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Door Finishing Guide
- Make sure doors are dry. Adjust or align components, if necessary.
- Remove all handling marks, instruction labels, and effects of exposure
to moisture with a thorough, final light sanding over all srufaces of
the door. High gloss finishes and darker colored stains may require
additional sanding.
- Clean door thoroughly after sanding to remove all dust or foreign
material. However, avoid using caustic or abrasive cleaners.
- To achieve your desired results, always talk with your finish supplier
before beginning. Results vary by finish, each of which have their own
unique qualities and application issues. Water based finishes have a
tendency to raise the wood grain more than an oil based finish. The
color of the wood can also vary based on oil or water based finishes.
The lighter colored woods such as Maple, Birch, and Pine, have characteristic
grain that can look blotchy and uneven when stained and may look best
in a clear finish. If a stained look is desired, consider using a washcoat
prior to staining to create a more even appearance. This can help, but
Stallion Doors is not responsible for the natural variations in color
that can appear to occur in the finishing process.
- Apply finish as soon as door is fitted, but before final hanging.
- Make sure all surfaces are sealed and finished, including the top,
bottom and side edges of the stiles and rails.
- For natural finishes, apply quality stain followed by at least two
coats of clear finish. Doors must be adequately sealed to prevent excessive
moisture absorption.
- Sand lightly between all coats.
- Make sure that all coatings in the finish system are compatible by
using products from the same manufacturer. Finish manufacturers will
be able to tell you which of their products may be successfully applied
in combination with each other. Finishes should be applied in accordance
with the manufacturer's instructions.
- Glass doors, with the plastic protective film to simplify the finishing
process, require care when removing the film to avoid scratching the
glass.
- Carefully remove any stain/finish from glass using 0000 steel wool
and an ammonia based glass cleaner.
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