# Blotchy stain. Fir doors.



## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

You should have just sold them on moving the walls and making the bathroom 4 inches bigger.

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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

It's a desk in a niche area that was built 5' wide. I'd have to build a whole new upper along with those 4 door and reinstall it. Rather just build 2 new doors.

Got those installed today. Fit much better.










They can swing out









Or in









Swinging in they have a magnet to hold them in that position so you can put a chair in there to use it as a desk.


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## Gene Murray (Jul 21, 2021)

RickP said:


> First let me say, I'm the last person who should be staining a door. I'm a door installer, not a painter or finisher. I had to special order some doors and the supplier screwed up and ordered the wrong size and they had to reorder them. So instead of 6 weeks, it took 12 weeks to get the doors. The guy I had lined up to finish the doors, was now backed up and the homeowner wants the doors installed yesterday. A buddy convinced me to just do it myself.
> They are fir doors and mostly veneer. I sanded with a 150 grit sanding block and then used a 50/50 mix of unwaxed shellac and alcohol for a sealer. I used Old Masters wiping stain and I have a few places that just don't look good. There are a million posts on the net of similar problems with blotchy stain, but I thought maybe someone here has a "fix". Otherwise, I'm just going to top coat them and hope for the best. So far the customer doesn't seem to picky. Theses doors aren't too cheap, but they ordered cheap no name handlesets off the net. The doors are at my buddies shop and I forgot to take pics, since I was so pissed off.  I had him text me some pics, but they don't really show most of the blotches.


Firstly always tell client fir does not take stain evenly. Show him what a clear Will look like. Most people go for that because it is the warm natural color of fir. There is no going back once stain is on on veneered doors because you can’t sand it out finish with your clear coats and call it good. Hope they are happy


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

Gene Murray said:


> Hope they are happy


No now they're really pissed 3 years later.


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## Gene Murray (Jul 21, 2021)

avenge said:


> No now they're really pissed 3 years later.


Rick. Looking at pics again I think your mistake was applying shellac coat. The finish prevented the stain to absorb evenly. Thus you see the shiny whiter areas. Never use seal coat of any kind before staining. This is what happens. Could have saved an extra step also


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Are you a bot?


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

Gene Murray said:


> Rick. Looking at pics again I think your mistake was applying shellac coat. The finish prevented the stain to absorb evenly. Thus you see the shiny whiter areas. Never use seal coat of any kind before staining. This is what happens. Could have saved an extra step also


Why are you quoting me? I'm not the OP I don't think he's been on here for 3 years.


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

Gene Murray said:


> Rick. Looking at pics again I think your mistake was applying shellac coat. The finish prevented the stain to absorb evenly. Thus you see the shiny whiter areas. Never use seal coat of any kind before staining. This is what happens. Could have saved an extra step also


I know you're likely not here anymore to respond, but staining over shellac is actually a common practice if using 2 stain colors to even out absorbtion.


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## Gene Murray (Jul 21, 2021)

pinwheel said:


> I know you're likely not here anymore to respond, but staining over shellac is actually a common practice if using 2 stain colors to even out abswellorbtion.


Well if it works for you that’s fine. That just seems like an unnecessary extra step. I’ve tried that all ways with mediocre results some woods can’t be evened out no matter what you do.


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