Prefinishing Raised Panels

[BrentDH]

I am just curious how others handle finishing raised panels. I have heard that you want to prefinish them to avoid revealing unfinished wood when the panel shrinks in dry weather. That seems to make sense. But do you just stain them?  Or do you stain and then put one coat of finish on them?  Or multiple coats and them mask them off when finishing the final assembly?

If you eventually put finish on the entire assembly is there a chance that the finish might “crack” at the intersection of the panel and stile during expansion and contraction?

I am sure that I am overthinking this like I do most things, but what is the “best” practice?

In the past I have stained and put on one coat of finish. Then assembled and applied finish to the entire assembly.  The panel just ends up with an extra coat.

[fredhargis]

I've only done this 2-3 times over more years than i care to divulge, but I did as you said in your last sentence. Stain and one coat, then recoat with the finished door. I was very careful around the panel to not let finish pool fearing what you described. This worked the times I tried it.

[FrankAtl]

I've only done this 2-3 times over more years than i care to divulge, but I did as you said in your last sentence. Stain and one coat, then recoat with the finished door. I was very careful around the panel to not let finish pool fearing what you described. This worked the times I tried it.

That's what I do and I've never had a problem.

[jteneyck]

I've done the same.  I'm careful not to spray heavily where the panel meets the frame, but if I see the finish bridging at all I go back right away with a light blast of compressed air through a small nozzle to break that bridging.  If you're doing it by hand, you just have to be extra careful.  

John

[BrentDH]

Thanks all for the feedback. I will continue as I have been. Just wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing something.