Prefinish?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I am building some raised panel doors for our 2 linen closets. The doors can be seen from our remodeled kitchen, so I am staining them to match the new trim and the cabinets in the kitchen.

I prefinished the raised panels (stained and 6 coats of fast drying poly) and will use space balls to try to keep the panels centered within the rails and stiles.

Would you recommend I stain and finish the rails, stiles before assembly? Or...should I assemble the doors, then finish the rails and stiles?

[George Bokros]

I typically stain the panels and apply one coat of topcoat. Then I assemble the doors, stain and apply the top coat to the entire door. The panels end up with one more coat of the topcoat than the rails and stiles but that has never caused me an issue.

If I am making mitered rails and stiles for the doors I apply the stain then assemble the doors and then apply the top coat. My thinking is that on the doors with mitered rails and stiles it is more difficult to clamp so the issue of glue squeeze out is lessened if the rails and stiles are stained then the miters are cut and the doors are assembled

[Wayne Lomman]

Ken, I would assemble and then finish the staining and polishing after that. Cheers

[Prashun Patel]

I assemble then finish. I usually have to plane or sand the stiles and rails flush after glue up, so prefinishing doesn't work.
I can see the benefit of perhaps doing the panel first if you are not spraying.

[Sam Murdoch]

I typically stain the panels and apply one coat of topcoat. Then I assemble the doors, stain and apply the top coat to the entire door. The panels end up with one more coat of the topcoat than the rails and stiles but that has never caused me an issue.

If I am making mitered rails and stiles for the doors I apply the stain then assemble the doors and then apply the top coat. My thinking is that on the doors with mitered rails and stiles it is more difficult to clamp so the issue of glue squeeze out is lessened if the rails and stiles are stained then the miters are cut and the doors are assembled

Pretty much how I do it. Works very well.

[Jim Becker]

George stated what I would want to do. Pre-finishing the panels to the first top coat makes sure that seasonal movement doesn't expose non-finished edges of the panels. But by putting on more than one top coat, you risk having too much finish on the panel and changing the color accordingly. (even "clear" coats add color in most cases)

[John TenEyck]

In the Winter I don't pre finish anything. Panels are at their minimum width so what ever doesn't get finished on their tongues won't show next Summer because they will be wider. In the Summer, I do pre finish the panels (to one coat of finish), but never the frames because they get sanded after glue up.

John

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Thanks guys! While I have made several projects with raised panel doors, they have never been stained. Between football games today, I will fit and glue up the doors.

I don't spray as I don't have room for a finishing room. I am putting a special black walnut stain on red oak. With the raised panels already finished, do I need any special precautions about the stain application? I have been putting the stain on, letting it set for about 8 minutes and then wiping it off. I time it so that all my trim in the kitchen, connecting hallway (baseboards) and door trim match. Any problems with that or any suggestions?

Thanks again!

[John TenEyck]

That's always the problem with pre-finished panels; how to apply the stain to the frame w/o getting it on the panel, or how to wipe off what you do get on the panel w/o disturbing what you put on the frame. I run a strip of delicate surfaces tape around the panel, on both sides, where it meets the frame. Takes a little time, but makes it much easier for me to apply and wipe the stain. With dye, I don't do anything.

John

[Gary Muto]

I assemble then finish. I usually have to plane or sand the stiles and rails flush after glue up, so prefinishing doesn't work.
I can see the benefit of perhaps doing the panel first if you are not spraying.

That's how i do it too. I also shot a 23g pin through the top and bottom rails near the center. This hold the panel in place and stops rattling. I have space balls but never use them...