[SHeller]

Help ! I hired a professional ( or thought I did... recommended from Angie's List ) to stain my new Wood Doors. He stained the exterior a different color (lighter) than the interior side of the door. The door is an expensive Wood Door, (Mahogany.Wood) how can I fix it without ruining the Door or the Wood ? The stain is MInwax Wood Finish (Colonial Maple - exterior side) and Miniwax Wood Finish (Sedona Red - interior side)

Ready to cry in NY !

[joypulv]

It is extremely difficult to remove stain, which soaks into the grain.

What was your contract or agreement for? You had to have discussed colors and finish coats.
Do you want both colors gone, done over, what?
Did he polyurethane the exterior, after staining? Was it a stain only, or a stain mixed with some sealer like poly?
Is the mahogany solid or veneer?

[SHeller]

Yes, there was a contract for 8 doors. 7 of the doors (exterior/interior) were to be stain with the Colonial Maple color, the 8th Door (Front) was to be stained a different color (Sedona Red). This was all written and I discussed it several times, the last time was the morning that the work started. They made a mistake, and stained the exterior of the Front Door Colonial Maple and the interior Sedona Red. I want the Door (exterior and Interior) to be the same color, not too different colors ! I believe that it would be easier to restain the door the darker color, so I will stay will the Sedona Red that is on the interior and just re-do the exterior.

I believe that the Door is a solid Mahogany and not veneer ( it is a pella wood door and was expensive). It was Minwax Wood Finish (stain only) and he was supposed to put 2-3 coats of poly on after staining.

Ok... the guy made a mistake, but what really irks me, is that he is trying to tell me that it is the same color, the exterior just appear lighter because he put a coat of poly on it.. gimme a break!!

[joypulv]

Once he put poly on it, the poly has to be stripped, and that isn't easy if it's a patterned door. That's probably why he's trying to say it's the same... good grief.
If you haven't paid, don't pay until he strips off the poly and stains over the light stain. Be forewarned that it may look awful, because it will be so hard to get the wood stripped evenly. And you don't want to dip a door.
Personally I would negotiate a huge reduction in price. I wouldn't have stained mahogany, a wood that shows it's beautiful color and grain with a clear coat. Poly actually darkens with age, and certainly didn't lighten the part that has the wrong stain.

[smoothy]

I'm betting its Veneer. Solid wood in not terribly stable and prone to warping or cracking in a door. A good quality plywood core is both more stable and stronger. Meaning it doesn't swell as much during humid periods too.

[SHeller]

Thanks for the advise. I am regretting not having the manufacturer finish the door and 2) going with a stain. Yes, I probably should have kept it natural. Except a couple of people (including the contractor) told me to stain, because natural/light would show dirt. And no, I haven't paid him yet, so we we have to see how everything turns out.

[smoothy]

So you feel a little better... I don't think anyone here hasn't made an expensive mistake at least a few times... myself included.