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Hi everyone,
My front door needs to be refinished and I'm thinking of stripping off the paint, sanding it down and going with a stain as opposed to repainting. There is no screen between the front door and the outside and the door is west facing. First, would you recommend even staining it in this situation and if so what type of finish would be recommended i.e., polyurethane, lacquer, other?
Thanks for any advice.
Steve
I assume your door is made of wood, yes? Got a picture? Is there a storm door? Sorry, I couldn't figure out if that's what your were saying. Is the door covered by a porch? If so, is it protected from direct sunshine? What state do you live in?
John
Haven't tried this but a finisher I used to read said that for an exterior door over a stain to use the base coat of a paint for color, not for white. Don't tint, but apply as is and that would be some of the best protection you can buy. I haven't tried it but he was a reputable finisher.
John
Hi John, I'm in northern Illinois. There is no storm door and there is no porch, just an overhang from the roof. Yes, it is a wood door. it is protected from direct sun for the most part Thanks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by John TenEyck
Thanks for the tip John!
I installed a fir door about 15 month ago. The door is protected by a porch, but faces directly south. Half or more of the door does get sun throughout the year.
Instead of a film finish, I used Watco Exterior Wood Finish. The plan was to rejuvenate the finish twice a year, in the spring and fall with a very light 400 grit sanding and a single coat. This takes about 20 minutes. It is due now for its spring application. So far, it's working out great.
I'm not sure I would use a film finish for a non-painted exterior door again. Film finishes look great until they don't. And when they've failed, it's too late to do anything about it other than a full refinish.
Ok, no storm door is good, because protected from the sun for the most part means it does get direct sun some of the time and direct sun on a wood door behind an unvented storm door is really, really bad. Dark colors are bad, too, whether it is paint or stain.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Siwek
No finish is perfect; every type has it's pluses and minuses.
There's not much better for a door with direct sun exposure than white paint. The pigments not only preserve the paint resins but also keep the temperature down on the door. High temperature on a wood door can cause all kinds of problems including split panels and even joint failure.
If you want a really durable clear coat finish there isn't much that's better than 2K poly. A pretty durable clear coat that can be applied with a brush is General Finishes 450 Exterior product. I used it on door two years ago that faces due South, behind a storm door (that I later vented) and gets direct sun in the Fall, Winter, and Spring months. So far the finish looks perfect. Target Coatings makes a couple of products, including one called EM-9300 that's worth considering. And as mentioned above, you can use something like Sherwin Williams exterior paint w/o the added pigment. The deep base they use in their acrylic line of exterior paints contain both UV absorbers and mildewcides, and will dry clear if no pigment is added. The sales people will look at you like you've lost your mind, but many folks have used it with very good success.
If you want a durable but not clearcoat film finish that is easy to maintain, look at PPG Cetol Door and Window finish. It goes on great with a brush and looks great. I did a door three years ago with it that faces due West with no protection and it still looks great, not yet in need of a maintenance coat. One really nice attribute of this product is that it chalks off, and when you begin to see that happening it's time to apply a new coat of finish. So unlike most film finishes it doesn't build up over the years as you apply maintenance coats.
Oil products always sound appealing for their ease of maintenance, and they might be if you do it.
If you want to stain and clear coat the door, make sure you use a stain rated for exterior use and compatible with your topcoat. It's best to stick with one manufacturer for both products.
John