[?] Painting or replacing antique-pine cupboard doors.

[David Chapman]

Hi,

I'm planning to freshen up our kitchen. I'll be replacing the sink and work-top, and I'm considering painting the antique pine cupboard doors and drawer fronts because direct replacements are not readily available since some of them are not standard sizes.

I'd appreciate any comments on the best way to do the painting, and whether I'll still need to use knotting to seal the knots even though the doors have been in-situ for more than 15 years and must be well dried-out. I'm intending using Dulux Cupboard Paint which, the manufacturer claims, is very robust and well suited for a kitchen environment. How much preparation should I give the doors before painting, apart from a good sanding on their flat surfaces as well as the various grooves in them?

If the door painting idea isn't successful then I guess my Plan B will have to be the more expensive option of having some new doors and drawer front custom-made. If I have to go this route, can anyone suggest a supplier of REASONABLY priced custom-made doors?

Any comments and suggestions will be much appreciated.

Many thanks,

- David

David C.Chapman - ( [e-mail])

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[auctions]

I had some made to match existing original doors in a house. Cost about =A320 per door from a local joinery firm - main business was windows. (Coxhoe Timber, near Durham). They were a solid pine frame with centre panel and pine mouldings. Looked great when painted cream.

Standard door sizes haven't changed much, but different suppliers have different standards. If you post the list of sizes, someone might know of a supplier who can do them as standard.

A

[The Natural Philosopher]

Well a bit of knotting won't hurt...

I would sand them thoroughly, knot the knots use plastic wood to fill any gashes and sand again, then a coat of acrylic primer..if that fails to stick to whatever is there already use a spirit based one, followed up bu a and and another primer..when the surface is properly un pine like, a coat of undercoat,a gentle sand and a careful top coat.

If you do it carefully it will be. In terms of your labour new doors are cheaper of course.

then I guess my Plan B will

[Andy Dingley]

I'd shellac the whole door first. It's a good enough primer for the paint, it's a good sealer for any kitchen grime that's stuck beneath (including waxes and even silicone polishes) and it will make the whole business reversible if you ever want go from paint to bare wood.

[meow2222]

If theyre now wood finish not painted, I'd recommend liming them rather than painting. It looks so much nicer, and isnt hard to do.

NT

[Stuart Noble]

Looks bloody awful on pine IMO. Better to use an oil based glaze if you're into wash finishes

[Andy Dingley]

Liming on softwood? That's going to look pretty awful, IMHO.

[paul]

[paul]

David becarefull of painting onto varnish or laquer , oil or acyrlics don't take to well

[Owain]

Not as bad as sticky-back plastic.

Trust me on this.

Owain

[meow2222]

Far from it. It gives a light wash. Can be done with emulsion, brush on, wipe off. Makes dark woods light.

NT

[Stuart Noble]

A build up of chalk in the grain achieves nothing, other than to make the wood look cloudy and dull. Combine that with the orange tint in pine and you have a real dog's dinner.

[David Chapman]

Many thanks to all those that have posted to offer interesting suggestions.

- David

David C.Chapman - ( [e-mail])

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[meow2222]

might be why I didnt recommend it.

NT .

[Andy Dingley]

Then that's a wash or a glaze, which might well look reasonable. It's not liming, which is a fairly heavy pigment that's rubbed into the pores of a timber like oak and wiped clean off its surface. Softwoods don't have these pores, so a good liming on pine would be invisible, a bad one would look like poorly-cleaned graffitti.

[meow2222]

Its funny what people say. Limed softwood has a smooth even light woodgrain appearance. Of course the result is different for pine compared to oak. And emulsion is better for this effect than lime putty.

There is also the method of creating false pores on softwood and liming them, but thats not what I'm talking about here.

NT

[Andy Hall]

You've got pictures of Valerie Singleton and Joan Armatrading on your bedroom wall, haven't you?

Down, Shep; and everyone wondered what Shep had been doing.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Fair point. Never thought of it that way.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Antique pine looks crap whatever you do if you don't cover it up.

I prefer the natural grain of MDF and chipboard myself...;-)

[David Chapman]

The last time I encountered shellac, many years ago, it was when it was supplied as small flakes a bit like fish-food. It then had to be dissolved in meths.

Is it still available in that form or does it now come as a ready- prepared liquid varnish?

Where can I obtain some?

TIA - David

David C.Chapman - ( [e-mail])

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