facing surface I realised that if the door glues itself shut, it will be minimal.

Now, can you imagine how fun it is trying to carry a 100lb door, with all the side bits covered in highly-pigmented oil, into a hallway with white walls, white ceiling, white carpet?

Wore latex gloves so after getting it into position I ditched them and got the screws in.

Fortunately not quite one for DIY Disasters, but could have gon either way! And now the hypothermia has cleared up nicely... I honestly do not know how the homeless can survive the winter. Just a day of being cold was awful.

 

[big-all]

i take it it was outside the a w

if it was inside a bit off 12mm ply would be filling the gap here

 

[AdamW]

Yup, twas my front door, onto the street!

My dad gave me a ticking off for trying to use wood stain on a winter's afternoon, but unfortunately the job really did have to be done (I'm getting ready to sell)

By the way, here's a fun trick to play: get a splodge of Sadolin/woodstain on your skin somewhere. Just a little bit. Then when you get into bed with your wife/girlfriend and she starts pointing, say "Yes, it's a birthmark... how long have we been married and you've NEVER spotted it?!?!"

Really does look like birthmarks, and I fear it will last about as long!!!

 

[big-all]

right once youve chiseled the door out today
lets hope the rain helps it dry
or hopfully its warm and sunny where you are today

 

[AdamW]

I've just checked, and whilst the stain is still wet (luckily on the interior side of the door... I realised I could do the exterior side still on the frame later on!), it hasn't run or dripped. So, I just need to be VERY careful when going indoors or out.

The step (which I also stained) has got wet, but the water has beaded and sat on the surface.

Wish it was 30 degrees and sunny!