What to use on a door

[MikeyIdea]

Hi,

 

I have an old Thai door, the cheap type that is not solid wood but just veneer. It's for my daughters room so I want to sand it down and make it look really nice. I have good power tools for sanding and polishing

 

I don't know what to use to bring out the texture the best and if perhaps lacquer on top would look nice on a door like that?

 

I really prefer oil based and not synthetic, someone please advice (I'll take off the door and do all outside). Please also advice brands to buy in Thailand 

 

Thanks Michael

 

 

[Lamkyong]

to refurbish the pictured door you will probably run out of surface veneer  before you get to a good surface  these doors are so cheap   it will cost more in materials to refinish to a good standard

[regedit]

How bad would it look it you just painted it ? Not sure if veneer takes paint well ?

[MikeyIdea]

Thanks

I should add,  the door is not scratched in any way,  just dirty sort of

 

I do think there is enough veneer but what will I get if I sand?  A white surface without texture?

 

 

[wayned]

I'd sand it with a belt sander with fine grade paper or by hand and finish it with three coats of clear polyurethane lightly sanded between coats.

[MikeyIdea]

Like Toa T3000 polyurethane lacquer? Thank you very much for that information. I've got a small belt sander and 180 and 240 paper

 

Is there anything to use to bring out a better texture before applying the lacquer?

 

[eyecatcher]

8 hours ago, regedit said:

How bad would it look it you just painted it ? Not sure if veneer takes paint well ?

 

for his door I would suggest anti graffiti paint

[eyecatcher]

58 minutes ago, MikeyIdea said:

Like Toa T3000 polyurethane lacquer? Thank you very much for that information. I've got a small belt sander and 180 and 240 paper

 

Is there anything to use to bring out a better texture before applying the lacquer?

 

I didnt use polyeurethane or lacquer on my doors, just use a base coat of colour stain to give it some depth and warmth and then a clear  satin stain over the top.

it brings the colour out great.

personally i am not a lover of the high gloss coatings on internal woodwork as it can look a real dog if you are not upto a decent standard of decorating.

 

with a semi gloss or satin it gives it a sheen that looks different in different lighting.

i used and stuck with beger brand as it was the chepeast of the better quality tins at circa 700bt for a 4.5 litre tin.

 

for a single door or three doors you can manage easily with a 1 litre tin for around 220bt of most brands. 

[eyecatcher]

3 hours ago, MikeyIdea said:

Thanks

I should add,  the door is not scratched in any way,  just dirty sort of

 

I do think there is enough veneer but what will I get if I sand?  A white surface without texture?

 

 

 

A veneer is plenty thick enough usually 2mm on these sort of doors so just 5 minutes with a belt sander using grit number 100 or 120 (medium/fine) with get the dirt off and remind you what it looked like when you bought it.

 

you can of course teach the daughter a lesson in respecting other peoples property and give her the sandpaper and tell her not to ask for anything else until the door is ready for the paint brush.

....and why not give her the paint brush, you never know you might be sowing seeds for the future as a diy-er and she can help tighten your nuts......on your wheelchair when your getting on a bit.

[bankruatsteve]

I'm guessing that there is no way you can "restore" a veneer with light sanding especially given the OP.  Sand off stuff that has attached.  Then just paint it.  With quality paint it shouldn't take more than 2 coats to cover the "stuff".

[MikeyIdea]

3 hours ago, eyecatcher said:

just use a base coat of colour stain to give it some depth and warmth and then a clear  satin stain over the top.

it brings the colour out great

 

Hmmm, a glossy door in a 40 year old house would definitely look over the top, yes. OK, out goes high gloss and even semi probably. Agree, Clear satin is a good match

 

I must say that I lost you on "colour stain to give it some depth and warmth". Please give a sample

 

I worked with wood in a couple of sailing boats when I was young and there was an enormous difference when we used oil based. Oil based made the texture and colours pop out much much nicer than water based. I'd certainly prefer it unless someone advice anything against it and if I can find it of course, haven't seen it here. Do they even have it? Sample?

 

About the graffiti. Idea grew up in that house, she's 12 now :) She likes to get her hands dirty so now is a good time to teach her to sand and paint

 

Thanks

Michael

 

[wayned]

If you don't want a gloss finish just use normal shellac.  It's available at my local Ma and Pa shop for 60 baht/bottle either clear or with stain added. More than enough in the bottle to do the door.  Shellac, 60 baht, thinner for cleanup 60 baht, cheap brushes 2 for 30 baht, total paint supplies 150 baht!