# Refinish Interior Doors



## cardgunner (Feb 29, 2016)

So my clients has 16 interior, hollow core doors that need to be refinish. They are stained. I have never refinished doors before. The process I was going to do is take door off> take hardware off> Wash door > Sand door > apply wood conditioner> apply stain of choice > apply 1 coat of varnish.

I'm doing this part time at nights and weekends and outside under a tent. 

How much time should this take per door? 
Is it the right process?
Is there a better finish then varnish? Should I put a 2nd coat on?
Any suggestions on how to "hang" the door while the stain and varnish dry? I was thinking of screwing hooks to bottom and top and set up sawhorses with clothes rod. 
Any other suggestions 

Thanks,
Cardgunner


----------



## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

Stain grade hollow core doors? I've never heard of that before. As to your questions, I've got no idea so I'll let someone else respond to that.


----------



## KamRad (Nov 30, 2015)

Is it faux stain?


----------



## cardgunner (Feb 29, 2016)

KamRad said:


> Is it faux stain?


I don't think so. It's an old house with old doors. not the normal hollow core doors of today.


----------



## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

No sanding, it will burn through the veneer and leave you in a mess. Your only viable option is to clean and degrease, scuff and spray toner. 

Or something like polyshades, not what I would recommend.


----------



## Picky Painter (Oct 7, 2009)

It sounds like plain old mahogany veneer doors to me. If so then there's not nearly enough material to sand.


----------



## AngieM (Apr 13, 2016)

Do you have any pictures of these doors? I've stained new, flat hollow core doors. I just lean them up along a wall. If you don't have the space for that you can make door stackers by screwing a 12 inch 2x4 to the top and bottom of each door. Carefully of course, as to not damage the fine quality door.


----------



## AngieM (Apr 13, 2016)

Or like this http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/m/photos/0,,20506623_20983544,00.html


----------



## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

Wildbill7145 said:


> Stain grade hollow core doors? I've never heard of that before. As to your questions, I've got no idea so I'll let someone else respond to that.


"Flush" hollow core doors....We see them mostly with birch and oak skins these days, but lauan was very popular in the past.

As straight lines pointed out, it's risky to sand these. The older door skins had a little thicker veneer, but the newer ones are scary thin. I remember reading that the industry standard was now 1/64" or so.

I go with cleaning, sealing (shellac), toner, top coat(s).


----------



## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

Gough said:


> "Flush" hollow core doors....We see them mostly with birch and oak skins these days, but lauan was very popular in the past.
> 
> As straight lines pointed out, it's risky to sand these. The older door skins had a little thicker veneer, but the newer ones are scary thin. I remember reading that the industry standard was now 1/64" or so.
> 
> I go with cleaning, sealing (shellac), toner, top coat(s).


Ah, right. I'd kind of forgotten about those. Or at least tried to.


----------



## radio11 (Aug 14, 2015)

I'm working a job now (built in '76) with hollow core flush lauan doors. Everything is painted except the doors--they are stained. I only have 1 to do--they threw it away? Don't know why it's not there, but have to find one. Hoping HD or Lowe's can order it. 

We don't have a decent building supply/millwork store anymore. After the housing bubble all went away. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## goga (Aug 6, 2015)

cardgunner said:


> How much time should this take per door?


It would be cheaper for them to buy new doors, that's how much time it will take per door.


----------



## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

goga said:


> It would be cheaper for them to buy new doors, that's how much time it will take per door.


It might be close, depending on how fast you can fit and hang a door. In bulk, we can size, bore, and dap an HC door in about 20 minutes.

EDIT: a 3-0 X 6-8 1 3/8 HC lauan slab would probably run $40-50


----------



## goga (Aug 6, 2015)

Gough said:


> It might be close, depending on how fast you can fit and hang a door. In bulk, we can size, bore, and dap an HC door in about 20 minutes.


It's like Idaho painter shows how to paint a room with two coats in one hour... with four pro guys.. "what a show off".


----------



## goga (Aug 6, 2015)

I have done and many times 10 to 15 entry doors in 6 hrs by a roller looking like it was sprayed, but that's me in a hurry, I don't like doing it in sweat.


----------



## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

goga said:


> It's like Idaho painter shows how to paint a room with two coats in one hour... with four pro guys.. "what a show off".


To clarify, that's 20 minutes for one guy to size, bore, and dap an HC door. It's all about a system: an efficient routine and the right tools.


----------



## cardgunner (Feb 29, 2016)

Thank you all for the info. So I will eliminate the sanding. So a good scrubbing then restain then a finish. Is that the correct process? Is varnish a good finish? Is one coat enough protection?


----------



## endobear (May 7, 2016)

Has the stain been sealed?


----------



## 7.31psd (Feb 9, 2016)

Gough said:


> It might be close, depending on how fast you can fit and hang a door. In bulk, we can size, bore, and dap an HC door in about 20 minutes.
> 
> EDIT: a 3-0 X 6-8 1 3/8 HC lauan slab would probably run $40-50


Absolutely right. There's no way I would redo them unless no option. Then I'd present a price with new doors and old doors redone. You will be time and money ahead just replacing them unless you like to work CHEAP. Plus you'll have a better finish all said and done with the new doors.


----------



## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

straight_lines said:


> No sanding, it will burn through the veneer and leave you in a mess. Your only viable option is to clean and degrease, scuff and spray toner.
> 
> Or something like polyshades, not what I would recommend.


I agree if op is needing to stain which it sounds like.

I'd throw in a stain wash after the scuff sand. Then 2 coats of toner. Seal it up and done.

If you work solo. $75 per door is a good price. Assuming the doors are in good condition, no cracking comma feeling comma orphan ear issues. Just remember to tell client it probably won't 100%, but might be close.


----------



## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

7.31psd said:


> Absolutely right. There's no way I would redo them unless no option. Then I'd present a price with new doors and old doors redone. You will be time and money ahead just replacing them unless you like to work CHEAP. Plus you'll have a better finish all said and done with the new doors.


One potential nightmare that hasn't been mentioned: matching the color of the new doors to that of the old frames. That's almost guaranteed to be a huge time sink.


----------



## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

You have never painted doors before? If your a painter did your boss always keep you from painting doors?


----------



## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

Gough said:


> One potential nightmare that hasn't been mentioned: matching the color of the new doors to that of the old frames. That's almost guaranteed to be a huge time sink.


Agree and what if some casings stops and jambs are damaged and need to be replaced/repaired. We retrofit new slabs often in remodels for different reasons and I know it isn't cheaper than cleaning, toning and clearing doors. You can almost refinish the door for the cost of many veneered doors and hardware in materials alone.


Toning is intimidating the first few times but its really easy imo. Much like painting the most time consuming part is prep to prepare to spray and re-assembly. I would much rather be toning than staining new work.


----------



## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

straight_lines said:


> Agree and what if some casings stops and jambs are damaged and need to be replaced/repaired. We retrofit new slabs often in remodels for different reasons and I know it isn't cheaper than cleaning, toning and clearing doors. You can almost refinish the door for the cost of many veneered doors and hardware in materials alone.
> 
> 
> Toning is intimidating the first few times but its really easy imo. Much like painting the most time consuming part is prep to prepare to spray and re-assembly. I would much rather be toning than staining new work.


This is our go-to product, we keep a set on hand.

https://www.shellac.net/shading-glazing-stain.html


----------

