Today: Bathroom door - sanding, staining and poly.
This bathroom door from the parts camper was taller and wider than the original. With a need to trim it back to size, I had the option to take off the bottom, the top, or a piece from each. Same goes on the sides. So I looked the door over pretty close and picked the best "chunk-o-door" from an aesthetic standpoint - meaning fewer "ugly" patina marks, and more "pretty" patina marks, screw holes (from the door stiffener and the previous mirror mount), etc.
As it turned out, I sliced off the previous door knob holes, and kept the full hinge side.
The old mirror mark (sun fade) guided me for the height sizing.
The inside surface (mirror and stiffener marks and screw holes) was one issue, and the opposite outside surface was another. But once it was evaluated and cut, it was time for some loving "hands-on".
I really love working this birch paneling stuff. Early on I was doing some sanding with the electric orbital, but I learned pretty quick this veneer stuff should be done by hand. Even a course grit like 60 - that I normally start with, unless the surface is already pretty sweet - doesn't cause problems, it just kind of starts the cleanup process. And it's all dependent on the pressure used, and of course, not going against the grain.
It reminds me of a juvenile joke about playground slippery slides and the reasoning "behind" the direction of a portion of the human anatomy, which includes you telling the punch line with your index finger flapping your lips while you make a funny noise.
I like to keep strokes in the "controlled" range, and then come back later to run a longer and fuller sanding. And of course moving toward a finer grit until I finish up with the 220.
Here's the front surface. Isn't that gorgeous?
Then came stain in the "Gunstock" color. Only got a picture of the door's backside, I guess.
And then onto a few days of poly, one coat at a time - three coats total - with the steel wool buffing in between.
That first coat is a fair sealer, but usually pretty rough. Not a nice surface to touch later when your are marveling. So you should smooth that rough coat with steel wool, and then do your second. The second can be a finish coat - it does alright. But if you lightly buff the second with steel wool, and put the effort of a third on, you'll see not only a superior final surface to touch and feel and marvel over, but you'll notice a significant difference in brush application. Second, and then third coats, go on so much smoother! That alone can put you in "a happy place".
Note the exterior arch trim hanging around. That's up now and no longer in the way (reported the other day over in Exterior).
Also note the little project with the clamps on it? Cover door for the fridge controls. Still being worked.
Here you see the door, along with the freshly painted door stiffener. We used the hammered copper paint.
Drying time - just hanging out in the table-saw room while important stuff was going on elsewhere.
And then when it was all finished and dried well, ready to receive attachments - like the plastic door edge trim pieces.
We'll talk about that stuff tomorrow.
