Q what is the best way to finish an exterior wooden door.
Best finish for exterior door.
The best clear finish for an exterior door is 3 coats of clear epoxy followed with 2 3 coats of spar varnish.
Normally semi gloss paint is the best choice for trim work since high gloss paints are so shiny that they highlight imperfections.
Maintenance is a necessity for outdoor wood finishes.
For large exterior surfaces glossier paints are usually reserved for trim areas such as windowsills and doors as well as surfaces that may be washed frequently.
I m preparing to build an outdoor furniture set including chairs tables and other pieces.
Good woods photo by manfred koh time inc.
On the downside it will only give you about a year of protection from the ravages of outdoor life.
Finish with the outer sections following the grain of the wood.
Instead oil soaks into the wood fibers and.
From a finishing standpoint exterior doors rank right up there with decks as the most complicated surfaces to protect and maintain as a critical high traffic barrier between the interior and exterior of a home the finish on a.
There are a variety of exterior wood finishes with different characteristics and properties.
Oil finishes don t provide a protective film that sits on top of the wood like varnish does.
Good exterior finishes protect the wood from these harsh conditions but will certainly fail unless they are renewed on a scheduled basis.
Choosing an exterior wood finish.
Allow the door to dry for an hour or two check the instructions on the paint can then apply a second coat.
The wood you see beneath a clear finish determines whether your door s look will be rustic or refined.
For a door made of pine white fir or another wood species that doesn t bleed i e gives off tinted compounds in wood called tannins go with a water based exterior paint such as behr.
Wood entry door materials and finishes photo by keller keller.
Previous varnish only finishes only lasted 2 3 years.
Doors made with stable woods are less affected by humidity so they re better at holding up to the elements.
The combination has worked amazingly well for me on a west facing exterior oak door that looks as good today as it did after refinishing 7 8 years ago.