how to stain oak doors - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Zeebo · 08-25-2005, 11:53 AM

Can someone explain to me , in a step by step method, how to apply stain to a wood door. I am applying stain to an oversized office door which is upright on the hinges. The door is bare wood with a red oak (vener). so it not painted or stained....just bare red oak.

If I apply a stain, would I: (1) sand the door with 300 grit and remove dust (2) apply a wood conditioner (3) apply stain by allowing it to penetrate for 2 or 3 minutes (4) wipe off stain after the 2 or 3 minutes has expired with a lint free cloth that is dampened with the stain. (5) lightly sand the stain after drying 3 hours and (6) apply one coat of clear polyurethane after sanding?

Is this process Ok. Have I missed anything? I plan to use a water based stain and water base polyurethane.

This is a big door, probably 4 x 7. Should I applystain and polyurethane with a brush or roller. If brush, what size; if roller, what nap size??

Any helpful hints would be appreciated. Thanks.

Zeebo

Mike Finley · 08-25-2005, 06:06 PM

Well, the first thing is I took the time to figure out the easiest way to stain crap while still getting excellent results - the secret is wipe on , wipe off, just like the Karate Kid.

I like the wipe on stains, they even have the wipe on poly which works pretty good too.

As for all the specific drying times, you are going to have to read the label of whatever product you look at.
To me 300 grit is too fine for a final just before applying stain. It closes the pours too much. About 150 works for me. I use 600 there after between any coats.

I would apply a minimum of 3 coats of poly, and probably 2 coats of stain.

Zeebo · 08-25-2005, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Finley

Well, the first thing is I took the time to figure out the easiest way to stain crap while still getting excellent results - the secret is wipe on , wipe off, just like the Karate Kid.

I like the wipe on stains, they even have the wipe on poly which works pretty good too.

As for all the specific drying times, you are going to have to read the label of whatever product you look at.
To me 300 grit is too fine for a final just before applying stain. It closes the pours too much. About 150 works for me. I use 600 there after between any coats.

I would apply a minimum of 3 coats of poly, and probably 2 coats of stain.

thanks mike..I'll do the research...good suggestion re: using the pad

Zeebo

**Teetorbilt** · 08-25-2005, 08:09 PM

Wiping with cheesecloth is an old finishing method, one that I still use. I have used some paint pads and have failed to be impressed by any of their claims. I have never tried them for stains. My guess is that they would impart too much stain without much control, this may be an art unto itself. I'm sticking with cheesecloth, we rarely stain anyway, just buy the proper wood. Oak stained to look like anything else is the worst in my book, the grain will always be oak and there is not much to confuse it with.

Mike Finley · 08-25-2005, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teetorbilt

Wiping with cheesecloth is an old finishing method, one that I still use. I have used some paint pads and have failed to be impressed by any of their claims. I have never tried them for stains. My guess is that they would impart too much stain without much control, this may be an art unto itself. I'm sticking with cheesecloth, we rarely stain anyway, just buy the proper wood. Oak stained to look like anything else is the worst in my book, the grain will always be oak and there is not much to confuse it with.

Teetor you use cheesecloths to stain with? Never tried that, I use the cheesecloths after a sanding, but never tried using them to stain with, I will have to give it a go.

**ProWallGuy** · 08-25-2005, 08:48 PM

A trick for staining hard woods with a dark stain is to "pop the grain".
Do this by wetting the door/whatever right before applying the stain. It will open the grain and accept the stain easier than normal. I only do this if the stain is dark, like mahogany or ebony.

**Teetorbilt** · 08-25-2005, 09:53 PM

In furniture, you 'pop' or raise the grain prior to a final scraping or sanding before the first coat of finish. BTW, I don't sand.

Zeebo · 08-25-2005, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teetorbilt

In furniture, you 'pop' or raise the grain prior to a final scraping or sanding before the first coat of finish. BTW, I don't sand.

Do you apply the stain to the door all at once or do you apply it in 2 x 2 sections? In other words, do you apply the entire stain quickly, to the entire door and wipe off the entire door?? Or do you apply stain to a 2x2 section of the door, wipe off, and then move on to the next 2x2 section?? It seems to me that maybe the entire door needs to be done all at once to maintain continuity of stain.????

Zeebo

**Teetorbilt** · 08-25-2005, 11:15 PM

A bit more explict as far as panels, rails, stiles, carvings, etc. would help a lot.
Obviously you care about your work, the difference between a craftsman and a tradesman.

Mike Finley · 08-26-2005, 09:28 AM

I think teetor was giving you the answer, but just to clarify, most stains come out best (and some just to avoid disaster) if you keep a wet edge, the best way to avoid a lot of lap marks is to do the door in logical sections that end or butt up and stop against another section, do the inside of the panels, then the panel itself, then a stile... becareful with what is going on where you are not looking. It isn't hard to have stain leak through to the back of a door through a panel, you turn the door around and you have a nice long drip running down the back, good luck dealing with that! WIth what I use I would do one entire side and then wipe if off, then the other side then the exposed ends.

**Teetorbilt** · 08-26-2005, 10:13 AM

You should not have the leaking panel problem using cheesecloth, it should never be that wet. Start on a panel, rail or stile and work your way to the edges.

Here is how I do it. Cut a 1 gal. jug in half and save the top for a funnel. Pour about 1/4" of stain into it. Cut about an 18" sq. of cheesecloth and wad the edges in towards the center, you should have a wad about the size of a golfball+ with a smooth surface on the outside. Put on gloves. You want to keep one hand clean and the other nasty, I'm right-handed so that's my nasty one. Dip the wad into the stain and get it soaked then squeeze out most of the excess and begin applying. When you need more, dip it quickly and then press out the excess against the side of the container using your clean hand on the outside to press against. If you get runs, you are too wet.

You may want to try this on a practice piece before attacking your project just to get the hang of it. I think that you will find than you get much more control over brushing and there is little to wipe off.

Hope that I explained this well enough.

get-ur-done · 08-26-2005, 03:36 PM

just put some plastic or what ever to cover the floor good, take an oil brush , but first lightly sand the dooos to remove scuff marks and such,dust and use brush to apply stain that way ya can get into creveses and wipe with painter rags or what ever after its all wiped down apply sealer or varnish,follow directions for varnish, especially iol as the dry time is way dif. after dry sand with med fine paper or sponge block to smooth and seal then repeat process on second coat, add third coat with a retarder or something to slow the dry time as it will cure better, just my exerience, with excellent results. john

Brenda · 08-26-2005, 08:55 PM

Teetorbilt, I think you explained it very well. I use the same process, only I use a lint free rag instead of cheesecloth.
I would recommend that you use cardboard instead of plastic for drops.
and just to add that stain can migrate through vinyl over the years, when doing any staining on new construction site I always cover floor with cardboard, it absorbs well and doesn't mess up the drops.

It was stated that the door had red oak veneer; would it be benificial to use conditioner, Or will the veneer take like the rest of the door? I've painted and refinished a bunch of veneer but don't recall staining any.
Brenda

**Teetorbilt** · 08-26-2005, 09:39 PM

Brenda, oak is hard and close grained. Conditioners are used most on softwoods like pine to reduce color variations between the earlywood and the latewood.

Veneer has the charicteristics of the wood that it was derived from. Thickness doesn't matter unless it is very thin. Don't attempt antiques unless you are absolutely certain of what you are doing.

Brenda · 08-26-2005, 10:23 PM

Thanks Teetorbuilt,
I knew about the oak and closed grain and the conditioners on soft woods.
The veneers I wasn't sure about. So how thin is very thin?
Brenda

**Teetorbilt** · 08-26-2005, 10:38 PM

I don't use the stuff but I see it going over the counter at a local cabinetmakers supply. Some of it has to be 1 mm, maybe less. It has sheeting attached to the back to keep it from falling apart. It's scary to me. About as thick as a couple of coats of paint.

Zeebo · 08-27-2005, 04:15 PM

Thanks to everyone for their generous information....very helpful. I need to practice it. The door is a flat panel door. From what I gather from the replys, it sounds like I can apply stain in one long stroke, top to bottom,with the cheese cloth ....and take it off in one long stroke.

What about applying the polyurethane...Can I apply this with a cloth / cheese cloth / pad or would you recommend applying with a wide brush, say 4-6 inches wide??

Zeebo

**Teetorbilt** · 08-27-2005, 05:05 PM

I seem to get my best poly results from foam brushes but I hardly ever use poly. It's water based so stay away from natural bristles.

AAPaint · 08-27-2005, 06:14 PM

You can do one long stroke or you can do a wide area all at once. I prefer to do an area about 6-8" wide top to bottom at a time....keeping the wet edge as you move from one side to the other is critical!! Overlap can really screw you up too if it's a flat panel door. Practice is indeed neccessary to give an even stain on large surfaces. Work fast is what I always say for this stuff.

As for poly, why do you recommend not using natural bristles Teetor? I have always purchased cheap throw away china bristle brushes for polyurethane. I don't care to dip any of my Purdy's in it...With a brush, you really have to be careful though because without careful attention you will have heavy areas and light areas of poly, AND brush strokes....even application is an art! Work twice as fast, poly will tack up quick and give horrible results if you're not careful.

Humble Abode · 08-27-2005, 06:46 PM

This may seem like a stupid question but I have always been curious... Why can't you roll it?