Exterior Door

[Steve Bagi]

I'm building an exterior door for my home. It's north facing under a porch roof. I was originally going to use quartersawn sapelle but I'm now thinking about using cherry to match the interior trim. I'll be finishing with Silkens from the recent FWW review. Am I asking for trouble using cherry?

Steve

[Jim Foster]

I've used the Sikkens products, and they are all they are cracked up to be. The biggest challenge in MA is you can only get the door and window products in one pint cans, but I woud not hesitate to use them.


I'm building an exterior door for my home. It's north facing under a porch roof. I was originally going to use quartersawn sapelle but I'm now thinking about using cherry to match the interior trim. I'll be finishing with Silkens from the recent FWW review. Am I asking for trouble using cherry?

Steve

[Nate Carey]

Steve I think you are asking for trouble. Cherry is not an outdoor wood...

[Peter Quinn]

Cherry is not one of the woods that comes to mind first when I think of entry ways, but I seem to recall a passage in a book called Hull Millwork that suggests if actually performs fairly well outdoors, better than common wisdom would suggest. I can't seem to put my hands on that book presently. Most wood doors will last longer if well covered. Perhaps a marine coating like Smiths CPES as a primer under the Sikkens would give it more legs? I used CPES as an undercoat for Sikkens pigmented deck stain on a porch renovation, nearly five years later and not a trace of failure.

[Leo Graywacz]

Coat the exterior of the door with a epoxy, then prime and paint. You need to have a UV rated coating on over the epoxy, the interior can be clearcoated.

[Casey Gooding]

My local sawyer has actually recommended cherry for several outdoor projects. You'll have the best luck if you use quartersawn wood. It will move less than other cuts.