Staining a front pine door

[chillout]

Im about to stain a door. I was going to wipe it down with meths as its a Pine door, let it dry then apply the stain. However I've been reading that its best to apply a product called Shellac? And then proceed to stain the door. Does anyone have any advice in relation to staining a door successfully? The door was dipped about a month ago.
Many thanks.

 

[oldgreymouse]

Not sure how you were advised to do the door with shellac first. Sounds like you have already done some prep on the door. Dipping is not great for a door but if needs must!!! The door will have come back a bit on the rough side so I am assumimg you have sanded and cleaned off the door.

First off, I would choose my stain, go for either spirit stain or water based stain and try a light coat first, I use an old cotton sheet to work the stain up the panels with an old half inch brush to help get it into the joints and mouldings.
Shellac dries very quick, but I have only used this in two quick coats, flatting between, before moving on to a coloured wax, which when dried was buffed up with brush and cloth to get a nice smooth aged patina, more so on getting doors looking like dark oak in old listed buildings.

You could probably leave out the shellac process and just apply clear varnish on your pine, matt or satin, thinned down for first couple of coats and leave it at that, job done!!
I don't like the water based stuff as it dries too quick but it still works, I tend to still use spirit varnish that dries over a couple of hours. Smells a bit if you do a job for a client and it does take time to dry. As a final finish, I have flatted down with a 240 grade paper then added a coat of clear wax and buffed to a nice shene. Lovely!!!

 

[chillout]

Cheers mate,
I bought the Sikkens primer and stain, I believe its water based. The door strippers neutralised then sanded it down ready for painting. So basically its a coat of primer, rub down with 280 grade. Prime again, sand, apply first coat, rub down (280 grade) and paint final coat. Then flatten with 240 sandpaper. Then varnish with spirit varnish, flatten again and apply clear wax?

 

[oldgreymouse]

Is this an external door? If so, you would NOT do the wax final finish as I do this on INTERNAL doors only and if I am using the normal range of woodstains to get my colour followed by a couple of clear coats of spirit varnish to get my finish.

The process I mention above is nothing like the all in ready mixed water based stain and varnish you get off the shelf in the diy store. This product is just a coloured wood effect plastic coating on top of the wood and is used as a quick pretend wood finish. If you scratch it, the bare wood shows through from underneath. Not a very nice finish in my opinion.


It sounds like you have already bought the sikkens product. Which one did you get? as they do several in their range and most go straight on the bare wood. Some are clear, others are coloured. Most need no further work other than 'What it say's to do on the tin' although I would give a light sand between coats to remove the nibs etc.

 

[chillout]

Hi Mate yes its external. I bought the HLS and the Filter 7. Ive been told that as the door was dipped it should be rubbed down with vinegar, is this correct? The suppliers said that there is no need to sand down between coats, not sure how right that is though and what kind of brush, synthetic, black china or a woodstain brush would be best? Im using rags too.

 

[oldgreymouse]

Hi Chillout,
With the stripped door, sometimes the gunk gets stuck in the joints and corners of the mouldings so using vinegar will neutralize the Hydroxide, although I did not find too much of a problem re-coating doors if they have been well cleaned off after the process.
Don't use the synthetic brushes with spirit finishes, stick with a good quality bristle and I choose as long a bristle as possible for wood treatments as they tend not to clog up the bristles like paint does. Gives you a nice smooth finish.
One coat of HLS then 2 coats of the Filter 7 is about right and I am sorry but I do like to de-nib between coats as I find it almost impossible to have such a clean enviroment that no dust and bits get on the work.
A quick go over between coats with a good quality 240 grit and a wipe with a tac rag does no harm in my book.

 

[chillout]

Cheers mate, the strippers did say they neutralised it but how well I dont know. So its vinegar, sand then the meths? Is the Filter 7 a spirit I was under the impression it was water based? Is it best to use a wood stain brush in that case or a black china?
I agree with the sanding though, the worker said there was no need, but its not her door at the end of the day I guess!

 

[oldgreymouse]

The vinegar is cheep as chips so use as needed. Unless they have changed the sikkens mix, the last time I used it, it was spirit based so check the tin in case it is now water based, apologies if I got it wrong!!
Maybe other decs can confirm this?

I like the long bristles as I said for giving long brush strokes, but each to his own. With some varnish products that I have thinned down with thinners, I have used the synthetic brushes at times only because I do like to be able to feather out the work after it is applied. Nothing worse than looking at thick brush marks on a door.

Yes do use a 240 grit between coats, it takes no time at all to do and who likes to see nibs, bits and strands of hair in the finished work!!!

 

[chillout]

Cheers mate,
Id rather have it on my chips but there you go! Its the white one I take it. Yr probably right Im not very up on stain products. I'll be picking the door up tomorrow and will start if the weathers ok.

 

[chillout]

Got a bit carried away with the so called stainable filler which showed up like anything also had to strip it all back again! About to buy some coloured filler which may be better and will be careful when applying. I wa sgoing to use a black china brush to apply and then use a rag to also apply and wipe off. What would the advantage be of a black china brush over a normal woodstain brush?

 

[oldgreymouse]

The black brushes are usually thicker and hold more of what you are trying to apply. hence the are more suited for paint The woodstain brushes quite often have a mix of bristle and can be thinner in volume as stains and varnish are often quite thin to work with so do not need to hold lots of the product you are using. I have also used the newer sythentic fillement brushes with no problem at all.

With regard to your stainable fillers, these can be mixed together to get the correct colour you need to fill holes etc. ( Making sure the products are the same make of course)

 

[chillout]

Cheers Im filling some of the larger holes with wood. Should it be old pine. Can i Use floorboards or no good for an external door?

 

[oldgreymouse]

Old pine boards should be ok if you can match the wood in.
How big are the holes!!!!

 

[chillout]

Ah ok, well one is where a lock was so a keyhole size and another on the other side (slightly bigger).