Considerations for Finishing (Staining) Knotty Alder Doors
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- čas přidán 5. 07. 2024
- Considerations for staining, glazing, and urethaning Knotty Alder doors commonly available from Lowes and Home Depot. Could be adapted for pine or other stain-able doors. Step by step with ideas given for variations.
Great video, very helpful and informative. You took a daunting task and put it into manageable bite sized bits.
What a great video,he explained the process so well,made it look easy and I know it's probably not,but watching him do it has given me enough confidence to do it with some unfinished doors I have purchased.
Just bought some unfinished knotty alder barn doors for our bedroom closet and looking for some tips and tricks to working with a wood I've never worked with. Excellent video. Great teacher! Excited to get started now!
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS VIDEO. I wish I could post a picture of my door. I followed your steps exactly and my door turned out amazing. My husband just put it up and I can't wait to replace the three other doors on my first floor. I live in a log home and the original 6-panel doors were outdated. This knotty alder door gave the home a fresh look and the stain/glaze is beautiful. Thank you again.
Great job, followed your directions and mine turned out beautiful!
So glad to have found this video. Thank you!! I am getting ready to stain knotty alder doors for our home and would have never thought to use a wood conditioner beforehand. Also, I love the look of the glaze so I’m going to use that, too, to make the doors as beautiful as possible.
Thank you for this video! You were a lifesaver for us trying to do our knotty alder doors. We followed your instructions exactly and they turned out beautifully!
I am doing this exact door also... Did you put the Java Glaze on yours? Do you sand the urethane before putting the Java Glaze on? Also, did you use the Java Glaze on your door trim?
Thanks for making this video. I'm trying to do some alder finishing, but there's not much information out there for the species. Clearly presented and very nice results. I'm hoping you'll make more videos!
Thank you so much! We followed your recommendations and have wonderful doors for a bargain!
Excellent video. I purchased all the products you used and so grateful to you. Thank you so much.
Thanks Annie
We had to replace an extra wide entry door (48"x 80") to our home and had to custom order a door that would fit the wide opening. We ended up ordering a knotty alder door. I had minimal experience working with stains and felt intimidated by taking on this task. That was until I saw your video carefully detailing the step-by-step process. I purchased all of the same materials including the Java Gel Stain to give the door that final glazed look and wow what a surprise....it even passed my wife's quality control inspection! I am so appreciative of the detailed explanation that you provided. It helped me avoid ruining a custom sized (and very expensive) door. Thank You so much for your guidance!!
Fantastic technique and a lot of good information. Thank you good sir.
Thank you so much. You are right that I have been searching forever trying to find the actual name of a stain color that was used on a knotty alder door. I see many photos of doors but no one has yet mentioned what color they used. You are so kind to take the time to create this. I"m a love so appreciated the detail
We just finished staining and finishing 8 Knotty Alder interior doors and jambs using Rodi's excellent technique and video. We used the General Finishes products in the colors and sequence he recommends. We are beyond happy as they came out perfectly. The difference between what they look like before and after the Java coat is stunning. There is no way anyone should skip this step.
A couple of comments on quantities. We ordered one gallon of the conditioner and only used half on the 8 doors and jambs. Same is true for the Java glaze as we have a half gallon left. On the Prairie Wheat, we have one of five quarts unused and half a quart of Top Coat left out of five.
If you live close to a retailer who carries the General Finishes products, it's no big deal, however where we are we had to order it online which makes it virtually impossible to return any unused containers.
Absolutely phenomenal video, thank you sir! This will help me tremendously on my kitchen project. I will keep you updated.
Great job of educating this DIYer. As Rodi says, be careful of the stain color. Make sure the stain and glaze are the look you want. I was told to use a light stain with the glaze I chose, Whiskey Black.
This is really great instruction on finishing knotty alder doors. Thank you
I have this exact door. Thank you for sharing
Wow these are beautiful good job sir!!!
Rodi, we got our 8 doors last week and have 4 through the stain phase. The pre-stain product worked great and we are pleased with the results. We started staining outside in direct sun with temps about 70 degrees here along California's Central Coast. We found that the stain (Parierre Wheat as you recommended) started to stick a bit and we had to work harder to burnish it so we moved them back indoors. That made it much easier to rag off the excess. Jambs are next as they are knotty alder too. No other surprises and I can't thank you enough for the only video that shows the average homeowner exactly what to do. The General Finishes products are great to work with and no, I'm not affiliated in any way with them. They are a bit more expensive, but well worth it.
Robert - I am so pleased to hear you are making such good progress and most importantly, that you are happy with the results you are getting. I bet the doors will look great with the natural jambs! Please keep me posted! All the best.
Going to be following your steps tomorrow for for my front door and matching french back doors. Wish me luck.
And, how did your project go? I hope you are getting the results you are aiming for!
Howdy neighbor! I walk through the park behind you all the time. Thanks for the tips!
Awesome! Try the glazing - it really produces cool results regardless of what you're staining. And aren't we have lucky to have the park! Stop and introduce yourself some time.
Excellent video and steps. Just completed 5 doors via these steps and used same products. Cabinet quality finish once completed. Used the Stak Rack System to stack doors during the various 24hr drying periods. This stacking system allowed both sides to be completed and the ability to do all doors on a sawhorse table then stack once completed. Thank you for taking the time to do such a detailed video and instructions.
Thanks Dave! I'm glad to hear your doors turned out so well.
@@rodivonbarby940 I forgot to mention, I also applied the same technique to my pine slab fireplace mantle and turned out fantastic. Thanks again Rodi.
Thanks! Excellent info .
Absolutely struggled with this. Thanks for the video. I sp
Appreciate this information!
thank you Rod von Barby, very helpful.
So grateful for this video- we are starting a cabin renovation and are planning to use a lot of knotty alder! Love it’s rustic beauty! My question is would you use the same approach for knotty alder trim? Thank you!!
Thanks for the video. The end cuts off so not sure how long to wait between applying the darker, Java stain and the last coat of urethane. Is it another 24 hours?
Thanks for this. I wanted to do knotty alder cabinets with just a clear finish but the natural wood has a pinkish hue I dont like
Awesome- thanks
Alder loves stain, so unless yk that. Expect all the strokes & wipes to show while the wood just absorbs basically all the stain you put on it, but keep in mind those doors aren't solid alder. They're jointed & basically layered with the alder veneer, so it's much different than staining a solid piece of knotty alder. I'd say probably much easier~
Thank You!
Rodi, great video. Thanks for not being a wood-working snob or a pretentious fool. I learned a lot from you and your video. Last week I built a 4" thick (facade) corner oak shelf for a new home theater system. After staining it, I was very disappointed with how little contrast and depth there was. Way too Light and zero contrast. So, I had a brilliant idea (took a big chance) and went over it again (within an hour), with a real dark stain, let it sit for about 10 minutes and with great anticipation, I wiped it off. Only to find that I just invented the perfect technique to bring out the grain of the wood. Guess not. Lol. Your technique and result are exactly what I am going to do with 8 of the same exact (knotty alder doors) I recently purchased as part of a home face lift project. Good on ya dude!
One question: Am I asking for trouble (contrast differences/variables) by completing one door at a time indoors this winter? (e.g., steps 1-8, one door at a time) Or should I wait until spring and do each step 4 or so doors at a time outdoors in the spring? I live in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Space and temperatures are a real factor here.
Hi Mike - thanks for your feedback on the video.
As for your question, I think you will be fine doing one door at a time so long as you follow the exact same steps for each door and so long as you let the various layers to fully dry before proceeding. Good luck with your project, have fun, and please let me know how things turn out!
Mike - how is your project going? Hope everything is turning out as you had hoped!
We have a lot of trim along with two doors so if we condition it and don't get it done within the two hours and come back the next day when we have to re-condition?
Kindest regards
Good video, and good info for alder. That said, you shouldnt be doing that work in direct sunlight
Hello again and thank you for your response. We have a knotty alder door which looks exactly like the one in your great video. We were wondering if you have ever used just a clear polyurethane without stain? What color would we expect to see?
Two thoughts come to mind - I am uncertain as to how uniform the finish may be given the way alder grains are. You may still want to use a prestain conditioner but I'm not sure. Secondly, I think the finish would be very light in color. I am not sure if it would compliment the wood itself or not.
Hi Rodi,
Thank you so much for a fantastic video. We moved into a home with a Knotty Alder exterior door that has been well abused by the sun and has quite a few splits in the lower portion of the door and the previous home owner switched out the door handles and yes you can see where the old ones are. My initial thought was to replace the door entirely as I could not find any video that gave me hope that I wouldn't cause a further hot mess of the door if I tried to "fix" it! Your video has given me hope! Here is my question, do you have a product that you would suggest me using to fill in the splits? They are not very big, but are there, so maybe they might be less noticeable if I did not try to fill them and let the urethane soak into the splits? I do plan on putting on the extra coat of urethane in the end, so 4 total. Thanks again Rodi!
Hi Pam - I am sorry that I do not have a specific wood filler recommendation. I would imagine that using any good quality wood filler wood do the trick but I am not sure how differently they may take stain. I would look for something that specifically states it can be stained. I wish you well and am confident your door will refinish very nicely! Good luck and maybe you can post a picture or two when you are done. Cheers!
Just installed and stained 10 doors today with ebony
Hi Rodi, Thank you so much for the video. Oil base top coat is not available in Ca. Do you think "General Finishes" High Performance Water Base TopCoat will work as well with your staining technique ? your doors are beautiful. Im hoping for the same results.
Hi Jovita - Thank you for your feedback. I do think you could achieve very similar results with the water-based products but I have not tried it myself.
Excellent video, thank you. How did you address handling both sides? How long before you can flip it over?
Herein lies the advantage of working on multiple doors. I work on one side one day and let it sit before working on the other side the next day. I wish you well with your project!
Hi Rodi. Good video. I have always applied urethane with a brush which at times leaves brush strokes in the finish. I have never tried using a rag. Do you rub it in at all? You said "Varathane" and that is a brand. Is it just the regular oil based Varathane?Do you think Cabot's or other urethanes would work the same?
Wade - it should have said urethane. I used General Finishes brand and I really like it. It rags on easy with no rubbing necessary. You simply want to leave a wet coating behind without puddles. The General Finishes product lays down really well. Just assure you maintain a "wet edge" as you go. In other words, don't rag over areas that you left behind a couple of minutes ago and that have started to dry. These areas will be a little tacky and you may leave streaks or blemishes in the finish if you mess with areas that are drying. The GF product is much different than Varathane or Minwax products I've used and I think you will like it. Best Wishes for your project!
If I have a knotty alder exterior door that is just starting to fade from the sun, can a gel stain go over the existing top coat to revive it a bit or do I have to sand it all down and re-stain it and re-seal it?
My recommendation would be this: I would lightly sand/clean the existing surface. I would then stain the door with a similar color gel stain to what it currently is stained. I would then apply two coats of urethane. If the door is a medium brown or lighter and you want to highlight (glaze) it as I did the doors in this video, then you could apply a glaze after which you would want at least one and maybe two more coats of urethane. Just remember - if you want to accent the door with a glaze stain, assure you have a couple of good coats of urethane over your primary color first. That will prevent the darker stain from smearing or smudging and will give you the ability to wipe off the glaze leaving behind only the highlights you want. Then coat that to protect that layer and you will have a beautiful door for years to come! I hope this helps. Cheers, Rodi
Hey I love the way this door turned out!! My husband is looking at purchasing the products so he can start on our door for our new house… I was curious on the polyurethane/varnish you use what type of finish is that (gloss, semi gloss, flat, etc)
Good Luck with your project. I used General Finishes ARM-R-Seal in the SATIN finish. I hope that helps.
Thanks for this video - I, as you, did much research before finding your wondering video. I'm staining new knotty alder exterior doors. All will be covered by a porch. I have several questions. Can I still use these products and/or steps on exterior doors? I already have Minwax pre-stain wood conditioner but it says Interior use only. Wondering if I can use this or if I need to buy a conditioner made for exterior use - I didn't see any in the store that said exterior use.
Hi Jana - Thanks for your nice comments. For exterior doors, I would suggest following the same steps with the same products I used in the video. I think you could use your Minwax prestain conditioner and can't imagine why it would be labeled for interior use but since you will be covering it with multiple coats of urethane, I don't see that you will have an issue with it. I think you could use any oil-based urethane but my experience with the General Finishes Arm-R-Seal makes me suggest that you search it out. It comes in different glosses depending upon the finish you want - I used the Satin in the video. The only process change I would suggest is that you apply at least one more coat of sealant at the end of the entire process, lightly sanding it first as with the previous coats. The extra protection on an exterior door will be worth the extra effort! Let me know if you have more questions. Good luck with your project!
@@rodivonbarby940 Thanks for the advice! I ordered the exact stain but we already had some oil-based satin polyurethane so my husband wants to use that. Now, I have another issue. The doors were installed between 2-4 weeks ago and it's been raining a lot since then and now 2 of the doors have black spots on them like mold or mildew. Again, they are all covered by porches, but it's been very damp here. I've read not to use bleach because it will make it go deeper into the wood. I've read that vinegar can be sprayed on it. I have quickly gone over one spot with a 220 grit block just because that was what I had available and it looked like it might sand off, but not sure all will come off. Any suggestions on this? I plan to work on the door tomorrow. I understand you may not see this before I get started. I will do a little more research on using vinegar on raw knotty alder before I spray them.
The gel stain you used right after the pre-stain treatment & the gel stain you use to glaze after two coats of urethane.... is it the same product?
Chi - the two stains used are the same product but DIFFERENT COLORS. The first stain provides the overall color, the glaze stain only remains in the recessed areas and adds contrast to the primary stain. In the case of the doors I stained, I used a medium brown for the primary color and a very dark, almost black stain for the glaze accent. I hope that answers your question!
Great video as we will be doing the same project. Can you clarify how and when you turned the door over to do the other side? Did you wait the 24 hours or just go for it with a spacer or block underneath? How many coats of sealer did you put on after the dark gel coat application? Also, did you lay the jambs down on the saw horses or did you do them once they were hung in place? Thanks!
Robert - I had no problem in flipping the door and working the other side immediately after each step EXCEPT for the sealer steps. I would suggest waiting a couple of hours (depending upon your sealer) before flipping the door on those steps. As for the final finish, I only put one final coat of sealer over the dark gel to seal the dark gel in. This made for a third and final coat of sealer. The first two coats were applied prior to the dark gel stain which helps prevent the dark gel from soaking into the wood and giving you the opportunity to wipe back off the excess. I hope this helps! Good luck.
Great and thanks for the prompt reply. Did you lay the jambs down or hang them and then stain and finish them? Do you have a website or email that you would care to share?
I installed the jambs and painted them to match the interior trim in each section of the house. Only the door was stained to maintain the wood finish.
You are welcome to check out my website at myguyremodels.com. You can reach me directly at rodi@myguyremodels.com. Thanks for your interest in the video as well as the compliments.
Rodi, i saw these were for interior doors. I was wondering what happened after the dark gel stain. But what final finishing coat would you recommend for painting an exterior door? Just curious if you would stick with the urethane
What stain brand and color did you use? I am sure you mentioned it but can't seem to find it now. Beautiful doors!
I used General Finishes gel stains. The base color is Prarie Wheat and the glaze is Java,
Thank You...
You are welcome! I hope that you have fun with your project.
Great info! Thank you! Would you do this same process for an external door or are there additional steps?
I would suggest adding another coat or even two of urethane to better protect the door from the outdoor elements.
@@rodivonbarby940 would you sand the glaze coat before applying the 3rd polyurethane coat for an outdoor door?
@@TamiFlournoy NO - let the glaze dry for about 24 hours and then seal it in with your urethane.
Have you consider lacquer over polyurethane? I am leaning toward lacquer spray but looking disadvantages to poly...
thanks if you have any tips for me. ( in my case I am looking for clear coat no stains..)
I am not as familiar in working with lacquer or any advantages to one over the other. I wish you well!
@@rodivonbarby940 thx
This video is just what I was looking for. I just purchased some unfinished Double entry doors in alder with 3/4 (6 panel) windows in each and this is just the look I was after - I may go just a hair darker. Looks like similar stave construction to mine. Any idea how those products might hold up to exterior use? My entry doors are recessed about 3 feet and have a small roof that extends another 3 feet. At wort, I get about an hour of sun on them during peak summer. I suppose I could use helmsman for the final coat. That's a really beautiful finish you've achieved there. Thanks for sharing... I appreciate that you shared both the products and techniques. I can stop looking now :-)
Your doors should hold up fine to exterior use. The urethane should provide adequate protection by itself. I think the unknown with using doors like this outside is how moisture will affect the door. Or depending on your climate, the lack of moisture. Too much moisture or too little will expand or shrink the door and or door panels. I honestly don't think there is much you can do to avoid this other than perhaps allow the door to acclimate to the climate before finishing it. I'm not sure if that answers your question but from what I can understand, you should be fine. Good luck with your project!
Thanks for your reply. I wasn't clear on my question. I was more curious about how you thought those stain and arm-r-seal products might hold up to exterior use. I think I read that the arm-r-seal is not for exterior. I actually picked up a can of Waterlox marine sealer in a satin finish. I did the sanding and pre-stain conditioner and staining with Prairie Wheat and it looks exactly like yours so far. Question for you: Would that glazing technique be equally effective over the waterlox varnish? Have you tried glazing over varnish? Thanks again for your help.
I am not as familiar with the waterlox varnish but I should think using the same technique for staining, sealing, and glazing will work well for you. Sorry I can't provide you with more specifics on that product.
HI, looks like i have a similar desire. I want to stain the front exterior door. Can you tell me what you did after you glazed it with gel stain? I was actually considering using epoxy as a finishing coat
I gave the doors one more coat of urethane after the glaze (gel stain) phase. If I were placing the door outside, I would confirm with General Finishes what I should use on in outdoor situation. I would then use that as a final coat (or two) on top of the glaze stain. That should fully seal to door without effecting your finish.
Great video. How many coats of stain did you you use? At least two coats are needed in most applications but in your detailed steps you outline each phase but didn't provide that extra detail about the staining. Staining is typically two or three coats before moving onto first clear coat. I am building a wine room - with LOTS of knotty alder. T&G knotty alder panels for the ceiling, knotty alder custom framing (both structural and aesthetic) and then knotty alder wine racks. LLOOTTSS of staining.
Your wine room sounds like it will be beautiful. To answer your question, I only stain once. There is no need for multiple coats of stain assuming you achieve the color you want with one application. The same applies to the glazing step - just one coat of stain wiped clean and allowed to dry before a final coat of urethane. I hope this helps but please let me know if you still have questions or concerns. Thanks for watching!
What color was your Gel Glaze you did on the last step? This was a wonderful video! Thank you!
Hi Jerinne. I'm glad you found video this helpful! The glaze color is JAVA. It is a very dark brown or maybe even black. Good luck with your project!
@@rodivonbarby940 Thank you so much! I'm hard of hearing and so I couldn't hear with the wind noise. Thanks again!
@@jerinnepalmer6536 Sorry about that - video production is not my expertise! I hope you have fun with your project!
Question, can you stain it after it is installed. I ordered a door pkg and it is huge!
Yes - it will be a bit harder to properly sand between each coat of urethane but otherwise it should be fine. I would only further stress that you carefully follow the pattern for finishing each side as shown in the video.
How would this process differ, when using the knotty pine interior doors?
While I haven't tried it myself, I would think you could use the same process on pine doors. Pine is a softer wood sure it is well sealed before glazing or the glaze will soak in and ruin the door.
I saw on another video filling in then knotty areas. Is this necessary?
Generally, no. I believe that the knots are filled in all of the doors you find at Home Depot or Lowes.
Hi Tashia and Rodi, I have doors with larger knot holes and had the same curiosity. Great video Rodi! I will hunt for that video. I only want to fill the large ragged ones a bit so they don't collect dust or weaken an area(frame). With C19 we have had to take what you can get. Looking at e1000 epoxy and black tint. Applying before sanding.
Is the Prairie Wheat available in water base? We live in AK and will have to stain in garage with minimal ventilation. Really enjoyed the video!
Not that I know of but you should be able to find colors that are close. I personally have not tried any of this with the water-based stains.
Rodi. What did you apply over the Java Glazing Gel?
Hi Kim - once the glaze has completely dried, apply another coat of the ARM-R-SEAL. This will both seal in the glaze and provide a nice finish to the door itself.
@@rodivonbarby940 did you apply the final coat of ARM-R-SEAL with a rag? Did you use Satin or Semi Gloss?
Lisa - I used semi-gloss but you could certainly use Satin if that's your preference. And yes, I ragged it on. Good luck!
do we need to use urethane 3 times ? And sanding again each time? What will happen if we use urethane only one time?
One coat of urethane will not provide you with the finish or protection you want or need. Take the time to apply at least three coats sanding between each one (do not sand the final coat). Also, the glazing works best if you have at least two coats or urethane applied first. This prevents the glaze from soaking into the wood and changing the stain color to a darker smeared look. The urethane keeps the glaze layer separate of the stained wood allowing you to control the look of the finished product. You should apply at least one coat of urethane over the glaze to protect that part of your finish. I hope this helps.
thank you for reply. At 12:50 you are saying to wait 30 min and then 2 hours. Its not clear what do you mean for 2 hours? maybe to wait for conditioner to dry?
Sorry - that was not clear. Give it at least 30 minutes to dry but preferably more like 2 hours. You have to stain the same day for it to have the intended effect. This may be specific to this brand of pre-stain conditioner so be sure to check the can of the brand you use (if different from that shown).
I just got installed same Alder door like yours. And I bought exactly same things you are recommending here for stain and paint. Only difference is different paint, I got General Finishes Oil Based Gel Stain (Gallon, Georgian Cherry) instead. Its little bit darker then yours so I'm not sure I will put glaze on it, it could make it even more darker. I will do this project next week and watch your video couple of more times :)
Hi Darko - Just wondering how things are working out for you!
Did he sand the urethane Before he put the Java Glaze on?
Yes Lisa - a light sanding same as between the urethane coats helps the glazing process and preps the door for another coat of urethane after the glaze.
Rodi von Barby thank you for responding. Would you put the glaze on the door trim also?
Maybe I’m blind but I can’t find where it’s listed the stains and other coatings he is using. Does anyone have a list?
Made by "general finishes" - Conditioner/pre-stain, gel stain, stain - you pick the colors
Daniel - at about 5:20 into the video, I explain what products I used for this project and why.
Rodi von Barby thank you for replying I ordered the product and will begin on my doors shortly, thank you again!
1 coat of dalys . . . done. Rich dark finish
How to stain and seal a door... in 134 steps.
what is with the audio??????
Great video, thanks!