How to Strip & Refinish a Front Door.
- 1. Close the door and tap out the hinge pins with a hammer and nail. Open the door carefully, pull it off the hinges and lay it flat on a pair of ...
- 2. Remove all the hardware with a screwdriver. Put it all in a box, along with all the screws, and store the box in a safe place.
- 3. Paint stripper on one side of the door with an old natural-bristle paintbrush. Most commercial strippers contain methylene chloride, which is ...
- 4. Wait for the finish to start bubbling up and then scrape off the stripper and finish with a paint scraper. Make sure you scrape before the finish ...
How do you finish an exterior wood door?
Fabulous Finish for an Exterior Door – Beautify a wood door with dye, stain, varnish, and a fool-proof process. Restore a Wood Entry Door – Let the wood shine through with a marine-grade finish that’s sure to last. Finish Fix for a Varnished Door – Learn how to maintain and refresh aging spar varnish on an exterior wood door.
How do you restore a door?
To restore a door, you need to make sure that you completely remove all the existing finish. This will give the entire door a consistent look. You can use some paint strippers to do the job well if necessary. After stripping off the entire old finish, you’ll need to sand the door again and wipe down quickly.
How do you varnish a door with a brush?
Again, start at the bottom of the door (including the bottom edge) and work to the top (including the top edge). Brush the varnish a couple inches beyond the joints with the stiles. I’ll use a 2″ natural bristle varnish brush and small round sash brushes to apply the varnish (see Sources, below).
How do you refinish a flaking door?
Before refinishing this scarred and flaking entry door, painting contractor John Dee sets it on padded sawhorses and takes off the hardware. 2. Sand the flats With the door resting on padded sawhorses, use a random-orbit sander with 80-grit paper to quickly remove what remains of the old varnish and sun-baked flakes of wood.
What is the best finish for a front door?
Because its opaque pigments block the sun's UV rays, an exterior-grade oil- or water-based paint is the longest-lasting and most-protective finish you can apply.
How do you finish a wooden front door?
1:493:39Staining An Exterior Wood Door. How To Stain A Door. - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipUsing Black China bristle brush. In this project we're actually using Sherwin Williams BAC wipingMoreUsing Black China bristle brush. In this project we're actually using Sherwin Williams BAC wiping stain is a custom tinted stain dries. Fast stain will dry in approximately four to six hours.
How do you finish an unfinished exterior door?
4:496:21How-to Stain and Paint Unfinished Doors - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHand sand the panel's. Power sand the upper frame of the door Prime the door by brushing the productMoreHand sand the panel's. Power sand the upper frame of the door Prime the door by brushing the product on thin.
How do you finish and stain a front door?
This is the complete process of how I restained my wood front door with gel stain, and without removing it from the hinges.STEP ONE: Clean the Door. ... STEP TWO: Sand the Door. ... STEP THREE: Apply Gel Stain to the Door. ... STEP FOUR: Remove Excess Gel Stain. ... STEP FIVE – Repeat the Gel Stain Process.More items...•
What do you use to seal a wooden front door?
If there are any gaps, use silicone to seal them (you can get different colour silicone to match the colour of your door). – Letterboxes – If you have a letterbox fitted in the door set make sure it has been fitted with weather proofing.
What is the best clear finish for exterior wood?
Marine spar varnish is the best type for outdoor use. Its key ingredients are linseed oil (pressed from flax seeds) and alkyd resin (made by reacting linseed oil with alcohol and acid). The film is flexible enough to move with wood as it shrinks and swells with shifts in humidity.
How do you polyurethane a front door?
Apply the polyurethane in thin, even strokes. If any bubbles form, wipe them off using paint thinner or mineral spirits. Humidity can make drying times vary, so allow at least two hours between coats. If it still feels tacky after two hours, allow for extra drying time, then sand lightly.
Should I varnish my front door?
It's advisable to put on an exterior seal to make it more hardwearing. A front door which is painted will offer a better protection from wet weather and harsh sunlight.
Is it better to stain or paint a front door?
Paint naturally allows a much wider range of colors, and a more predictable color outcome. With stain, the end result varies by the species and wood cut, as well as how it's applied. Factory stain application lends to better consistency across all doors for a project.
How many coats polyurethane front door?
Two to three coats should be sufficient for a previously finished surface. New wood will usually require three to five coats.
What type of stain do you use on a front door?
Gel Stain provides an even stain color over exterior wood, fiberglass, and metal doors. I prefer Old Masters Gel Stain because it is long lasting and easy to apply.
How do you paint an unfinished front door?
0:218:26How to Paint an Exterior Door Like a Pro - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThey're great at cutting in if you get a tapered brush. For a door like this which has panels in itMoreThey're great at cutting in if you get a tapered brush. For a door like this which has panels in it so one two three four panels in it I like to paint the panels.
How do you protect a wooden door from the rain?
Painting or varnishing the door or window – Paints or varnishes do not let the wood of doors or windows absorb moisture or rain water. Applying them at the start of the rainy-season can defend them well.
How do you finish unfinished wood?
0:233:24How to Stain Unfinished Wood at Low Cost Using Minwax - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe grain of the woods that the stain goes on more evenly. After it dries are going to want to sandMoreThe grain of the woods that the stain goes on more evenly. After it dries are going to want to sand it lightly to knock down any raised grain.
Clear exterior varnishes
1. Saturate the raw surface with distilled water to eliminate a possible catastrophe. Moisture (from rain or wet fingerprints, for example) that inadvertently gets on the surface leaves invisible marks that show up as ugly splotches when stain is applied.
Applying spar varnish
5. Apply stain, starting at the bottom, including the bottom edge. Work up one side and adjacent edge, across the top and down the other side and edge. Then move to the other side and repeat the process.
Remove all Hardware and Hinges
First, move the exterior wood door from the house to the workplace. Unscrew all the hinges, doorknobs and handles, mortise plates, throw bolts and key locks. Make sure you place all the hardware and screws in a box or plastic bag to ensure that nothing is lost. This is the most critical and important step.
Clean the Door and Dry it
The exterior wood door needs to be cleaned afterwards using natural dish soap (from your kitchen is fine, but you need to make sure that the soap solution is diluted well in water so that the cleaner does not damage the wood.) After this, dry the door with paper towels or cloth. Ensure that the wood is dried out completely.
Remove the Existing Paint
Apply paint stripper liquid to chemically strip away all the old finish from the wood surface. Allow 30 minutes for the stripper to weaken the paint. Then, use a scraper to remove the paint off the door surface. You may need to repeat this step until most of the paint is removed.
Sand the Door
Sand the exterior wood door using the medium grit sandpaper. This should be done with extra time and care--do not rush this process. Clean off all the dust that is created during the sanding process. Then, you need to wipe down the exterior wood door using microfiber towels.
Reapplying the Finish
This is the final and the most important task to refinish the door. Here, you need to refinish the door and then reinstall the exterior door. Here are the steps :
1. Poor Sanding
Sanding against the grain or leaving power sander marks can leave unsightly marks on the surface that will appear in the finished product. Pay attention to how you’re sanding, and use finer grit sandpaper to eliminate any marks.
2. Scratching the Glass
Leaving glass unprotected during the sanding process can result in accidentally scratching the surface. These marks are difficult to remove, and can be avoided by simply protecting the glass before you sand.
Estimated Time
The years and the elements hadn't been kind to the exterior of this 94-year-old, thick, cypress door. Flakes of varnish still clung to the wood in spots, while the rest of the surface was rough and dried out from the effects of water and sun.
1. Remove door hardware
Before refinishing this scarred and flaking entry door, painting contractor John Dee sets it on padded sawhorses and takes off the hardware.
2. Sand the flats
With the door resting on padded sawhorses, use a random-orbit sander with 80-grit paper to quickly remove what remains of the old varnish and sun-baked flakes of wood.
3. Scrape the moldings
Small, razor-sharp scrapers reach into corners, across narrow profiles, and on the end grain of raised panels where no rotary sander can safely go. Pull the scraper with the grain; use two hands and apply only gentle downward pressure to reduce the chance of an accidental slip gouging the wood.
4. Hand-sand profiles and clear away dust
Fold a half sheet of 100-grit sandpaper in thirds, press it into a section of the profile with your fingertips, then rub back and forth in long strokes over the length of the molding.
5. Seal door edges before rehanging
While it's still on the sawhorses, seal the door's bottom and top edges with a coat of finish.
6. Choose a finish and apply first coat
Soak a new China-bristle brush for a minute or two in paint thinner, then spin or knock off the excess.
How do I sand a wood door?
Wipe with a tack cloth. Step 2. Cover the entire surface of the door with a clear wood preservative such as boiled linseed oil, starting with the molding and edges, then the flat surfaces.
How do I paint a door with a wood primer?
Step 1. Chip away any loose paint and sand surface with 80-grit sandpaper so that the surface will hold new paint. Step 2. Paint the door with wood primer, starting at a top corner and working toward the floor, then painting the other side , including the edges. Let dry, then sand with 220-grit sandpaper.
How long does it take for a polyurethane door to dry?
Allow to dry for 24 hours before applying a second coat. After applying the final coat, let dry for two days. Then apply multiple coats of a good quality varnish. (Use marine-grade spar varnish for an exterior door; ordinary polyurethane will yellow and crack quickly when exposed to sunlight and damp.)
How long does it take to dry a paint coat?
Allow to dry. Sand the first coat lightly with 220-grit sandpaper and clean with a tack cloth before applying a second coat. Allow two days’ drying time before resanding and cleaning prior to adding a third coat. Allow another two days before reattaching the door or removing the painter’s tape.
How many coats of varnish should I use on a door?
Give the sealer coat a light sanding, and then apply a minimum of three more coats of varnish with a light sanding between each. In marine exposures, six coats of varnish are often applied. You might consider applying six coats to deal with your door’s severe exposure to the sun.
What is a penetrating finish?
Penetrating finishes harden in the wood. The first option would be using a penetrating finish, such as Watco exterior stains. (Exterior, semitransparent, penetrating, oil-based house stains that contain mildewcide and are water repellent would also work well.) As their name implies, these finishes penetrate the wood before hardening instead ...
Do you have to refinish a door every time?
In other words, maintaining the door doesn’t have to mean refinishing it every time.
Do you have to take the door off the hinges?
And remember, you’ll have to take the door off of the hinges because it is super-important that you finish all six sides of the door, including the bottom (especially the bottom). Inspect the door annually, if you notice the finish is fading or degrading, the sooner you do some maintenance the better.
Do clear finished doors need maintenance?
Penetrating stains and marine varnish are a good start, but clear-finished doors will still need occasional maintenance. In 1988, I installed a custom wood door with sidelites on the front of our home. It was given five coats of stain for penetration and then sealed with polyurethane.
What is the best finish for a door?
The best clear finish for the exterior side of the door is spar varnish, because it blocks ultraviolet sunlight. Use it for both sides, or paint the inside with polyurethane. Sand the first coat of paint or finish with 220-grit sandpaper after it dries, which could take 8 hours or more. Paint a second coat.
How to stop a door from sticking to the jamb?
The finish may remain tacky enough to stick to the jamb – a condition called blocking – for several days. Prevent this by rubbing a bar of so ap along the jamb.
How to get paint off a stripper?
Wear rubber gloves, goggles and a mask while using it. Wait for the finish to start bubbling up and then scrape off the stripper and finish with a paint scraper. Make sure you scrape before the finish has a chance to dry out.
How to keep a doorway covered?
You'll work more quickly and do a better job if you take the door down and lay it flat, so you'll need an alternate way to keep the doorway covered for a few days. Close the door and tap out the hinge pins with a hammer and nail. Open the door carefully, pull it off the hinges and lay it flat on a pair of sawhorses.
How to get rid of splotches on wood?
The conditioner helps the wood absorb the stain more evenly and prevents splotching. Spread liquid stain by brushing it on with a paintbrush and wiping off the excess with a rag before it dries, advises Nash Painting. If you use a gel stain, wipe it on with a rag and wipe off the excess with another rag.
