Wipe the door off with a clean cloth to remove any debris so that your varnished surface will have a smooth finish.
Varnishing an interior door no panels.
Marine spar varnish is the only finish coat we recommend.
Using vertical strokes lightly apply the first coat of marine varnish to all surfaces.
Generously apply the varnish to the top and bottom of the door.
Wipe off the dust with a brush.
Prepare area remove door hardware lay a tarpaulin or laminated dustsheet on the ground to protect it from any stray varnish.
The goal is to remove any flaky varnish and to roughen the surface for a good primer bond.
Before applying varnish to your stained door make sure that the stain on the door has completely dried.
Soak a new china bristle brush for a minute or two in paint thinner then spin or knock off the excess.
Follow step b for interior doors.
Follow step a for screen doors and exterior doors.
You must apply marine varnish as described in the next steps or any warranty will be void.
Whether you have a new interior wooden door that you plan to stain or an existing door that is already stained a protective coat of varnish is needed to complete your project.
You can apply varnish with a brush or you can spray it.
Then roll on a coat of bin or kilz available at home centers for about 8 per quart.
Coat the horizontal rails next and finally the vertical stiles.
Have the home center or paint store tint the primer to a grayish color to help cover the underlying varnish.
Pour some finish into a clean bucket and dip the bristles about a third of the way into the liquid.
Then using a screwdriver unscrew and remove the door handles any hooks or other hardware.
When varnishing a door start at the top and varnish in stages down to the bottom of the door unless you are varnishing a panelled door in which case varnish the panels individually first from top left to bottom right before varnishing the centre vertical panel the cross rails from top to bottom and then the outer edges.
Remove any decorative panels to ensure even coverage reinstalling them afterward.
Open a window nearby to provide ventilation.
All other finishes over raw wood or compatible stains will void our warranty.