Should I Remove The Old Exterior Door’S Finish?

Old doors on old homes often have lead paint, which means you need to strip the old paint if you want to add a smooth coat. Most high-quality wood doors don’t need to be replaced after a few years of exposure to the elements—they can be refinished. Door refinishing is the process of removing the old finish from a wooden door and applying a new one to enhance its appearance and protect it from wear and tear. This task requires patience and patience.

In this video, Ask This Old House general contractor, Tom Silva, helps two homeowners meticulously restore their original, 1918 front door using paint stripp. To strip the trim detail of its old finish, Tom applied paint and varnish stripper by Max Strip, which is eco-friendly and low VOC, making it safer to use indoors than a traditional paint stripper. The most common repair that needs to be done on antique doors is usually patching old hinge gains and latch holes with a wood Dutchman.

To restain a previously stained door with gel stain, the key to doing so is to use products that can remove old paint or varnish much faster than sanding alone, making them ideal for restoring wooden doors to their former glory. Thick stubborn finishes may require a chemical stripped or a heat gun and a scraper. Older worn finishes can often be removed with sanding alone, as is the case with my door.

To clean the doors and re-paint them, you still need to sand (or strip if you like), prep and prime the surfaces to take your paint evenly. You won’t have to worry about going to pains to lighten water damage stains, you can patch or fill any portion of the door that needs patching or filling and just paint right over it. You should only prime if there’s raw wood, it’s greasy, or you’re changing paint type (oil to latex, etc.).

Go with a gel-based paint stripper, which can be applied to vertical surfaces and its consistency will help hold it in place. Sanding down the flats is the quickest route and then using the stripper for any repairs. Opinions vary about whether it’s cheaper to replace a cabinet door or re-finish it.

When should you not refinish antique furniture?

Refinishing old pieces, especially those made before 1850, can damage their value. Consult an expert before refinishing to determine if the piece should be conserved or restored. If it has been in the family for a while, it’s worth checking before causing damage.

Recent pieces from prominent makers, such as Art Deco, midcentury modern, and Arts and Crafts periods, command high prices and should not be touched. If you notice something unusual or well-made about a piece, go with your gut and ask someone who knows.

Dovetail joints are a key factor in determining the piece’s age and craftsmanship quality. Hand-cut dovetails can date older American pieces to before 1890, but they were no longer used in factories after that date. Wider, uniform machine-cut dovetails were common in factory-made pieces from 1890 until the modern era.

Is it worth stripping a door?

Since the early 1980s, door stripping has been a popular method for removing paint coats from doors, leaving a good timber surface for preparation and repainting. This method is relatively cheap and saves time and materials costs. However, since the late 1980s, many stripped doors have been repainted with water-based and cellulose-based paints. Water-based paints are difficult to remove due to their water-based nature and the process using a diluted chemical in water. Cellulose is difficult to remove as it sinks into the top few millimeters of the door and clings, making some doors strip hardly at all while others may lift the grain.

Color-based stains, particularly mahogany-based stains, are almost impossible to remove due to the heavy red dye that has sunk into the door’s surface. All doors with these treatments come with a warning as the stripping process cannot be stopped once it begins. It is also possible to not know whether a door has had these treatments, especially if you have just moved house.

Softwood furniture, skirting boards, architrave, and spindles can also be stripped, but oak and mahogany do not strip well. A hand-stripping service is available, which is more expensive but produces brilliant results with hardwoods and requires little further preparation. This method also lightens oak, making its appearance fit in with modern decor.

What’s the best way to strip paint off an old door?

To clean a wood door, coat the upward facing surface with stripper and let it sit for at least 15 minutes. Use a paint scraper to remove easily removed paint, avoiding damaging the wood. Repeat this step to remove most remaining paint. If done correctly, you should have residual paint or staining on the door’s planes and paint buildup around raised areas or molding details. Apply stripper to areas of high paint concentration along raised details’ edges using a wire brush, being careful not to scratch the wood. If the stripper is mixed with the paint thoroughly, it may come loose and stick to the brush. Use mineral spirit to clean the brush periodically.

Do you need to strip a door before painting?

Before applying new paint or varnish to an older door, it is recommended to strip it first. There are various methods, including heating and scraping, sanding, and chemical stripping. It is crucial to have the correct equipment, PPE, and follow manufacturer instructions. Work in a well-ventilated room or outdoors if possible. After leaving a blank door, neutralize the surface with water or white spirit to bond the paint or varnish. Fill in gaps, splits, or crevices with a quality filler, let it dry, and sand down rough or raised edges. If using an electric sander, be cautious not to damage any decorative mouldings on the door.

What not to do to antique furniture?

Avoid using harsh chemicals, abrasive cleaners, or excessive water when cleaning antique furniture to prevent damage to the original finish. Instead, use linseed oil or Liquid Gold to soften the finish and prevent it from turning black over time. Before refinishing, strip the existing finish completely to avoid uneven appearances. Follow the proper steps for stripping the finish. Avoid making repairs or replacements that do not match the original materials and craftsmanship, as modern materials or techniques can detract from the piece’s authenticity and value. Match the color, grain, and texture of replacement parts to the original wood to ensure a seamless restoration process.

How to remove 100 year old paint from wood?

Heat guns are an effective tool for the removal of paint, varnish, and other finishes from wood. The application of heat loosens the material, causing blistering and the formation of bubbles, which can then be easily removed with a metal scraper. Nevertheless, due to the elevated temperatures, it is advisable to keep a fire extinguisher in close proximity.

Should you strip old paint?

To ensure a long-lasting finish when re-painting walls, doors, or furniture, strip old paint and sand the surface before applying fresh paint. Avoid painting directly over a painted surface, as this can cause problems like bubbling, peeling, and cracking. Use essential paint stripping tools and ensure proper PPE, including disposable overalls, shoe covers, gloves, goggles, and a respirator mask, as paint strippers contain harsh chemicals. Dustsheets may also be helpful for protecting floors or furniture.

How much does it cost to strip and stain a door?

The cost of door refinishing is typically between $450 and $1, 250, with the precise figure dependent on the level of detail, extent of damage, and whether or not the hinges are removed. The decision between painting and staining hinges on the homeowner’s affinity for the door and the extent of investment in protection. The cost of maintaining a stained door is between $225 and $600 per year, whereas painting a door can extend its lifespan up to tenfold and is 90 to 98 percent less expensive than wood refinishing.

Should you strip antique furniture?

Stripping furniture can reveal the natural beauty of wood grain beneath layers of paint or varnish, restore antique pieces, or prepare furniture for a new finish. It is necessary when paint is cracking, peeling, or in poor condition. Different types of paint and finishes, such as latex paint, oil-based paint, lacquer, shellac, and varnish, require different stripping techniques or chemicals. Identifying your piece’s finish helps choose the most effective stripping method. To strip your painted furniture, you need the right tools and materials.

Should I sand or strip door?

This blog discusses the methods of stripping and sanding for restoring old doors or wood furniture to a showroom-worthy state. Stripping removes old paint and varnish, while sanding primes the surface for a new coat. The main difference between the two is that stripping completely eliminates any old finish, while sanding primes the surface for a new coat. When removing paint without repainting the object, it is better to use a paint stripper to show off the wood grain underneath. Both methods can be effective in restoring old doors or furniture to a showroom-worthy state.

Can I just paint over old paint on a door?

When painting doors, it is essential to remove the existing paint coat if using the right type of paint. However, if you want to apply water-based paint to a door that has already been painted with latex paint, you must strip the existing coat first. Common mistakes and problems with painting doors include paint bubbles, which form when the paint cannot adhere to the surface underneath. These can be caused by using the wrong type of paint or painting on damp, dusty, or too hot surfaces. It is best to paint when the weather is warm and dry, but avoid painting directly exposed to the sun. Wait until the sun is not shining on your front door before painting.