Stripping paint from deep in wood grain?

[4xdog]

I'm doing a slow-motion restoration of the front door on my 1930s Tudor Revival home. Originally the heavy oak veneered door was stained and varnished. It had been painted white probably a half dozen times over the years.

The paint comes off easily with heat and a scraper. A custom-cut tip even gets the beading in the veneer cleaned up pretty well. But there's a lot of white paint still in the grain of the oak, which isn't easy to remove.

I guess I could sand the daylights out of it to get down to new wood throughout. I'm wondering if anyone has any good tips I haven't thought to try?

Detail:

Before:

During (to give an idea of eventual colors and finishes):

 

[rsanter]

Paint stripper and a wire brush

 

[Kaizen]

If you are sure it’s not veneer I’d give some 120 grit a try. Maybe 80 if not cutting.
I’d have sanded it anyway before staining. You using a high quality stain and poly?If it gets sun poly will last for only a few years. Will need maintenance. The white doesn’t look that deep.
If you try the wire brush and paint remover take the door off


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Marctrees]

Helluva nice House !

You didn't say what kinda finish you plan to put on it.

If some sort of stain, a little white in grain may actually be a nice effect.

Keep in mind, generally speaking ANY kind of clear will be much more often maintenance than paint.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

Curious- how thick is the Oak veneer ?

It's actually veneer ? ?

Marc

 

[4xdog]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. We're thinking similarly. I've covered much of the same ground as your ideas.

I'm planning to put a stain and clear finish on the door, which will then be behind the painted wooden storm door. I'm targeting a finish that brings out the grain, so I'd like those rays to be filled with dark color rather than white. But in the end, I'll live with what I can get.

I've tried paint stripper and a wire brush, and had zero luck clearing out *any* of the grain -- all it seemed to do was raise the surface grain and make it more fuzzy.

Seems to be veneer, but like most things in this house, the door is seriously overbuilt. The front panel with the grained oak is probably at least 3/16 inch thick.

Here's an image of the bottom seal (another upgrade project) showing the thickness of the "veneer".

 

[Marctrees]

Having a thick veneer, I would on sawhorses w all hardware removed use an RO sander staring w 80 grit, then 120, then lastly 180..

This is a very valuable door - Don't FIU w a belt sander.

I seriously would buy a sheet of 3/4 ply and securely block the door opening for a week or so.

I would not be afraid to attach to jamb w long deck screws... can no problem properly putty those later.

Use back door for daily in out.

Finish the door totally in garage, then re install.

Absolutely only way to get it done.

If you think it through step by step to the final end, it's gotta come off and stay off till your top coats are dried/ cured enough to not stick to weatherstrip or whatever when door is closed let alone hand prints wrestling it back onto hinges, etc.

After your clear coats are "Dry" but still not fully hard, you can expedite drying/ curing safely if done intelligently w ventilation air movement and controlled limited exposure to direct sun.

Yup, like at least a week all said and done.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

Do not run out to bigbox and get like minwax or behr spar varnish.

Most of that big name stuff is ****.

Check out places like Jamestown Distributors and Google study.

Marc

https://www.jamestowndistributors.c...sh&category=36&refine=1&page=GRID#/perpage:16

 

[Marctrees]

And be aware ANY and ALL clearcoats that say "No sanding" ONLY means that subsequent coats will adhere to previous coats w/o a mechanical tooth.

It STILL needs to be scuff sanded lightly between at least first few coats to knock down erect wood micro hairs if not also **** that landed when finish still wet.

Marc

 

[4xdog]

Thanks, Marc. Most helpful. I'll fershure refer back to your advice as the project moves forward.

I've spent my life in polymer science and coatings, and I agree with you completely about going speciality v big box varnishes. Jamestown Distributors is a good resource -- one I didn't have before your tip.

I'm planning to complete the wooden storm door and get it mounted before I take off the entrance door. With a sheet of plywood painted nicely -- with some trompe l'oeil details -- it can be there for a while as I work on the door. (Since this is something like a 4th priority project everything is done slowly.)

Nothing is easy, unfortunately. I've found that a commercial-class steamer is probably the best way to remove the glazing putty from all those panes in the door's insert.

 

[MarvinBerry]

Having refinished a fair amount of old wooden objects I'd be wary about sanding too much & destroying the veneer in the effort of completeness.

It's entirely possible, esp if oil based paint was used that the white in the oak has sunken deep into the gain and may never come out completely. Matter of fact I'd put $$ on it.

Possibly another option is bleaching the wood. Often good to do before any heavy sanding because you'll have to sand again after it raises all the grain.