Just curious what kind of wood are the doors made of? If it is a soft wood such as pine you definetely want to use some kind of sealer. If the doors are hardwood then it is discretionary.
Are you planing on staining or painting the wood? Stains make the wood darker and bring out the "character" of the wood...Character meaning the wood grain. Paint covers up the wood.
I would also suggest using a polyurethane rather than varnish as poly lasts longer and is semi-easier to apply and control rather than varnish... Don't skimp here use a hi grade polyurethane. I like Helmsman the best.
Varnish and/or polyurethane is the last step in the process.
Your choices are as follows.
Paint probably 2 coats.
Lightly sand with 150-220 grit sandpaper and wipe off dust with a lint free cloth.
OR
Lightly sand with 150-220 grit sandpaper and wipe off dust with a lint free cloth.
Apply Stain and wipe off excess stain with a lint free cloth.
Varnish or polyurethane. Usually the more coats added the better the results.
One more thing.... Before applying stain do a little spot on the underside of the door to make sure the color is what you want.... THere are many different kinds and colors of stains..
Hope this helps.  |