Veneer

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applying veneer to safe room door

4/26/17       
Ron Member

I am a cabinet and trim man. I have a job going that they told me after I had started that they wanted me to cover a metal storm room door with wood. I had heard you could use contact cement, and have used it in the past for formica, so thought no problem. I put my veneer on, and thought all was good. a few days later, there were bubbles. I tried to hammer them out, and to weight them down to get it to adhere, but it still would bubble up. I have now purchased a second veneer, and partially removed the first one. In the worst bubble, it looks as if it pulled paint off the door, but the others just look as if they did not stick. Has anyone done what I am trying to do? is contact cement the right thing, or is there a better glue to use? Thanks for any help!

4/26/17       #3: applying veneer to safe room door ...
David R Sochar Member

If they want it to look like wood, use wood. Real wood. There is no reason to not use real wood for this door. We have even made wood doors that are bulletproof.

4/26/17       #4: applying veneer to safe room door ...
Paul Miller

Website: http://MCCWOODWORKING.COM

I would try a Phenolic backed veneer. If you are not familiar with this, it is a laminate sheet with a thin veneer applied to it. It will take you a few weeks to get. Contact adhesive is really your only choice.

Bubbles in a veneer usually means you did not let the vapors escape. Assuming there is no chips or debris under the veneer. I have used contact adhesive on wood veneers. The problem with the metal door is that the steel and the wood will expand differently.

4/26/17       #5: applying veneer to safe room door ...
rich c.

Did you use water based contact cement?

4/27/17       #6: applying veneer to safe room door ...
Paul Miller

Website: http://MCCWOODWORKING.COM

We use only flammable adhesives.

In the late 80's and early 90's, WilsonArt came out with a non-flammable adhesive and we used that for a while. About 18 months after the installation, we began to get lifting of the laminate. It was a common problem with everyone that used this glue. We called it The Blue Flu because it was blue in color.

Eventually, WilsonArt helped with some re-reimbursement for re-work, but we did not come out whole. Since then, we only use flammable adhesives.

4/27/17       #7: applying veneer to safe room door ...
rich c.

The reason I asked was because the solvent based is probably acting like a paint stripper on the painted door. Surprised the whole sheet of veneer didn't fall off.

4/27/17       #8: applying veneer to safe room door ...
Paul Miller

Website: http://MCCWOODWORKING.COM

Rich C.

You might be right. He should have noticed that, if the paint was dissolving. He will find out now, he will have to strip the door if he is going to put on another veneer.

4/28/17       #9: applying veneer to safe room door ...
Ron Member

I did use a solvent based. In the worst bubble the paint did pull loose. The rest of it seemed stable. But I am considering sanding all the paint off the metal, and trying it again, unless someone can see a obstacle that direction. Thanks for the help so far.

5/2/17       #10: applying veneer to safe room door ...
John S

I used to work for a commercial door manufacturer that regularly applied two ply (mdf core & wood veneer) door skins to metal doors. If I remember correctly they used a "reactive hot-melt" adhesive that was developed specifically for that application (wood to metal). I do know it took multiple tries to get it "right" and even then there were occasional failures.

I also remember one thing; if the adhesive had any water in it, the steel door "core" would develop a light coat of rust, and nothing stayed stuck to it for long. Stay away from water-based adhesives.

I don't think that contact cement (including solvent-based) has any real chance of success either. I think you need to go with one of the new "high tech" adhesives to have a chance at getting a lasting bond.

5/2/17       #11: applying veneer to safe room door ...
Craig

You can do it with two adhesives we've used for this exact thing in the past. Polyurethane (Gorilla Glue) and thickened epoxy assuming you're using either a paper backed or two ply wood veneer. Definitely sand off all the paint and scuff the door hard with some coarse 36 grit or so sandpaper as both adhesives are making mechanical bonds to the metal. The Poly should be done in a vacuum bag but the thickened epoxy could be done on site. Use a notched trowel to get an even pattern of epoxy lines over the entire door and press your veneer skin down into the epoxy. Use a hardwood block to rub over the entire surface much like hammer veneering but without so much pressure. The goal is to even out the epoxy and uniformly press the veneer down.

5/6/17       #12: applying veneer to safe room door ...
Ed

I used an adhesive from Spectrum that was designed for metal to wood. It did require clamping by vacuum or other press.

5/6/17       #13: applying veneer to safe room door ...
TonyF

Ron:

This sounds like an excellent opportunity to have a faux finisher come in and paint it to look like the wood of their choice, without future veneer/steel/glue incompatibility issues.

TonyF


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