# Just a front door



## Romanski

Nothing special but it turned out pretty nice. Door was in terrible shape. Completely striped and sanded down to bare wood. Sherwin Williams BAC Wiping stain in Traditional cherry and 3 coats of Helmsman Spar Urethane... voilà


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## wje

Looks awsome to me!


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## doctors11

I've had some problems with drips and lap marks with spar on verticle surfaces in the past. Any suggestions? Great job!


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## RH

It's nice to treat doors like works of art because they get so mush scrutiny and convey that important first impression. Your work looks great!


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## Rbriggs82

Looks great. Do you have a before pic?


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## Romanski

doctors11 said:


> I've had some problems with drips and lap marks with spar on verticle surfaces in the past. Any suggestions? Great job!


A few things pop up. Drips mean you're putting it on to thick. I do 3 pretty light coats, with a light scuff inbetween each coat. Don't be afraid to put it on extra thin and maybe do a 4th coat until you are comfortable with the product. As far a lap marks, make sure your fan is not fingering. I used a 310 tip for this door with my 400 advantage and I'm at about 60-70% pressure (can't tell because of the stupid pressure knob is just a twist that goes around 360 degrees like 5 times). With a 310 it took me literally 45 seconds to spray this door, maybe less. The whole door took maybe a 1/2 a quart for 3 coats. Personally, I find Helmsman very forgiving and have done a lot of doors with it and have never had sheen lap issues.

Spray like the wind, I look crazy to any innocent bystander watching me spray it.

Also, a before picture with some initial sanding, taken by my co-workers potato phone.


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## SeattleHomeServices

Damn that's a nice looking door!


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## doctors11

Ha ha, my bad. I forgot to mention I don't spray. Would you even consider doing this with a brush?


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## Dave Mac

How long did it take, looks great


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## eews

I've not had any good experience with Helmsman Spar; it never seems to hold up. I've seen it start fading and delaminating in less than a year.

Try Epifanes or Bristol for a more long lasting exterior finish.


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## Romanski

doctors11 said:


> Ha ha, my bad. I forgot to mention I don't spray. Would you even consider doing this with a brush?


I wouldn't. But then again, I'm 26 so I grew up in the sprayer era. Masking it all off took less than an hour, and then it was about 2 minutes of spraying total for 3 coats. Would take me way longer to brush, with results that can't beat this.

It was about 15 total man hours, Dave. Split up between 4 days. Longest part was the sanding to bare...I need to find a better system for all those detailed parts. But really only a few man hours worth of staining and sanding between coats.

As far as seeing helmsman fail after less than a year... that sucks. I've done about 30 doors in helmsman, but most of them are sitting in the shade all day under the entry. Also a lot milder summers here Oregon. I've never had a call back, but I have gone to see a few doors I have done and they still look great 2-3 years later.


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## Wutari

Painted this door for a client in Annabella, UT.

Its a fiberglass door I stained with Minwax Gel Stain. It is 100% sprayed, this door was never touched by a brush, rag, or anything of the like. Client was super happy.


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## Lambrecht

Wutari said:


> Painted this door for a client in Annabella, UT.
> 
> Its a fiberglass door I stained with Minwax Gel Stain. It is 100% sprayed, this door was never touched by a brush, rag, or anything of the like. Client was super happy.


What type of HVLP did you use and what mixture did you use? Nice looking job.


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## David's Painting

Great job guys.


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## Wutari

Lambrecht said:


> What type of HVLP did you use and what mixture did you use? Nice looking job.


I used a SprayTech 3 Stage HVLP. I thinned the Minwax stain with lacquer thinner about 5 or 6 to 1 ratio Stain:Thinner. The Stain has to be shaken really well and then ran through an automotive cone strainer.


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## woodcoyote

Lacquer thinner really? Interesting, I would have picked mineral spirits since Minwax recommends it as a cleaner/thinner, especially for gel stain. I'd be worried about the lacquer thinner biting into the fiberglass or the priming paint.

Very interesting to see the results though, I'd love to be able to spray instead of dry brush the dang door. Results look great though.


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## Ramsden Painting

Great looking doors guys

Sent from my iPad using PaintTalk


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## playedout6

eews said:


> I've not had any good experience with Helmsman Spar; it never seems to hold up. I've seen it start fading and delaminating in less than a year.
> 
> Try Epifanes or Bristol for a more long lasting exterior finish.



Same thing up here in Atlantic Canada . If you have a wooden exterior door like that...expect some trouble with it . I think the pics the guys have shown us though are absolutely superb !!! Awesome looking work !


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## chrisn

Romanski said:


> I wouldn't. But then again, I'm 26 so I grew up in the sprayer era. Masking it all off took less than an hour, and then it was about 2 minutes of spraying total for 3 coats. Would take me way longer to brush, with results that can't beat this.
> 
> It was about 15 total man hours, Dave. Split up between 4 days. Longest part was the sanding to bare...I need to find a better system for all those detailed parts. But really only a few man hours worth of staining and sanding between coats.
> 
> As far as seeing helmsman fail after less than a year... that sucks. I've done about 30 doors in helmsman, but most of them are sitting in the shade all day under the entry. Also a lot milder summers here Oregon. I've never had a call back, but I have gone to see a few doors I have done and they still look great 2-3 years later.


 
Soooooooooooo, you charged , how much???


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## 6126

Romanski said:


> Nothing special but it turned out pretty nice. Door was in terrible shape. Completely striped and sanded down to bare wood. Sherwin Williams BAC Wiping stain in Traditional cherry and 3 coats of Helmsman Spar Urethane... voilà


That looks awesome :thumbsup: 



chrisn said:


> Soooooooooooo, you charged , how much???


I was wondering the same thing :yes: 



Wutari said:


> Painted this door for a client in Annabella, UT.
> 
> Its a fiberglass door I stained with Minwax Gel Stain. It is 100% sprayed, this door was never touched by a brush, rag, or anything of the like. Client was super happy.


 Man, that looks bad ###!!!!!! :thumbup: Im sure the client was super happy. You defineatly do some killer looking work :thumbsup: You have my respect. Even if you cant handle a brush as you claim


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## Romanski

chrisn said:


> Soooooooooooo, you charged , how much???


I don't know, you can ask my boss. I include drive time from the job that I was on to this job because of the time between coats and it was the only thing left.

~6-7 hours to sand. The details are a pain to get all the clear removed sanding with the grain. 2 hours to condition and stain, masking, and 3 coats of helmsman with a scuff and tack between coats while driving back and forth. Does 15 hours sound unreasonable?


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## CApainter

Romanski said:


> I don't know, you can ask my boss. I include drive time from the job that I was on to this job because of the time between coats and it was the only thing left.


Welcome fellow employee! That makes maybe three of us on this site!


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## johnny949

Four!:thumbup:


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## Damon T

Romanski said:


> I don't know, you can ask my boss. I include drive time from the job that I was on to this job because of the time between coats and it was the only thing left.
> 
> ~6-7 hours to sand. The details are a pain to get all the clear removed sanding with the grain. 2 hours to condition and stain, masking, and 3 coats of helmsman with a scuff and tack between coats while driving back and forth. Does 15 hours sound unreasonable?


Doesn't sound unreasonable. I did one a while back that took a long time, and I decided that was the last one I would strip to bare and refinish unless on a time and materials basis. Too much work!


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## STAR

Damon T said:


> Doesn't sound unreasonable. I did one a while back that took a long time, and I decided that was the last one I would strip to bare and refinish unless on a time and materials basis. Too much work!


All the work is in the stripping! Last one I did took me about 10hrs to strip a mahogany door and frame with two sidelights...not fun!


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## Oden

johnny949 said:


> Four!:thumbup:


number three or number six here.


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## woodcoyote

I think I'm going to try the spray no wipe/brush/rag technique tomorrow. Instead of Minwax I'll use some Varathane and Lacquer thinner, see if my HVLP gun can shoot it.


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