Hanging doors - treat/finish them before or after?

[DIYNotIan]

Hi all

We are soon to have a carpenter in who is going to hang new doors in the house. They are ledge doors (cottage style) and are made from oak. They are unfinished.

The carpenter has recommended that we wait until they are hung before finishing/treating them. I asked him whether this would be a problem due to the fact that the areas beneath the large T hinges, as well as the bottom of the door, would be untreatable once hung and therefore left bare. He said this would be fine, and if anything it would be beneficial as it would allow the wood to breathe.

However, I have read elsewhere and been told by some of the manufacturers of the doors we are buying, that we should treat them before hanging and that these areas (beneath hinges, door bottom) do matter.

Not sure who to go with on this one, so thought I'd turn to you guys....

Many thanks

Max

 

[Burnerman]

Presumably these are internal doors? If oak, they'll out last anyone on here - treatment or no - but as with any door, hang them immediately to minimise warp.
Only my opinion! If you want brass screws on show, fit steel ones first!
John

 

[DIYNotIan]

Many thanks for the reply. Yes, they are internal doors.

as with any door, hang them immediately to minimise warp.

That's interesting as we've been told the opposite to that by everyone! We've been told that they need to acclimatise to our house and should therefore be left unhung for several weeks. Been told to lay them flat while they are unhung. Would you disagree with this then?

 

[joinerjohn]

With solid wood doors, your quite correct that they have to be acclimatised. I wouldn't have thought a few weeks was necessary though. As for finishing them,, Hmmmm , all depends what your finishing them with, Wax? Oil? Varnish?. When they are hung , in all probability, the edges will need doing again (unless they fit in your frames without needing planed)

Don't use steel hinges or screws with oak, the tannic acid in the timber will react with the iron and cause black marks, but it's ok to perhaps pre-screw them with steel screws , before swapping these for brass ones.

 

[DIYNotIan]

Many thanks.

Interesting - I had no idea about the steel being a potential problem.

The doors are put together using screws (and oak plugs). So do you think I should find out what screws are used to put them together?

As for the door furniture, we are going for the olde style cast/forged iron T-hinges, suffolk latches on some and rim locks on others. Again, do you think these will cause a problem? I'm guessing that the screws to fit all this furniture will also be made of cast iron...?

 

[AronSearle]

If they are internal doors, you shouldn't get iron staining, that's only if they get wet.

I don't see why you should need to treat beneath the hinges? I hear this one sometimes, and it seems a standard get out clause if anything goes wrong, do they expect a metal hinge to be more vapour permeable than a thin finish!

Again if it's internal there is little benefit in sealing the end grain at the bottom of the door, but no downside. External doors should be sealed.

 

[Burnerman]

For Suffolk latches etc they often come with their own black japanned finish but its still a good idea to use other screws first and then replace them.
My comment about hanging the doors immediately was just to prevent a possible twist - the door edges will often require planing after a while.
John

 

[gregers]

if its green oak,then its still growing,

i would personally fit the doors first,then if so desired remove them and then treat/stain cover with what ever you want,then refit.