Primed Louvered Doors Can Be Ordered or You can DIY

Published: July 13, 2020

Factory Priming

If your custom louvered doors are going to be painted rather than stained, the first step is to have them primed. Estate Millwork has experienced staff, processes, and equipment to accomplish this quickly and inexpensively, and we recommend factory priming for this reason. Shipping the doors primed is also better for them than shipping them natural where they can be exposed to varying moisture and temperature conditions. These may cause the wood to absorb moisture and cup, bow, or warp. However, if our customers are equipped or inclined to do their own finishing, this information will still be helpful

Preparing for Finish

When Estate Millwork factory primes a door, which occurs immediately after finish sanding and hand sanding, we remove all dust and dirt with a high powered compressed air stream, especially in the areas between the louvers. The door is inspected and then placed in a proprietary jig that we have created that allows us to easily and correctly apply the primer to the hard to reach spaces between, behind and around the louvers. In the case of operable louvered doors, the louvers are placed in their fully open position to facilitate access.

Oil Based Primer

Estate Millwork uses a top quality, stain blocking sandable primer for the first coat. The primer is applied consistently to one face of the door and allowed to dry. After the primer has dried, the door is flipped in the jig and the process is repeated to the other face. Depending upon the species of wood in the louvers and door frame, the primer will slightly raise the grain and add roughness to the surface.

Scuff Sanding

Once the primer is dry on both louvered door faces, the door is either packed for shipment, or in the case that Estate Millwork is also painting the door, the entire door is scuff sanded. Since the grain is slightly raised by the absorption of the primer, we use a 220 grit sand paper to knock the surface back to smooth, as well as to create a good bond between the primer and the top coat. After scuff sanding, the door is again air blown to remove all dust and residue.

Double Priming

For extreme applications, Estate Millwork can offer a double priming service wherein the louver door is primed, scuff sanded and then reprimed prior to shipment or final paint coat. The double primer gives an extra layer of protection for exterior, marine, or high traffic applications, and, because the primer is sandable, allows for much easier maintenance in the field for whatever slight damage that may happen.