Varnish for veneered oak door?

[Mottie]

I’ve just had a pair of oak veneered doors delivered and it says to treat them straight away with 'varnish suitable for veneered doors'. I will have to go out and buy some. Is there such a thing? Aren’t they all just 'varnish'? Will it specifically say on the tin that it’s suitable for veneered doors?

 

[Mottie]

Well, I went ahead and bought this anyway - didn’t have any choice whatsoever at B&Q.



However, having read horror stories of laminate lifting off after being varnished, I phoned the technical helpline on the label before using it. What I was told was that as this was low NOX (I think that’s what he said), it was water based so will be perfect for wood laminate. I was told it’s the solvent based varnishes that can weaken or dissolve the glue holding the laminate on. Just thought I’d report back in case anyone else searches for it.

 

[^woody^]

I am about to post for recommendations for an exterior finish, and saw this so thought I'd just say that I used Osmo Door oil (for interior doors) three years ago and the veneer is fine.

 

[Mottie]

Well mine are all varnished now. Was going to have a go at fitting them myself but they will need a gnats taking off the bottom, hinges fitting, rebated door lock and two flush fitting bolts. Apart from not having the skill or patience, I don’t have a plane, a sharp saw and I only have a couple of wood chisels that I’ve used before for chasing out a wall socket so rather than **** them up and get an ear bashing from Mrs Mottie, I think I’ll get a chippy in when we get back from our break next week.

 

[Captain Nemesis]

I am about to post for recommendations for an exterior finish, and saw this so thought I'd just say that I used Osmo Door oil (for interior doors) three years ago and the veneer is fine.

I would too have said always always always use oil and never never never use varnish.

On any wood.

Anywhere.

 

[Captain Nemesis]

I don’t have a plane, a sharp saw and I only have a couple of wood chisels that I’ve used before for chasing out a wall socket

So you have an excuse to buy tools!

Sieze it with both hands!!

 

[Mottie]

So you have an excuse to buy tools!

Sieze it with both hands!!

Trouble is, I’ll **** them up with two hands too!

 

[Captain Nemesis]

Yeah, but by then youll have acquired more tooooools

 

[Mottie]

Yeah, but by then youll have acquired more tooooools

That I’d never use again….

I would too have said always always always use oil and never never never use varnish.

On any wood.

Anywhere.

If I’d done that and it went wrong I’d have no comeback. They weren’t cheap. The instructions clearly say not to use oil.

 

[^woody^]

If I’d done that and it went wrong I’d have no comeback. The instructions clearly say not to use oil.

View attachment 240980

I had a similar note with my doors. But at the time, I read on one of the paint supplier blogs (not sure which, it may have been wood finishes direct) that this was possibly outdated advice not taking account of modern production and glue, and Osmo had been used successfully, so I just took a chance

 

[Captain Nemesis]

The instructions clearly say not to use oil.
View attachment 240980

Good lord.

My reaction to that would be to ask the maker, using almost this language:

"HTF have you made these? WTF have you made them out of?"

 

[Mottie]

HTF have you made these? WTF have you made them out of?"

HTF? WTF? CBA.

 

[Captain Nemesis]

The point is that the reason they say varnish not oil is precisely the reason to use oil not varnish.

Oil penetrates into the wood.

Varnish is just a surface coating and it will, absolutely will, fail and moisture will get under it.

 

[whatsthenews]

I used Colron tinted refined beeswax matt finish on all of ours. Medium oak.
Takes some elbow grease and skill ( ie don't apply it too thickly and don't leave it too long,especially if it's a warm day)
They look glorious. Really brings out the grain and you can get a lovely finish by polishing hard. Over time they've lightened. I guess if you had a polishing attachment for a drill you could use that ( can you still get those? My father had one many years ago)
Because the door into the loo in the utility was fitted a lot later, and the beeswax takes a fair amount of elbow grease, plus we had some leftover from the fire door ,I used a water based matt varnish. It's ok, but doesn't look anything like as good as the beeswax,and as they're a shaker style door, I found that its not that easy making sure you don't get brush lines or runs round the inside of the insets.

 

[Mottie]

The point is that the reason they say varnish not oil is precisely the reason to use oil not varnish.

Oil penetrates into the wood.

Varnish is just a surface coating and it will, absolutely will, fail and moisture will get under it.

The doors are veneered oak. Veneer is just a surface coating, why would I want anything to penetrate that veneer? If anything penetrates that veneer it may affect whatever is holding that veneer onto the core material. They are internal doors so I wouldn’t expect moisture to be a problem.