Stripping oak door with metal straps

[paulb33]

I'm touching up the oak front door of my 1901 arts & crafts house (photos below, down the thread..). Its a broad & tall 'voyseyesque'' heavy planked door in a dark stain with a lattice of intersecting horizontal & vertical two inch metal straps. The oak has been poorly varnished with a modern dark stain, which is peeling. The metal straps are poorly painted with thick black paint. Light sanding reveals a nice medium oak plank. Scraping the straps reveals a dull mid-grey metal, which is brightly kshiny when scratched. There is a small amount of rust. I'm assuming the metal is cast or wrought iron.

Question is: what finishes would be best for the oak and for the metal straps?

Many thanks.

Paul

 

[LadyArowana]

I used Osmo Polyx on an oak floor and worksurface and it did a lovely job. However I'm not sure how well it stands external use. My guess is that the door would just need to be given another coat if it started to look tired. Other people have used it, so with any luck someone else will come along with an answer.

Assuming that you don't just want to repaint the straps in another goopy layer of something like Hammerite I would be looking at the "grate blacking" type graphite paste. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stovax-Woodburner-Graphite-Polish-Zebrite/dp/B005MG8XFG I bought an antique umbrella stand ( cast iron ) and the drip pan was rusty. My first task was to give it a really good going over with a brass wire brush, after that I used the graphite paste and I thought it gave a lovely finish. I have seen the same stand "refurbished" by a salvage company who stripped and sprayed it with the black gloss and it definately wouldn't be my choice. Again, I'm not sure how long it would last outside, would probably require the occasional re-application. It is filthy filthy stuff, I would recommend masking off the area around the door furniture even after the wood has been given a protective coating! I have before and after pictures, so far I have not needed to reapply in several years, but it only gets the occasional drip of water, which is rather different to an exposed front door. The tiny bit of oak floor that is visible in the "after" picture has the osmo finish.

 

[paulb33]

Thanks for the very helpful response. The door has a small porch roof, affording some protection. Value thoughts on the likely original finish....and, suggested new finish. Must say, I do like the idea of the Stovax graphite paint finish. Looking for a finish with 'integrity'...

 

[paulb33]

I'm particularly curious whether this is cast or wrought iron.....or, steel?

 

[plasticpigeon]

I have to say that I wouldn't use stove black as it has a habit of going all over the place. It is good on items that are completely black, so bbq's, fireplaces etc but here I think you would get it on the wood and it would spoil it. I reckon the metal is steel strip, definitely not cast iron. Maybe the steel had been sheradised (a form of galvanising). Finishing the wood will be difficult with all the metal on the door. As it is not going to be battered by rain, I think it would be good to use an oiled finish, as you can just re oil the door if it begins to look tired. Any lacquered finish will eventually peel off and it will be an absolute nightmare to rub down and redo between the metal straps.

 

[paulb33]

Thanks, Plastic Pigeon. I will likely go the Danish Oil route... This isn't a job that I plan to do too frequently :wink: . We have a local Victorian church (by the same architect) and the fine old oak door seems to be oiled and the straps have a beautiful flat black finish. It couldnt be further from where our door is right now.. You'd hardly know it was painted/blackened. Thats the look that I'm looking for. Of course, if theyre steel straps then that may dictate how we treat them...

Value further thoughts, opinions....

 

[paulb33]

I wonder if Japan Black / Brunswick Black paint would be appropriate?

http://www.goldleafsupplies.co.uk/acatalog/Brunswick_Black_Stop-Out.html

 

[LadyArowana]

I think you would get it on the wood and it would spoil it.

If the wood has been well Osmo'd before then it will come off with a bit of fairy liquid on a cloth......




and for those wondering how I can be sure of this I will confess that when I started doing the stick stand I was a little bit under-engineered on the floor protection front. I had put down a sheet of cardboard recycled from a delivery, but using a small toothbrush to get into the fine detail created a bit of splattering of tiny drops. Luckily I noticed relatively quickly and didn't track it everywhere.

 

[paulb33]

I think you would get it on the wood and it would spoil it.

If the wood has been well Osmo'd before then it will come off with a bit of fairy liquid on a cloth......

Good advice. So, I should oil the door first and THEN paint the straps with Stovax, Japan/Brunswick Black, or other. I have both on order, so will experiment at the weekend.

As for stripping the door, I'm heartened that the surface varnish comes off relatively easily with sandpaper. Getting into the corners adjacent to the straps will likely be a pain, though....

 

[LadyArowana]

As for stripping the door, I'm heartened that the surface varnish comes off relatively easily with sandpaper. Getting into the corners adjacent to the straps will likely be a pain, though....

Should be quite easy to make something like this http://www.meevis.com/jewelry-tools-making-buff-sticks.htm although for a corner it might be best to cover one end of the stick rather than the middle. If all else fails then raid Mrs P33's manicure kit for some nice emery boards ( and don't tell her I sent you ).

 

[paulb33]

Any other suggestions as to the metal here? Its 1901. Could it be steel? Would Stovax work on steel?