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Thread: How to refinish my front door?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    Exeter, CA
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    How to refinish my front door?

    We have been in this house in the central California valley about 27 years. Over that time I have brushed on numerous coats of Minwax spar varnish on the outside of our natural wood front door. Once about 8 years ago I hit it with my random orbital sander to take off a layer or two. It has looked ok up until we and our neighbors across the street both had to cut down trees two years ago for various reasons. Now we get harsh morning sun on the door for hours. As a result, it is now peeling from all the coats of varnish I guess. It is a large oversize door with beautiful natural wood inside. I don't want to replace it or paint it on the outside if I can avoid it. Here are two pics of outside and two of inside. My Q is, what would you do to restore it outside? Use some kind of stripper or sand it down to wood or....? Randy
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  2. #2
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Personally, I'd do a chemical stripper to get it back to clean wood and refinish, making sure to use a quality exterior product or products that have good UV protection characteristics. No method will last "forever", however...
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #3
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    Dec 2010
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    I agree with Jim; I'd use a stripper like KleanStrip Premium to strip everything off the outside. Then sand lightly with 150 or 180 grit. If there are any dings or dents, leave them, don't try to sand them out if they are very deep. You need a product with really good UV protection; what you were using doesn't have it. Epifanes Marine Varnish is one product that does. It's a royal pain to apply all 7 coats, but it looks great and has very good durability. That said, it still requires a maintenance coat every year or two. I'm just finishing an exterior door made of Sapele, and I finished the outside with Sikkens/PPG Cetol Door and Window finish. It only requires 3 coats. More importantly, it is supposed to wear w/o peeling so that you can apply a maintenance coat every year or two w/o it building up into a really thick finish. I've never used the product before, but it is doing well on some houses on the same street I'm installing this door. Two of those have no storm door (nor would one likely offer any benefit and might even make things worse) and are directly exposed to the elements and face due West. WNY goes from 90F to 0F, with plenty of rain and snow, and even weeks of hot sun in the Summer despite what many folks in the country might think. Both products are easily applied with a brush, an important consideration for a homeowner when it comes to maintaining the finish.

    John

  4. #4
    To second what Jim said, chemical strip the existing finish, then you will need to use a real spar varnish, something you find at a marine supply, a brand that I have used is Epifanes. Just as a point of reference a liter of Epifanes is about $45-50 and as previously stated, the finish will need to be refreshed with additional coats of varnish every few years depending on the exposure.

  5. #5
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    As I have not used a chemical stripper in many years, can I leave the door on the hinges? Ideally I'd take it off, but its large, solid and really heavy with 4 hinges. Also, can't do (take door off) during summer months as its too damn hot here. Going to be over 100 for next 10 days.... Will "clean strip" stick to door (thick enough?) or slide down? Randy

  6. #6
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    Yes, KS Premium will hang on a vertical surface and I've used it to strip vertical surfaces. But I really don't think that is a real option for you because neither Epifanes nor the Cetol finish I talked about above will dry enough in 10 or 12 hours enough to allow you to close the door at night, unless perhaps you have thick weather stripping that can be removed. It's just a lot easier to remove the door and close in the opening for a few days. Plywood on the outside over the molding



    attached to 2 x 4's on the inside, braced across the inside molding with 1 x or 2 x material. If you use pocket screws on the inside to hold the 2 x 4's to the plywood the plywood can't easily be removed from the outside.




    It's going to take at least a week to refinish the door if you use Epifanes and 5 days or more if you use the Cetol product. Having it flat just makes it so much easier to strip and apply the new finish. Get some help to take the door down. Closing in the opening takes less than an hour.

    John




    .

  7. #7
    Ditto on John's post. I refinished my front door last summer and did the same thing except I was able to brace the plywood against an interior stairway and just cut the plywood the same size as the door. It was more secure than the regular door.

    This way you can take your time and even spray the finish on a the horizontal door if you want it slick.


  8. #8
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    Interesting, I never would have thought of securing the front opening with the door off as shown in a couple of pics. Guess I need to rethink how I go about this. Thanks for all the responses! Randy

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
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    Bee Cave, TX
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    Almost same scenario as the OP but front door faces west - and this Austin TX heat has taken a toll over the 20 years we have been here.
    I didn't want to go the strip route so lightly sanded then added a sherman williams brand of a "gel stain" it came out darker than I anticipated
    but it has held up very well over the last 2 years. I will probably re-apply another coat next spring.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Randall J Cox View Post
    Interesting, I never would have thought of securing the front opening with the door off as shown in a couple of pics. Guess I need to rethink how I go about this. Thanks for all the responses! Randy
    You must live in a safer neighborhood than I.

    John

  11. #11
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    After doing a lot of soul searching and enduring a killer summer with at least 60 days of 100 degrees plus, think I am going to paint the door instead of going back to spar varnish and having to deal with this every couple of years. So I guess I'll chem strip, lightly sand and brush on a bonding coat of sealer and topcoat with some regular paint. Any particular paint that's better than the others that might stand up to the sun around here, (door receives about 5 hours a day of pretty intense morning sun)? Thanks. Randy (central Calif)

  12. #12
    You are making the best decision all around. Outside and at a distance ...wood grain can not compete with paint. Doors don't have to be dark green or black,lighter color stands up to sun better. I favor a medium green a little toward sage. It's dark enough to have some gravity ,but still shows panels and moulding.

  13. #13
    You definately need some moulding on that door. I would make it a 4 panel design ( upper long ,lower short) looks better than 6 panels since modern standard size is a little on the fat side. Reccomend bolection mould about 1 and 1/2 inche wide

  14. #14
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    Feb 2003
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    Benjamin Moore has been recently advertising paint for doors that they claim to be particularly durable, even in sun. It's called Auro Grand Entrance. Haven't used it but Benjamin Moore is definately a quality brand. I like gloss for doors, and agree with avoiding really dark colors.

  15. #15
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    Exeter, CA
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    Mel, I had to look up bolection molding to even know what it is. Never heard the term before, smarter now. I agree and will probably do that, with the brides concurrence. And yes, don't want a dark door, too much heat soak. We have a white house with double pane glass, ceramic solar film on inside of glass and pull down sun reflecting shades (and solar panels on roof) - all trying to keep down our elect bills in summer here in the central Calif valley. And Steve, I will look into the Benjamin Moore paint, thanks for the heads up. Probably will let it cool down some more before I tackle the door - maybe in Oct.... Thanks for ideas and advice!! Randy

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