Finishing raised panel doors

[Michael W. Clark]

I'm building some raised panel doors and have the panels, rails, and stiles all shaped and are pretty much ready to assemble. I am using hard maple and a dark stain (stain and finishing schedule below). After the doors are assembled, I plan to route an edge profile around the outside perimiter of the doors. The panels are 3/4" thick and sit flush with the rails and stiles (I used a back cutter). I have heard that if you don't finish the panel first, you could get unstained portions of it showing. I'm afraid if I finish it first, I will have problems when I finish the frame and will marr the finish when I do the edge treatment. I thought about just staining the flat part of the panel (the part that mostly goes in the grooves of the frame, then assembling, and staining as I normally would. Any thoughts or experiences that may help me?

Here is my finishing schedule:
Sand to 180 Gr
Spray 50/50 Sealcoat/DNA
Spray (2) Coats WB Dye stain
Spray 50/50 Sealcoat/DNA
Wipe WB Stain
Spray (2) Coats WB Poly
Light sanding
Spray WB Poly

Thanks, Mike

[Keith Hankins]

Been there done that. Felt the same way. I can say if you finish after assembling you will have an issue that panel. To avoid the issue you are concerned about finish sand all parts prior to assembly. Thats the key. Careful on the glue up. When it comes time to apply color or stain, I tape off the panel after assembly and apply my finish and never had an issue. Careful on the glue up not to get any on the edges of that panel. Did that once and got a crack because of it. I covered it with an applied cockbead. Ever since, before I put that final glue up together I wax the edge of the pane that goes on the groove. Now I know there's lots of ways to handle and some may even have good luck just slapping them together, but after my first panel shrunk a bit and I saw that finish line on the very edge, I never made that mistake again.

[Michael W. Clark]

Thanks Keith. Im concerned if I finish the panel first then I will scratch it up when I do the edge treatment.

[David Kumm]

Thanks Keith. Im concerned if I finish the panel first then I will scratch it up when I do the edge treatment.

I wipe stain on the raised profile and tongue before I put the door together and do the rest of the finishing after. If spraying conversion I just spray the raised edges enough to color them, sand lightly and then finish the whole door later. Dave

[Michael W. Clark]

I wipe stain on the raised profile and tongue before I put the door together and do the rest of the finishing after. If spraying conversion I just spray the raised edges enough to color them, sand lightly and then finish the whole door later. Dave

Thanks Dave, seems like the edge of the flat part of the panel would make a good transition point. Do you think the dye stain would seep through enough to color the edges some if I assembled the whole door?

[Carpenter Mark]

Dye stain does blotch on a lot of woods, maple is no exception. Staining the hips up to the field is a good method to avoid the "why is there a white line around my doors?" question.
I will often color some shellac- a little lighter than the finish color- with the stain color and just brush it on the edges a little further than the stile and rail will cover the tongue. Sand the hips and assemble; sand, stain and finish. The tongues have color, the main finish will color over the lighter edge if past the sticking.

[David Kumm]

Michael, I don't get much movement but another reason I stain or partially finish the edges is to seal the panel to some degree. The better you seal the panel- which is where the movement will show up- the better. I sand the field after assembled so I don't have to be all that careful when doing the sides. Even just running some shellac on the edges of the tongue helps a lot. Dave

[scott vroom]

I used to pre-stain the panel but no longer do. I did an experiment where I clamped up a raised panel door using no glue. I then rubbed on a gel stain, making sure to press the stain soaked rag hard against the location where the panel fits into the stiles/rails. I let it dry o'nite then removed the clamps and disassembled the door. I noticed that more than enough stain had wicked into the joint as to prevent the white line you're discussing from ever being a problem.

I should add that I live in the SF Bay Area where humidity is moderate and consistent year round.

[J.R. Rutter]

I don't do my own finishing any more, but I have heard people flooding the edges of the panel and using compressed air to blow the stain under the stiles into the groove. Just one more option...

[Mel Fulks]

We already know you don't do it .Your face is not covered with "dark walnut" spots....

[Michael W. Clark]

I used to pre-stain the panel but no longer do. I did an experiment where I clamped up a raised panel door using no glue. I then rubbed on a gel stain, making sure to press the stain soaked rag hard against the location where the panel fits into the stiles/rails. I let it dry o'nite then removed the clamps and disassembled the door. I noticed that more than enough stain had wicked into the joint as to prevent the white line you're discussing from ever being a problem.

I should add that I live in the SF Bay Area where humidity is moderate and consistent year round.

I had another friend of mine suggest this as his experience too. He lives in NE Oklahoma so a lot of humidity there.

I should add that these are going in the finished basement of my house which is conditioned. My workshop is also in the basement where the doors are being built. I will take them outside only long enough to spray them.

[Michael W. Clark]

Michael, I don't get much movement but another reason I stain or partially finish the edges is to seal the panel to some degree. The better you seal the panel- which is where the movement will show up- the better. I sand the field after assembled so I don't have to be all that careful when doing the sides. Even just running some shellac on the edges of the tongue helps a lot. Dave

Thanks David,
I'm thinking about applying the Sealcoat to the edges of the panel before assembly to help seal it. I could also wipe one coat of dye a litte onto the tongue so they have "some" color. Then, once they are assembled and sanded, sealing all of it (blotch control) then staining all of it per the schedule above. The dye is very thin and I will wipe it back and hopefully force some of it into the groove.

Mike

[J.R. Rutter]

We already know you don't do it .Your face is not covered with "dark walnut" spots....

LOL - I'm just the messenger.

[frank shic]

We already know you don't do it .Your face is not covered with "dark walnut" spots....

hilarious... great tip by JR though if you feel like getting out the blowgun.