Red Oak for an entry door?

[Kurt Swanson]

I'm considering using red oak for an entry door of a client of mine. The door is protected from the elements by the roof of their front porch. This will be on a house in northern Michigan. Any thoughts as to whether this would be a good or bad idea?

[johnny means]

Red oak would be one of my last choices for anything exterior. Poor rot resistance, mildew issues, water staining, porosity, nothing about it makes it good for being outside. Unless, you live in a desert.

[Von Bickley]

White oak would be a good choice.

[John TenEyck]

If it's completely protected from the weather and sun you could make it work if you put a really great finish on it. That said, I wouldn't do it. White oak would be a far better choice and doesn't look that different.

John

[Roger Marty]

I watched a video from Freud on making an exterior door. They used Red Oak.

[Kurt Swanson]

Would Ash be a decent wood choice for an entry door?

[John TenEyck]

Equally poor to red oak. The woods I think of first for an exterior door are Mahogany, Douglas fir, Sapele, walnut, and white oak.

You can use pretty much any wood you want for an exterior door, and they will all look good until the finish fails. Of course, you/the owner should do routine finish maintenance so the finish does not fail, but best intentions typically fall away to reality and that's when the problems start to set in. With those woods I listed above, they are all very rot resistant so even if the finish fails the wood won't decay. It can still be a bear to get them looking new again, depending upon how much mold, dirt, etc. got into the wood, but with enough work it can be done. On the other hand, red oak, ash, hickory, and many others start to decay when water and mold get into them, and it doesn't take long before it's so extensive that you can't sand it away. In your case with the covered porch, and assuming no direct sun, you likely could use red oak and have no problems for a very long time (maybe 10 years or more) if you use a really good finish, something like a 2K poly. But why when there are so many better choices?

John

[johnny means]

I think the key word is "client". If that door rots or fails in anyway, your name is on it.

[lowell holmes]

Sapele might make a nice door. I made my front door from ash.

[Kurt Swanson]

I think you've all convinced me to go with the white oak. Of course, my shop is full of red oak, ash and several others that would not work well outdoors.

[John TenEyck]

Sapele might make a nice door. I made my front door from ash.

It certainly does.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/JNY9x2e6Q2Ob7MhkSvQjbMLlqhxp_hlcSFENyHo3leJpQx4if_ QcNlQFtbXkmd1XBPJ8Pgpc8wT4vzlB2LjOFWh4_CIcXF3n5Jy-daaHNn2Z4sGNQZ9l7EOblworoOb23Sgma5ucj6aNVdeJlpiuCO y9-T9bLY6Nvck2mBQFeSakveqHNCEAh4eNlQVu-fnrmWawa6Iw29vAWhCgLkSGIQguSSgLsSOwEGtQHenhtxVdwkv rtL3gYgztGkxIMydv473zx7Ac7lL3phtL2Zhe39uuzMlAxg_yA dz0hkhWy2qrAPAyrb443D_sRkoS7-8kJNnzA8j6YK0XmKAROMeZWb8qYU9K6sAhaoOHWczw3pF9qcKk bsN43bCvlE3_rmnKawhVAaZFrL9Tl8jTalepxvGVDJ15k-T1tVJYz1sXXs4HAd2LZlHd_F7qGZt2VTKowowHBiC4jQNQAMwZ prf8-OjrHFoHeGC14Ku1UlUM4hPUiVGHR0OnzvjvKT1oLq5T3hHeHwp mag3cLX1rHoUq8TvOsyy42D9HGhZiO-WSxkQs5P6yGklAQKXNUlWOTusDz2lTk_jMaurs_LNqjGsucrPm DfLBExYNEi4uCS7ZmyAi9gHbF-eir1k33N1sKGTnaMt0Lorq2baHLyL8Phr24h13BO2uvZK34coa bHczwh59H00ZjL08k2F272fPSvgEJ5xdsSmnc2efA_Qk_6U=w4 70-h626-no

This door has no porch and faces due West; about the worst conditions possible for a wood door. 18 months now and it still looks perfect. It'll probably need a maintenance coat of Cetol next year. This is the first door I've done with Sikkens Cetol Door and Window finish but I'm impressed. Super easy to apply with a brush, looks great, and has had no issues so far.

John