Poly Prep

After 2 days of sanding and staining, I finally embarked on the final stage of the project, applying polyurethane. This is the trickiest part of the process. Every step I took (sanding, scrapping, staining, re-sanding) was in preparation for the polyurethane.

Polyurethane is used to protect wood as will as giving it a shining coating. For this, I chose Minwax® Helmsman® Spar Urethane (A protective clear finish for interior or exterior wood that is exposed to sunlight, water or temperature changes.) I chose a Semi-Gloss finish after doing plenty of research and testing.

While applying polyurethane one must remember to sand the doors with 220 grit sand paper before every new coat.

Application tool: Synthetic bristle brush
Dry time: 24 hours
Coats: Two so far, I'll add a third coat next weekend

DIRECTIONS:
1. Surface must be dry and free of paint, wax, grease, polish, old finishes in poor condition or any foreign matter.
2. Sand to obtain a smooth, uniform surface. Remove all dust with a cloth dampened with mineral spirits.
3. If desired, apply stain, such as Minwax® Wood Finish™, to unfinished interior wood surfaces. Follow directions for application instructions and dry times.
4. Stir well before and occasionally during use.
5. Apply a thin coat of HELMSMAN® Spar Urethane using a high quality natural bristle brush. On unfinished wood, apply sufficient material to seal open joints, edges and end-grain.
6. Let dry at least four hours, then sand entire surface lightly with very fine sandpaper (220 grit) to ensure an even finish and proper adhesion of additional coats.
7. Apply second coat. If a third coat is desired, repeat Step 6 before applying. Note: For exterior surfaces or for previously unfinished wood, three coats are recommended.
8. After final coat, allow 24 hours before normal use.

Next Episode: "The Last Coat"

Staining the Doors

After a day of sanding and wood puttying defects on the door, it is now ready to be stained. I had a buddy of mine, Mr. R, help me with sanding every inch of the door.

Once the door was ready for staining, Mrs. Renovation and I walked around the neighborhood looking at how different stains look. Jefferson and Hancock Avenues in Bedford Stuyvesant is a great place to do your research. This actually allows you to see how the stains look in real life as oppose to seeing them on color samples, which can sometimes be misleading.

After that, we went to Home Depot and our local harware store to look at the stains they carry.

We chose two Minwax stains, Mahogany Red 225 and Sedona Red 222. After testing the stains on a piece of wood, we decided that Sedona Red 222 was our color.

Next Episode: "Poly Prep"

Musical Tribute to Brooklyn

The New Doors Are Up

How to Make Old Doors Look New

We finally got the new doors up! After sanding and cleaning it, we added new hardware, locks and moldings around the door frame. We also had to adjust the glass.

The door fits the house perfectly. I took pictures of us putting it up but Mrs. Renovation accidently deleted my pictures.

It took Eddie about a few weeks to get these doors to me. They are over 100 years old and cost me about $1300. We paid a carpenter about $400 bucks to put them up...a steal, since we've heard that new doors like ours can run over $10,000 and sometimes the wood quality is inferior so it warps.

I think older doors are the best becuase they are:
1.) Typically better quality. (Which makes them easier to sand)
2.) Well crafted.
3.) Less likely to warp because the wood has already settled.

Eddie's Furniture is located at 224 Greene Ave, between Grand and Classon, Brooklyn, NY 11238.


NEXT EPISODE: Staining the Doors