Wood Panel Doors - apply finish/varnish before inserting?

[schu777]

I'm building a vanity with doors where there will be a solid wood panel (1/4" thick). Should I finish the panels first before building the doors so they float in the door or should I just build them and finish all together?

Michael

[woodhack]

Finish the panels first so when there is shrinkage there won't be a strip of unfinished wood marring your beautiful panel door. I speak from experience.

[AceHoleInOne]

You don't have to but more importantly is to seal the end-grain on the door panel with shellac. This helps the wood from absorbing to much moisture causing expansion and contraction. Every little bit helps. Typically I dye the door panel first, then stain and topcoat once the panel is assembled. You can use compresses air and a dry paint brush to blend stain on door panels near the rails and stiles. Compressed air will blow or push the stain under the rails and stile getting the finish on the door panel while in the slot. That's what I do.

-Ace-

[Lawrence Brown]

Since they aren't glued in, I find it a lot easier to sand and finish the panels first. Plus, the finish can help prevent glue from sticking to the panels should you get a bit messy during the frame glue-up. I actually even go a bit further and finish the frame pieces before assembly, but that's just me.

[Bombarde16]

Absolutely finish the panels before assembly. For all the reasons already stated and it's a little less trouble getting finish into the corners if you're applying with a brush.

You don't have to but more importantly is to seal the end-grain on the door panel with shellac. This helps the wood from absorbing to much moisture causing expansion and contraction. Every little bit helps.

Bob Flexner put this to bed in a recent article. Sorry I don't have the link; but summarizing, unless you're going to build your topcoat at least 1/8" thick, finish (whether shellac, varnish or whatnot) does not keep moisture in or out. It may slow things down, but the wood is still going to move around with the season changes. (Heck, if finish were all it took, we wouldn't need to go through the rigamorole of making frame and panel doors in the first place.) Of course, if the work is entombed in a massive sarcophagus of varnish, you may as well ditch the wood and skip straight to working in plastics. ;-)

[PaulMarcel]

you may as well ditch the wood and skip straight to working in plastics. ;-)

"I want to say one word to you. Just one word."

"Yes, sir."

"Are you listening?"

"Yes, I am."

"Plastics."

"Just how do you mean that, sir?"

He may have been on to something

[Bobby Slack]

Absolutely. Do it.