Woodgraining A Garage & Front Door

This week we began wood graining a metal garage door and a fiberglass front door to match.
Here are steps we followed:        

Garage Door 

Remember faux finishing  wood graining is a process requiring several steps to complete

• Prepare the door surface by cleaning it  with  thinner.   This will remove any dirt or oil that is on the surface.  Allow the surface to dry.  Be sure to determine if the garage door is metal or fiberglass.
• Fix and repair any dents or damaged panels.
• Brush and apply the first undercoat of paint to add depth and color.  Allow it to dry two or three days.
• Work on one panel at a time.  Working on multiple panels may be overwhelming. Painting one panel at a time allows you to to be creative .
• Starting on the top of the garage door allows you  to paint without dripping paint on finished panels below.   You feel very confident by the you have  finished twenty individual panels. 

•   Brush on and apply the second  undercoat of color.  This may be a slightly darker color to match the exterior surface you are trying to match.   Wipe off any excess paint,depending on the intensity of the color you want.  Add the texture.
• Work with one panel at a time. 
• The second coat is usually a custom color.   But if you know what color stain you want, a standard premixed color is great to use.  
• We recommend Old Masters custom stains.  This custom stain is the best quality we have found.   It has a thick consistency when applied. It has body.  Other stains are thin and watery.  Old Masters stain can be found at quality paint stores.
• Allow sufficient time for the paint to set up and dry thoroughly (48 hours).

•  Brush on and apply the third undercoat of color.  This is the final color coat. With this coat you can add final details of design, lighten or darken the color on the door.  Allow at least 24 hours for the paint to dry.
• Brush on and apply the final clear coat and sealant.  

Matching Front Door

Wood graining a matching front door follows  the same process as doing a garage door.  The process  and sequence of application of colors, stains, and textures are the same as the garage door

• Determine if the door is fiberglass or metal.

• Prepare the surface with a light sanding.   
• Fix and repair any damaged areas on the door and casing.
• Allow the repaired areas to dry.   Sand lightly to make the surface smooth.
• Brush off any sanding dust.

• Brush on and apply the first under coat of color.  
• If you are really ambitious, the garage door and front door can be done at the same time.  However, it's better to do one panel on the garage at a time, even if it takes a much longer time. Do the door on at a different time.  Just use the same colors in your undercoat.
• Allow the door and casing to dry before closing it so it doesn't stick to  the weather stripping.

•  Brush on and apply the third undercoat of color.  
• Allow the door and casing to dry before closing it so it doesn't stick to the weather stripping.
• Brush on  and apply the final sealant coat.   
• Allow the door and casing to dry before closing to so it doesn't stick to the weather stripping. 

These steps are only summaries of the wood graining process.   

Please call us or ask for help at your quality paint store.
You might be interested in pictures of the wood graining process 
of a garage door and matching front door. 

Seely Painting,Inc. 

 

Refinishing & Woodgraining Ideas

Last week a question was asked "Do you refinish doors?   All I see on your website are pictures of wood grained doors." 
   
Yes, we  refinish doors.   There is a sample of a refinished door under the "Portfolio" tab on our website.  An exciting idea is that any wood, metal, or fiberglass door or cabinet or  exterior shutters  can be refinished to look like the wood grained doors you see in our portfolio.   

One of the elements used in refinishing and wood graining is  custom on-site  color matching.  Standard colors and stains can be used but the advantage of a on site color match is that it will bring out the distinct colors in your interior or exterior decor. 

You may be hesitant about custom color matching because if you need to  match or redo a wall,  an exact match is not possible.

Thanks to modern technology, you can take a sample of your touch up paint to a quality paint store.  They have a computer that can match the colors used in the paint sample and print out the formula used by the painter.

The advantage of having an artistic custom painter is if you can imagine it,  it can be created.  

Seely Painting, Inc. 

How Do You Woodgrain?

Wood graining is a faux finish.   People watch in amazement as a dented door that looks like it has been through a war is turned into a beautiful masterpiece. The question most often asked is "How do you do that?"   There is no grand secret.   Mostly  time, patience, and imagination will get the process started.

If you are interested in trying your hand at the process or just curious about how it is done, here is a summary.

Graining a wood, metal or fiberglass door  requires six to eight different steps of shading and color.

• Repairing the damaged areas that are dented or  blistered.
• Caulking and bondo are used to fill dents and imperfections.
• Undercoatings of different colors are brushed on.
• Graining is then hand drawn.
• Sealant is then applied.

It is best to start with small projects so you 're not overwhelmed with the process.

There are many books and websites that can help you along in the process.  If nothing else, a greater appreciation for this art  will be gained by trying your hand at this process.

If you need help or are interested in a larger project, give us a call.   Take a look at our website  to look at the possibilities.

Painting Cabinets Creates a New Look

Fixing cabinet surfaces can be less expensive than buying and installing new ones.   Whether deciding to paint the cabinet surfaces a solid color or wood graining them to create a new look, the work and effort is worth the time invested.  


Any cabinet surface can be wood grained  to bring out the original look of the cabinet.  The cabinet color can be changed to match  new or existing decor.

• The surfaces  should be lightly sanded. 
• Then spot putty should be used to cover the imperfections. 
•  After the spot putty dries, it should be sanded until smooth.   
• Two or three spot putty applications may be required to cover the spot completely

•  The spots should be sanded after each fill.  
• A special primer is then put on the surface and allowed to dry. 

• The primer is lightly sanded before the final coat is applied.  One or two final coats may be needed, depending the color and type of paint used.   

This is  a basic outline procedure of how to fix, change, or repair cabinet surfaces.   Be sure to check with a quality paint store or call a qualified painter if you have questions. 

Seely Painting, Inc. 

Increase Your Door's Beauty

Metal frames around doors add durability to the framing structure.   When you have an expensive wood door,  painting the metal frame a solid color distracts from its beauty.   To showcase the door,  we suggest wood graining the  door frame to match.   The frame can be grained with the colors of your door and/or exterior.   The frame also can be wood grained to match the exact grain of the wood. 


An example of this is shown in the frames that match expensive knotty  alderwood doors in an exclusive Park City condominium.   The contractor wanted the doors to be the main focus without the distraction of the metal.    By woodgraining the frames, the focus remained on the doors.  The grained frames added the to beauty of the doors.  


Woodgraining the metal frame to match a building's exterior and the door's colors adds  visual beauty.   The door  seems larger because the matching metal frames don't define the door size.   The same principle applies when woodgraining a metal door.   The  door frame can be grained to match the grain of the metal doors.    


Wood casings can be woodgrained to match a door.  Sometimes the wood casing is a different wood than the door.   The casing takes the stain differently.   By woodgraining and color matching the stain used on the frame, the casing will not be a distraction.


Not every  painter or painting contractor  can wood grain a door to look authentic.   It takes someone who can match colors on site.   By mixing colors on site, the match will be more exact. 
Make sure your painter  is a knowledgeable artist with experience.  

Seely Painting, Inc. 

Increase Your Homes Value With A Wood Grained Door

Nothing is more beautiful than a wooden door to enhance your home and increase its value.   The only draw back is the price of a wooden door.   Doors start at a minimum price of $400. 


An alternative to this is to use a faux wood grained door. Whether it is a metal or fiberglass door your home can be changed from an ordinary painted entrance door to an extraordinary door. 


With on-site color matching , the door can be made to match your home's exterior.  A wood grained entrance door.  will show piece your home.   Just as no two real wood doors are alike, every wood grained door is different because every door is a work of art.

Seely Painting, Inc.