Poll - High Gloss or Matt/Satin Finish for old front door

[dishman]

Restoring a 1930s front door with an oval leaded light.

Just wondered what finish most people think looks best for this period of door.

1)A Satin/Matt finish, which is ment to hide imperfections better and is apparently looks classier at the moment?!.

....or....

2) A high gloss finish, which may also look very nice if done well, is ment to be more hard wearing (can anyone explain why this is the case?), although may show up imperfections more, and some say can make the door look cheap and plasticky.

I was looking to use the Sikkens range of exterior paints, they seem to have a good following.

 

[footprints]

You pays your money and takes your choice
I tend to go for satin for interior as it is more forgiving of small defects, but for a feature like the door you describe worth taking a bit of time to get a high gloss finish. It is more traditional too.
Love to know how they get that finish on the door at Downing Street I reckon it's sprayed and they have several on rotation, can't imagine telling the PM he has to leave it open till it dries!

 

[dishman]

Love to know how they get that finish on the door at Downing Street I reckon it's sprayed and they have several on rotation, can't imagine telling the PM he has to leave it open till it dries!

Funny you asked that as I read this recently...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8677004.stm

 

[footprints]

Thanks for that link dishman
Also an interesting fact is that the door has no outside keyhole, so when they say the new PM has got the keys to number ten, I guess they must mean one under a flower pot round the back!

 

[dcdec]

The door will have several coats of gras a lacquer or kodrin spachtel applied and multiple coats of gloss which are wet abraded. This finish is more than achievable on anyone's front door but because the technique is so labour intensive its too expensive for your average punter. I have a pic on my profile of a piece of skirting thats white gloss on top of gras a lacquer, and only one coat of each so you can imagine how the downing street door looks so good with multiple coats. It is sprayed as well and would have to be done in a dust free environment because black gloss is a nightmare for showing dust.
Interestingly if you get the chance to look closely the railings are usually in p133 poor state. I'd be interested to know what brand of paint is used on the door, sikkens xd perhaps?

 

[joe-90]

I reckon it's work by the auto trade. Spray on, sand back, spray several clear coats, sand back and buff up with a cutting compound. It's a steel blast door after all.

 

[dishman]

The door will have several coats of gras a lacquer or kodrin spachtel applied and multiple coats of gloss which are wet abraded. This finish is more than achievable on anyone's front door but because the technique is so labour intensive its too expensive for your average punter.

What is the best application order from your experience? I note on the technical sheet it recommends: Primer - (wet sand?) - Kodrin Spachtel - ( wet sand?) - 10% thinned gloss (wet sand), full gloss?

How do you know how hard to sand the Kodrin Spachtel layer?

Initially I thought you applied the Kordrin to the timber direct but is it best practice to apply to the sanded primed layer?

 

[dcdec]

You apply the spachtel very sparingly and don't really want to go any deeper than a mm or 2, you skim the whole door and what it does is flatten the surface out which makes it more reflective. Use a wood filler for deeper dents and knocks. I usually dry abrade it.
TBH if you're gonna go down this route you've got to have really good brush skills, its a lot of work and will take ages in drying times for a start. Sikkens xd needs 24hrs min between coats and the spachtel because its oil based takes a long time as well.
I'd
dry sand
spot prime bare spots
fill knocks and dents and splits etc
dry sand
undercoat
wet sand
spachtel
undercoat
wet sand
thin coat of gloss
wet sand
gloss two or three more times wet sanding in between.
Wet sanding creates a sort of slurry which must be removed before the next coat

If the door is removed, get two blocks of wood that are at least double the width of the door, now with some long nails hammer the blocks into the top of the door (the thin bit same width as the door edge, not the facing side), now with some help you can flip the door over to stop dust settling on it as it dries. Also damp down the floor of the area your painting in.

 

[dishman]

Thanks

Great information, I have the time to do it, so I should be able to make a good job of it, a nice little project. If your going to do somthing, you may as well do it properly.

Here is a picture of the door as it is now:

View media item 68335
Needs quite a bit of TLC (rescued it from a skip) -

I was not sure if a high-gloss finish would look good at first, but I think it may work.

 

[joe-90]

There are much easier ways to do things. Get a 1/4 sheet sander and sand it with 80 grit paper until it's dead flat. Undercoat it, and then sand it with 120 grit (lightly) do same again and sand. Lay flat and thin your gloss slightly. Apply fractionally more than you would if it were upright and it'll pond. (not too much paint though). It'll look like glass. I do it all the time. It's my trademark.

 

[dcdec]

Be good to see some photo's dishman as the door progress's, Forgot to say to abrade after the spachtel but guess thats obvious.
Joe's way is quicker and easier but if you do want the downing street look you have to spachtel because the surface has to be completely level and dead flat. Wet abrasion also gives a far better finish.
Good luck with it

 

[dishman]

Be good to see some photo's dishman as the door progress's, Forgot to say to abrade after the spachtel but guess thats obvious.
Joe's way is quicker and easier but if you do want the downing street look you have to spachtel because the surface has to be completely level and dead flat. Wet abrasion also gives a far better finish.
Good luck with it

I think I will have a good go with it. A question; how much do you normally load the brush when painting with this type of gloss, and how do you know (without experience) how thick each gloss layer should be?

I think I am going to do some tests on various bits of timber to see how I go first....

Out of interest, as this is labour intensive job, what do you think a decorator would charge to do somthing like this...

 

[dcdec]

There's an expression "you've got to boss gloss", which basically means apply sparingly and push it out on the surface before laying off.

As for price its hard to say because the system i described isn't financially viable to anyone other than a client who is willing to pay for the pleasure of having the best front door in the street. Ball park £500 maybe?