Gel Stain On Molded Door

This project is a less costly way of having what appears to be a stained real wood door (interior).

It took me 10 steps per door to finish as I worked on one side at a time with the door flat on saw horses.

The gel stain must be applied consistently in method and quantity. Variations of either greatly reduce the effect. For all staining, use a high quality natural bristle brush (I spent $25.00 on a 2-1/2" brush).

*Very Important* The gel stain has about a 3 min work time, therefore you need to work in pre-defined areas, and most importantly, after stain is applied evenly, draw a brush lightly across the full length (parallel to grain) of the area you are working on. All starting and stopping is reflected in the gel stain, so even if you need to touch just a small area in the middle, it must be a full length stroke.

(0. If needed- do all wood work- mortise hinges, etc., on door before finishing)
1. Tape off the 6 panels and apply stain, allow to dry
2. Tape off the horizontal members (actually just mold lines on these pressed doors) and apply stain, allow to dry.
3. Tape off vertical members and apply stain, allow to dry.
5. Using a foam brush, apply clear polyurethane (I used satin). Be sure to draw a full length brush across for last step.
6. Sand with 320 grit paper and steel wool (recessed areas around panels). This must be done very lightly, very easy to sand off gel.
7. Fill in missed or over-sanded areas. I opted to use a black sharpie for the small spots, adds a nice touch.
8. Apply second coat of polyurethane with a throw away foam brush (1-1/2").
9. Prepare doors as normal with hardware.