Douglas Fir Exterior Door

[Kent Adams]

I just bought an exterior door made from Douglas Fir. Here are my thoughts on how to finish it. Please point out any weak areas in my thought process that you may find.


I want the door to have a rich darker color than clear Fir.
The door will face the Sun most of the day
First and 2nd coat to be Zinzer shellac clear seal coat.
Third and perhaps 4th coat if needed to be dewaxed garnet shellac
Remaining coats to be high gloss Waterlox

[Howard Acheson]

Well, neither the Zinnser nor the Waterlox are intended to be used in exterior applications. You need to also assure yourself that your chosen stain is intended for exterior conditions particularly if the door will face the sun. Unless you use an exterior stain, you will find that the stain color will bleach out fairly quickly.

What is the reason for the shellac? It doesn't bring anything to the party.

[Kent Adams]

Well, neither the Zinnser nor the Waterlox are intended to be used in exterior applications. You need to also assure yourself that your chosen stain is intended for exterior conditions particularly if the door will face the sun. Unless you use an exterior stain, you will find that the stain color will bleach out fairly quickly.

What is the reason for the shellac? It doesn't bring anything to the party.

I was thinking of Shellac for sealing the wood, to prevent blotching, and then staining it with the garnet dewaxed. The waterlox I have is their marine product (which they advertise as to be used on boats) and I have used it on outside planters and they look good as new 3 years later. The planters are in full sun and exposed to the elements so I don't have any doubt it will be fine on the doors. I'm not sure though that the shellac as primer coats is the right way to go.

https://www.waterlox.com/products-item/waterlox-original-UV-protection-marine-finish

[Mel Fulks]

No one I've ever made a door for ,which faced the sun, has ever kept a stain finish. They start out stained and get painted at first sign of deterioration. The finish you have planned will not show the grain at any distance even when new. A faux painted grain is best to be noticed from a distance. If the way you have planned is to hold up ,use the best exterior finish the finish guys reccomend.

[Jim Becker]

Sadly, UV from the sun will "do a number" on that door over time, no matter what finish you use on it, including greying it out. The only way around that is re-finishing from time to time including sanding out the grey. This is one of the challenges, no matter what kind of exterior projects, with trying to use "natural" wood.

[Kent Adams]

Sadly, UV from the sun will "do a number" on that door over time, no matter what finish you use on it, including greying it out. The only way around that is re-finishing from time to time including sanding out the grey. This is one of the challenges, no matter what kind of exterior projects, with trying to use "natural" wood.

If I an get away with doing it just once every 5 years, I can live with that. Those planters with the Marine finish are on their 3rd year in sunlight and still look like the day I put on the finish. I did put about 7-9 coats on it so that may have made some difference.

[Jamie Buxton]

If I an get away with doing it just once every 5 years, I can live with that. Those planters with the Marine finish are on their 3rd year in sunlight and still look like the day I put on the finish. I did put about 7-9 coats on it so that may have made some difference.

I'm confused. You say you have an exterior finish that works for you on the planters. However, you're inventing something else for the door? Why?

[Kent Adams]

I'm confused. You say you have an exterior finish that works for you on the planters. However, you're inventing something else for the door? Why?

The planters are made out of locust, the door is fir. I'd like the door to be a deeper color. The Waterlox Marine is clear. When I coated the planters, the locust turned a nice reddish color. I'm not sure what type of locust it was. The planters came from Malaysia and I wasn't pleased with the color until I put the finish on it.

The only thing I'm proposing that is different is the garnet shellac to darken the fir before putting the Waterlox Marine over it. I still plan on using the Waterlox.