# Louvre doors



## Sammydog (Oct 7, 2010)

Have 14 Louvre closet doors that are peeling from a previous paint job.
My job is to "fix" them. I have scraped/sanded two doors to remove the
top layer of paint that is failing. There appears to be two layers beneath
this faulty layer that are stable.

Anyone have an easier way to remove this top layer of paint? It is taking about two hours per door, and with 12 more to do, I am ready to look for a high bridge to jump off. I am currently using a Bahco scraper and various 
grits of sandpaper. 

Thanks...


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## ROOMINADAY (Mar 20, 2009)

I would guess it is cheaper to replace them if you have to scrape/strip them. I wonder if sand blasting them would work? 

I can buy a replacement door for less than what I charge for 2 hours labour. Plus you still have to prime and paint them.


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## Sammydog (Oct 7, 2010)

Yeah, I figured cheaper to replace too. Homeowner got a price of $225 per door, plus instalation, plus paint. so this is where I come in. I can scrape/sand one door to stable paint in about 2 hours, so that beats
her new door price. Still...no fun with 12 more to do! Thanks for your reply.


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## jack pauhl (Nov 10, 2008)

Yep might be cheaper to replace. Strip louvers, really? I'd be shopping for replacements if possible. Does it appear to be latex over oil?


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## Sammydog (Oct 7, 2010)

No, it is not latex over oil. The failing coat is for sure oil, did not test for bottom layers. Not sure why oil topcoat would fail so badly, but it did...


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## Sammydog (Oct 7, 2010)

Also, I billed for 4 hours per door to strip, so this is not a loser, financially. I am, however, taking a big hit mentally...


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## JoseyWales (Jan 8, 2011)

Sammydog said:


> Have 14 Louvre closet doors that are peeling from a previous paint job.
> My job is to "fix" them. I have scraped/sanded two doors to remove the
> top layer of paint that is failing. There appears to be two layers beneath
> this faulty layer that are stable.
> ...


Do they have any 'dip and strip' companies in your area?...I'll bet that they charge half the price of a new door to strip them in their large vats of paint remover.


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## Ole34 (Jan 24, 2011)

Sammydog said:


> No, it is not latex over oil. The failing coat is for sure oil, did not test for bottom layers. Not sure why oil topcoat would fail so badly, but it did...


 
maybe top layer isnt failing but lower layers failing an pushing top layer off 



anywho we need more info sir .


1-how old are doors??

2-when was last painter did job??


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## Sammydog (Oct 7, 2010)

Yes--"dip and strip" guy wanted $175per door! C'mon! He must be busy...Good for him.


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## Sammydog (Oct 7, 2010)

Doors are no older than 1960 (house built then). Doors last painted 2 years ago. Two layers of paint underneath are solid-- scraping the bejesus out of them and sanding with 80 grit barely budges the paint. This leads me to believe that they are strong.


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## Sammydog (Oct 7, 2010)

Anyway, thanks for the reply. I was not aware that an older layer could push up on the newer layer... Have you seen this before?


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## jsheridan (Mar 12, 2011)

A previous painter didn't sand prior to finishing. The layer that he applied will take any subsequent layers with it when it fails. Sanding is the most important prep step *and* the most neglected. Oil will fail over oil and latex will fail over latex if no sanding is done. Ask a paint pro why they recommend priming when changing from one base to another, because guys don't sand. Where are the craftsmen? This isn't rocket science.


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## IHATE_HOMEDEPOT (May 27, 2008)

I would certainly try and talk the owner out of having the backs done.Knock 25% off of the quote.


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## Ole34 (Jan 24, 2011)

did the frames fail as well or just the 14 doors??? ..........paint must have had something against doors 


and i dont buy that ''not sanding'' stuf.... maybe 1 section of a door if anything but not all 14 complete doors ...........im not saying anything else until i see pics and for all we now it may be latex over oil and this guy just has no idea .....as of now were takin his word for it and words are just that




P.S

I call Shenanigans..................


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## Sammydog (Oct 7, 2010)

No, this is failed oil. Does not matter, at this point. My job is to make right. Just wondering if someone had a better way/product.


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## jsheridan (Mar 12, 2011)

Ole34 said:


> did the frames fail as well or just the 14 doors??? ..........paint must have had something against doors
> 
> and i dont buy that ''not sanding'' stuf.... maybe 1 section of a door if anything but not all 14 complete doors ...........im not saying anything else until i see pics and for all we now it may be latex over oil and this guy just has no idea .....as of now were takin his word for it and words are just that
> 
> I call Shenanigans..................


Ole, I come across more and more failed finishes for lack of proper prep all the time. I said in another forum that that is why I now get work from a contractor and the previous painter doesn't. His surfaces kept failing. Paint doesn't discriminate doors from frames, if _the paint _was bad, the failure would be throughout the room. Is it hard to believe that louvred doors didn't get sanded and the frames did, hell no. Louvred doors? OP, are the door's stiles and rails peeling? Or, is it just the louvre slats? OP, do the exposed areas look smooth and unabraded? I'm betting they do. You guys who search for all these obscure scientific reasons why paint is peeling kill me. It's Occam's Razor, the most logical and simplest answer is usually the right one. Human error is the single biggest reason for paint failure. Even it is moisture related, the doings or the non-doings of a human can be found at some point in the process. 
OP, I've been there before. Had a hallway with four double wide closets of louvred 36" doors, that's eight doors, same problem, same procedure. I know what you're going through. I looked at the tool you're using, wrong tool. You're trying to take it off from above. Get some thin, flexible spackle blades and get underneath the failing finish. You'll make much better time and have an easier one at that. As to the mental, focus on what's behind and completed, not on what's ahead and needing to be done, doing that is only discouraging. Besides, if your brushing as opposed to spraying, you've got that long monotonous road ahead as well. 
Ole, we've been down this road before with sanding, you're pretty adamant, thou doth protest _too_ much.


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## Sammydog (Oct 7, 2010)

thanks for the reply and the insights. 

Oh, I am going to spray them, though!


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