Refinishing an old door - Metairie/New Orleans area

JadeRaven · May 19, 2010

Hey y'all, looking for some advice or recommendations

The front door on my mother's house is getting rather old and funky, and before I let her spend a few hundred bucks on a completely new door, I suggested she just get it refinished. I started to sand it down myself but really this is above my head and I don't want it to look like crap.

Anyway, does anyone know of somebody/some company that can refinish a front door, and about how much something like that would cost? I think it needs to be completely sanded down, re-stained and sealed.

Thanks

XD-GEM · May 19, 2010

If the door is flat with no other millwork, you should be able to do it yourself with a belt sander in no time at all. Just test it for lead first if the door is really old.

JadeRaven · May 19, 2010

Unfortunately (for me) it's a door that has millwork and a glass window. If it was a flat door I'd take a chance

Dave328 · May 19, 2010

JadeRaven said:
Unfortunately (for me) it's a door that has millwork and a glass window. If it was a flat door I'd take a chance

It's really not that hard. I did mine when it was new, and again a few months ago, after 5 years of weathering. Those foam samding blocks that contour themselves to odd shapes will get you around any millwork. Wipe it down with a tack cloth, stain (2-3 coats depending on your color), then as many coats of Spar Urethane as you can put.(I put 4 coats this last time since the door gets full sun for 6-7 hours a day.

XDguy · May 19, 2010

I do around 20 a year, post a pic and I will tell you what it should cost and can tell you the best (and easiest) way to strip it down.

SpeedRacer · May 19, 2010

By the time you pay to have it professionally stripped and refinished (stained), you could have bought a new door. Easily several hundred bucks. Usually this is only done with old, nice doors or a custom opening size there's no cheap replacement for.

Like Dave said, it's not that hard. Really the stripping/sanding is the hard part. Chemical stripper might make the job easier for ya.

mprice · May 19, 2010

XDguy said:
I do around 20 a year, post a pic and I will tell you what it should cost and can tell you the best (and easiest) way to strip it down.

That's what I was thinking - strip it down thoroughly first (I've use Kutzit) maybe once or twice, follow after drying with fine sandpaper. That's what I do with solid wood furniture - doors shouldn't be that much different.

JadeRaven · May 19, 2010

thanks for the input guys. If it was something that a hundred bucks or so would cover than it would have made sense to pay someone. It's a fairly attractive and solid door, so IMO it's worth saving. I'll just have to take some time and sand this thang down right

XDguy · May 19, 2010

I always use the gel type stripper from HD or Lowes. The trick is to use a small wire brush with the fine bristles on the detail work. You really have to be careful that you dont mess up the wood with too stiff of a brush ( brass works well). Put a coat and let it sit for 5-10 minutes and wire brush it, it will dry it out and eventually start to sand it. On a 36" door to strip and stain takes me from 2.5-5 hours. Get some Sikkens clear and your choice stain from Helm Paint. Stain it and come back with a clear coat in a few hours, sand the clear with some 220 and recoat 2 more times. This will last for a while depending on how much sun it gets.

LACamper · May 19, 2010

I was thinking gunkote a base brown, then go over with a laundry bag with a mix of green and black... Should have it done in about an hour.

JadeRaven · May 19, 2010

XDguy said:
I always use the gel type stripper from HD or Lowes. The trick is to use a small wire brush with the fine bristles on the detail work. You really have to be careful that you dont mess up the wood with too stiff of a brush ( brass works well). Put a coat and let it sit for 5-10 minutes and wire brush it, it will dry it out and eventually start to sand it. On a 36" door to strip and stain takes me from 2.5-5 hours. Get some Sikkens clear and your choice stain from Helm Paint. Stain it and come back with a clear coat in a few hours, sand the clear with some 220 and recoat 2 more times. This will last for a while depending on how much sun it gets.

Does the sand after the clear help the next layers of clear adhere? Or just a better overall finish? Either way it doesn't sound like a bad idea

I told her I'd do it, so now I'm hooked

So hopefully within a week she'll have a good looking front door again

JadeRaven · May 19, 2010

LACamper said:
I was thinking gunkote a base brown, then go over with a laundry bag with a mix of green and black... Should have it done in about an hour.

Haha, she asked if I was just going to paint over it, which I pondered for a second, and I said naah I'm gonna do it the right way.

XDguy · May 19, 2010

WHen you strip the door it raises the wood fibers so when the first coat of clear dries it will have a rough feeling so you smooth it out with a fine grit paper, after this sanding is not necessary. A random orbital sander can be used on the flat parts of the door, dont use anything heavier than 100 grit and finish it off with at least 180 grit or there will be swirl marks. Do not use any products from home depot or lowes to finish it, I promise if it gets any weather or sun it wont last a year.

XD-GEM · May 20, 2010

XDguy said:
I always use the gel type stripper from HD or Lowes. The trick is to use a small wire brush with the fine bristles on the detail work. You really have to be careful that you dont mess up the wood with too stiff of a brush ( brass works well). Put a coat and let it sit for 5-10 minutes and wire brush it, it will dry it out and eventually start to sand it. On a 36" door to strip and stain takes me from 2.5-5 hours. Get some Sikkens clear and your choice stain from Helm Paint. Stain it and come back with a clear coat in a few hours, sand the clear with some 220 and recoat 2 more times. This will last for a while depending on how much sun it gets.

This stuff works well, but do small areas at a time and be sure to keep out of the sun.

mprice · May 20, 2010

XDguy said:
WHen you strip the door it raises the wood fibers so when the first coat of clear dries it will have a rough feeling so you smooth it out with a fine grit paper, after this sanding is not necessary. A random orbital sander can be used on the flat parts of the door, dont use anything heavier than 100 grit and finish it off with at least 180 grit or there will be swirl marks. Do not use any products from home depot or lowes to finish it, I promise if it gets any weather or sun it wont last a year.

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Refinishing an old door - Metairie/New Orleans area

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