Re: Best woodstainy type stuff for exterior hardwood door

message from Pete C on 09 May 2004

Hi,

If the door is mostly flat and so easy to sand, then a random orbital
sander and detail sander will remove the weathered surface layer quite
easily and give any topcoats a better chance to stick. When sanding,
care is needed to keep the surface flat, especially if a gloss finish
will be used.

If it's a cheapish door and a fairly opaque finish is OK then Sadolin
could be the way to go, there are a few different varieties of it.

If it's a really expensive door and a more translucent finish is
preferred then you could consider something like Deks Olje 1 and 2,
but a lot of coats are required. This would also restore the wood.

If there are cracks or joins in the door where water can get in, then
a breathable finish like the above is better than varnish.

Otherwise if a varnished finish is OK and a darker colour is
acceptable then a spirit based woodstain will help dye it to a more
even colour, but try it on an unimportant area first and practice
applying it to some scraps.

For a really durable glossy finish, clear coat epoxy resin and a few
coats of varnish will last a lot longer than plain varnish, though
there must be no chance of water getting under it.

To restore the wood boiled linseed oil might work, though you would
need to check compatibility with any topcoats and not over do it.

cheers,
Pete.

Archived message: Re: Best woodstainy type stuff for exterior hardwood door (UK DIY House Repairs)