Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Feb 23, 2009 06:18pm | #1

   It certainly can be finished before assembly, though I prefer just staining with perhaps just one thinned top coat sealer since I still have to finish the frame afterwords.   Its not essential, often you get enough flow onto the edges of the panel under the groove to avoid visible problems, particularly if your panels start relatively dry and won't shrink dramatic amounts in use. 

1. 
   mtptvww | Feb 24, 2009 04:28am | #2

   We do a lot of raised panels in many different types of wood. We've stained african mahogany dark brown, and pine & birch honey colored. The way we have done it is to lie it flat after sanding and basically soak the panel profile with stain until it is seen underneath. This does not use too much stain, and it does the job so well. In ten years of doing this, we have never had a panel come back to us. Remember when gluing in the panel to only put a drop in the middle of the panel at the top and bottom, and not all around. This will hold it centered, so the left side of the panel will only expand leftward, and the right, rightward. This minimizes how much of the "hidden-by-the-frame edge of the panel will move. I think if you pre-stain the panel before assembly and then finish the whole door again, you will still get a lighter perimeter on the panel which is what you don't want. Less visible than bare wood, but still visible. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
   Martin

2. 
   JeffHeath | Feb 24, 2009 08:07am | #3

   I stain or dye all of my raised panels first, even if just a natural oil, before assembly.  I spray the topcoat after the piece is finished with assembly.

   Jeff