Varnishing locker doors

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Capn_Tom
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Varnishing locker doors

Post by Capn_Tom »

I have 16 locker doors to varnish and based on past experience I expect problems. When I varnish a 2 sided item I invariably end up with varnish migrating to the underside only to be revealed the next day when I flip the piece over. The first coat isn't a problem as I can scrape away the offending blob. On subsequent coats It becomes a problem as the thickness of the blob results in it being under cured and resistant to smooth removal. Does anyone have any sage advice or better yet "tricks" to use when varnishing 2 sides of a door?
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Shoalcove
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Re: Varnishing locker doors

Post by Shoalcove »

I wish I could offer sage advice and a miracle cure but I did over 30 locker doors last winter and struggled the whole time with the same problem. Eventually I hit upon a acceptable method: I convinced my wife to do them! The results were the same but she stressed and I thought the doors looked great. Best of luck!
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Capn_Tom
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Re: Varnishing locker doors

Post by Capn_Tom »

How do I reach your wife?
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Tim
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Re: Varnishing locker doors

Post by Tim »

You can always mask the back side of the door.

Other than that, care in applying the varnish to those areas susceptible to running and migrating to the bottom side is your best bet. I also typically run the dry upper part of the varnish brush along the hidden bottom edge to try and remove any drips that should occur, which, along with general care in varnishing, is quite effective at avoiding surprise blobs.
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Capn_Tom
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Re: Varnishing locker doors

Post by Capn_Tom »

Am I correct in assuming that it is best to alternate front and back rather than applying multiple coats to one side prior to varnishing the second side?
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Hirilondë
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Re: Varnishing locker doors

Post by Hirilondë »

Capn_Tom wrote:Am I correct in assuming that it is best to alternate front and back rather than applying multiple coats to one side prior to varnishing the second side?
It's a lot easier to keep track of coats that way, but it doesn't make any difference in the results. I usually sand and clean the entire object, then varnish one side and let dry, then varnish the second side. I repeat this until happy with the results or bored to death, which ever comes first.
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Re: Varnishing locker doors

Post by Quetzalsailor »

Put a small screweye into a hinge screw hole or into the bottom of each door. Varnish both sides. Hang 'em upside down with a bit of coathanger wire on the screweye. Be sure to dust the pipe you hang them from. A lesser alternative includes bunging a couple finishing nails into the bottom edge and standing 'em with only a top corner touching a wall (less stable and harder to monitor for drips.

I'd never want Sue to do finish varnishing or painting; she's a tad slapdash. The clever lass showed me that early in our marriage. However, she's outstanding at sanding and painting the bottom: whew!
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Re: Varnishing locker doors

Post by LazyGuy »

Quetzal,

I am intrigued by the pile of 2X4s and plywood on the ground. Is it a workbench or a work platform? How does it work?
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Re: Varnishing locker doors

Post by Quetzalsailor »

See my new, separate post about scaffolding.
Capn_Tom
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Re: Varnishing locker doors

Post by Capn_Tom »

I picked up some tiny screw eyes last night. Even if my results don't improve I'll cut my days of varnishing in half. Thanks for the tip!
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Re: Varnishing locker doors

Post by John Stone »

When I paint or varnish doors I remove the doors and hardware. Then I drive two small finishing nails in the ends of the door-two on each end. Then I lay 2x4s across sawhorses so I have a rack. Then I lay the doors in between the 2x4s but supported by the nails--the doors themselves dont touch anything, they are supported by the finishing nails. Then I paint/varnish. I can do both sides during a single session becuase if one is careful the doors can be flipped over by only handling the finishing nails sticking out of the top edge and bottom edge of the door. Make sense? Works like a charm.
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Quetzalsailor
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Re: Varnishing locker doors

Post by Quetzalsailor »

Would work best when the doors are of the same height. I'd, for certain sure, joggle the 2" xs and cause a collapse and subsequent rousing of the neighborhood. Affix them to the sawhorses.

I've used finishing nails similarly when coating out something like a wood countertop. Plastic over the workbench, clip the heads off the nails and bung them into the workbench point up, or bung them through scraps so that they'll stand point up. You only need three. Coat the bottom, lay the piece bottom down on the points, coat edges and top. There will be three small divots on the bottom at the first coat, and subsequent coats will have all-but-invisible divots.

All such tricks work best when you've got enough stability, room and visibility to see and go after the drips.
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