veneered oak doors - varnish or wax?

[Stugarlinge1970]

Just fitted some unfinished oak internal doors, I'm now after the finish that finished oak internal doors usually come, to me I'd describe it as a satin varnished look, to achieve that look would I actually use a satin varnish, or is it better to use an oil or wax etc,
One other thing, with them being vaneer, will I have to stay away ftom solvent based products as I've heard the solvent can delaminate the vaneer.

 

[Stugarlinge1970]

Just fitted some unfinished oak internal doors, I'm now after the finish that finished oak internal doors usually come, to me I'd describe it as a satin varnished look, to achieve that look would I actually use a satin varnish, or is it better to use an oil or wax etc,
One other thing, with them being vaneer, will I have to stay away ftom solvent based products as I've heard the solvent can delaminate the vaneer.

 

[Old Salt]

Check the manufacturers instructions. I have oak veneer doors and it said not to use oil. I used water based satin varnish.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Wax doesn't really work brilliantly on oak, I feel, and in addition it collects muck over time (or patina as antique dealers call it). As it happens neither oil nor wax give much physical protection to the wood, although both are easy to apply.

Commercial doors are generally sprayed with a 2-pack catalyzed lacquer, and these are available in various gloss levels (10% to 80%), although the need for a spray booth, extraction and spray guns, etc tends to put these out of the reach of most DIYers. An alternative is to apply a semi-matt clear water-based acrylic lacquer which can be brush or roller applied

 

[JohnD]

I agree with water-based satin varnish. I use Diamond.

The floor varnishes might be harder wearing, I don't know.

use a clear one

if you want to add colour, use a wood dye first.