I’m building my house and I’m considering a stained Douglas Fir front door. I’d like it stained (Craftsman style house as well as the last house I built and lived in for 17 years had a painted door so this is simply different) but I’m a little worried about the wear and tear. This door will be about $1200 and a mahogany or similar door is $2400-$3000 so cost is a factor.
Orientation: Here in Annapolis, Maryland most of the big storms come in from the west. This door will face east under an 8′ wide porch the eave of which is 9′ above the door threshold (the door itself is 8′ tall). however, the door will get wet from time to time from normal blowing rain even with this cover.
So, the question is, is stained and some kind of poly finish ok or should I just paint the thing?
Thanks.
Runnerguy
Replies
Treat it like a boat. I.E> Plan on maintaining the finish as a matter of preference to painting.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
That's the truth. Thanks.
Runnerguy
It's not so much the occasional rain, it's the sun that'll do in a varnished door. If it's in the shade on the porch, the thing may do pretty well.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
PS: What kind of sailboat has an 8' porch? (Since you're in Naptown, you DO live aboard, right?)
The door will see very little sun.
My wife wanted to live on a boat during the house redo but I couldn't see that in the middle of January so we're renting a house nearby. Plus, with all the bouncing around my typing would loikk moiere lioke thius.
Runnerguy
Exterior wood doors be it stained or paint grade will always require some re-finishing somewhere down the road. I am in a similar situation with a Douglas Fir Arts & Crafts door with a side lite, door faces NE under a 7' covered landing. It's been thru wind,rain snow and sleet and gets a good amount of afternoon sun. I have used SW deckscapes toner on the doors exterior to match the cedar deck that the landing faces to. The deck has had full exposure for two seasons ( i'm in Niagara Falls ) and looks like i just applied the finish yesterday. My retailer, a friend i must admit, used the same product on his hot tub cedar skirts fully exposed to the elements and some hot tub chemicals and has gotten to 6 years before having to power wash and re-apply. Sounds a bit scary as there is NO top coat required ( varnish or poly ), just the toner and one coat...but i've seen the finish 5 years later and it still looked good IMO.
Thanks timestamps. I'm assuming SW stand for Sherwin Williams. If so I'll probably try the same thing.
Runnerguy
The general advice is all exterior wood finishes will fail in time, so the difference is in how they renew. Once you realize that, then you look for products that are easy to use. Sikkens Door and Window was designed along these lines and will probably last 10 years or more in the location you describe. When it does fail, it will merely look worn. Clean the door with mineral spirits, and brush on a new coat, and wait 10 years.
Spar varnish is meant to be stripped, and strips well, if you like to do finish stripping. Polyurethane cracks and peels, until you want to remove it, then it sticks, and has to be chemically and mechanically removed. Catalyzed and epoxy type finishes are very difficult to remove, but don't really last too much longer than the others. Oil finishes are a weekly operation, then monthly, then periodically for life.
Your location does give you more options than most folks have. A sheltered door is good for the door and for people.
Dave S
http://www.acornwoodworks.com
Others may recommend finishes that look wonderful when first done, but that simply don't have the UV resistant additives to yield good performance for the long haul. Your best advice may come from homeowners who have lived with fir doors for years, rather than from contractors and builders that furnish, install, and finish them, but are gone after they are paid.
Most spar varnishes and exterior polyurethanes will require at least every-two-years inspection and recoating, if you want that look maintained.
This moisture-curing urethane is the best-performing outdoor clearcoat I have used.
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You can research it, but there are exterior waterborne clearcoats available that will even outperform Dura-Tuff.