Internal Door 'varnish'

Hi Erisn.

Pros will be along to advise shortly...

However, I'd suggest not using any varnish with 'colour' in it, such as the one you linked to. Any varnish with added 'stain' will obliterate the natural grain variations to some extent - it's a coloured coating that covers the wood, rather than something which enhances the natural grain.

The oak veneer - is it very light at the moment? - will darken considerably when you coat it with whatever CLEAR stuff you end up coating it with.

Annoyingly, one of the finishes I would usually have suggested - Danish Oil - seems to be outlawed in the instructions, without any explanation. Grrr. BUT, if you read the reviews, at least 2 people have applied oil and found it works. So, what's that about?

Most people have applied varnish, tho', as recommended, and seemingly to good effect. Here you have two basic choices - 'oil' or water-based. In either event, I would personally recommend a 'satin' finish, as matt with be too, er, matt, and gloss could look 'cheap'.

There are pros and cons with oil and water - oil ('polyurethane' - brushes need to be cleaned in white spirits, or similar) will be tougher, smellier, take longer to dry, and will make the timber more 'yellow'. Water-based ('solvent-free' or 'quick-drying' - brushes wash out in water) is easier to use, doesn't smell and, is possibly less tough (tho' Dulux and Ronseal, for example, make very hard-wearing water-based varnishes) - but will 'colour' the timber less, leaving the grain deepened, but less 'affected'.

If you get a clean cloth, dampen it and wipe it over part of the grain, you'll get a good idea of how it'll darken with water-based varnish. Oil-based will likely add a further 'yellower' tone to that.

I wonder why you can't oil it? Sigh - that would look awesome - full grain texture, hmmmmm.

I, personally, much prefer the natural look, and oak is as handsome as it comes. So I would use water-based, satin, 'Diamond-Hard' varnish in this case - if I couldn't use oil.

But - wait for the pros...

 

what finish is on the doors now ? - if you've purchased those doors should they not already have the illustrated finish (the one you seek to replicate) already ?

one of the reviews ........

"Lovely doors until my house burnt down. Don't wear well under deluge from firemen's hoses but kept the fire at bay for a bit. I shall be back for some more when the insurance pays up."

 

Hi Ersin.

It's obviously not for me to suggest what shade is 'best' - that's a matter of taste. Speaking for myself - and I love oak more than any other wood - I'd like it as natural as possible, with no suggestion of the shade being artificially altered.

Have you tried the 'damp cloth' test yet?! That will give you a good idea of the final finish using water-based varnish.

Using Danish Oil will likely make it slightly warmer than this (perhaps like the B&Q door), and polyurethane varnish probably slightly more again.

It's a toughie. I'm afraid I think you'll need to test to see. I would first try some water-based varnish on the underside or top edge (is that veneered too?) of the door to see. Allow it to dry. You can repeat this with oil-based.

I think I would try Danish Oil too, but I cannot recommend this to you as the instructions make it clear it's 'not suitable' for oiling.

Oil would be a lot more work, in any case - it needs to be applied, allowed to soak in, and the excess wiped off. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat Annnd - buff!

The dark shade - almost red mahogany - in the top photos is going to be hard to achieve with satisfactory results. The best way to do this is to use wood stain (dye) to colour the veneer first, and then overcoat with varnish. Dyeing wood is a 'mare to get right.

If you were to try using coloured varnish in such a dark shade as that, the original grain would be almost completely obliterated, and you wouldn't even know it was a real oak veneer underneath...

Light natural oak is a class act. It'll go with anything.

Keep surfing for carpenter's websites and see what they can suggest for this.

 

I've approached certain manufacturers over their "no oil and/or wax " instructions with their veneered doors, the reason I have been given is that "it doesn't seal the door properly" , basically they are covering their backs so that people do not oil or wax the door insufficiently and the door subsequently warps. Limiting varnish finishes to their doors limit people complaining that their doors have warped, as generally a varnish will seal up a door quicker, so even a poorly finished door should be ok.
I'm a big fan of oil finishes, and oil looks and works really well with oak, and despite what people may think it IS a very hardy finish, providing as with any finish really that it is applied correctly. Same as DA, since it's manufacturers instructions I can't say use oil, but if they were mine I wouldn't hesitate...

 

Ah! Good to have a reason, RW. Dearie me - they're worried about an internal door warping... Jeepers. It's not as tho' the whole door is solid timber which is more likely to warp - sheeesh.

On that basis, I would oil it too. What oil do you suggest, RW? And any hints/tips on getting the best finish in the easiest way?

 

I personally like a Danish or linseed depending on how much you want the colour to change ( linseed will only change the natural colour minimally) . Although simply by its construction Danish is hard wearing with fewer coats.

I like the more traditional approach of applying oil, taking a few days at least to fully finish it, whereby you apply the oil fairly liberally until it appears to stop soaking in, leave for half hour or so, buff off and repeat this process the next day and again the next , you should see that by the third day the wood isn't really taking in much and you can buff to a soft sheen .
You can do this process in a day of course, doing the same, buffing off after half an hour, re-applying and so on , but I find the finish slightly better if left 24 hours between coats and use a fine grade steel wool between coats.
Personally if I'm making a piece of furniture that customer or I want a oiled finish on, I like to do the above , leave for a week and do again, if it's in the workshop long enough to I'd re do this again after leave a fortnight and so on, this is a old technique used with cabinets ( when cabinet makers had the luxury of time ) where you would oil every day for a week, then once a week for a month , then recommend as maintenance a re oil once a month for the remainder of the year. I wouldn't expect that on doors though ! It does produce a lovely finish and exceptionally hard wearing, it wouldn't be worth it with a veneered product IMO as it's not going to keep absorbing in as much as solid.

 

Just maybe, because it is veneer, the oil might not play well with the adhesive used!?

Personally, I would choose a light oak stain(one coat should be enough, but your choice if darker needed), followed by a clear varnish. That should do it.

Mr. HandyAndy - Really

 

Delamination really shouldn't be an issue if it's being finished correctly, perhaps if you're absolutely flooding it with oil then may be a slight risk but the oil shouldn't have that much of an adverse affect on the adhesive. I've oiled most of my veneered furniture I produce and never seen delamination, know other makers and restorers that say the same, even bigger furniture manufacturers that use veneers like G-plan use oil finishes on a lot of their products.

 

If you decide to go down the oil route, rather than the 'film' forming varnish, then take a look at Osmo oil and Treatex, both excellent products which are maintained very easily. Both will darken over time so it could be best to start with a clear or light oak finish. Both products will show off the grain beautifully.

 

I bought some expensive ash veneered doors, first door I varnished the veneer started to shrink! This was the water based varnish, same make but not water based worked fine on all the others.

 

Blimey.

I can't see the Wickes instructions mentioning what type of varnish to use, so if I were going the varnish route I'd use water-based as it's easier to use and doesn't artificially darken the wood tone.

And if the veneer lifted or shrank, they'd get them back, no question.

 

Ersin - yep, faaar too many choices and that just serves to make life difficult .

That first one you linked to - the Danish Oil at Homebase - take care, that seems to have some 'colour' in it as it's described as Antique Pine or something.

I think there's a fair chance that these specific interior door finishes like Osmo will be easier to use and give a great finish. But, I don't know as I haven't used them...

 

Yeah. Reason for that is the one stain coat brings out the real colour, and once you have the desired colour, the clear varnish seals it in, and shouldn't change the shade even with a couple of coats. If you have a coloured varnish, a second coat will darken it. Even further if you ever feel the need to re-varnish over the top.
Basically, you get the colour/shade right, then seal it in with the sheen of your choice, be it matt, satin, gloss.

Mr. HandyAndy - Really