Best Finish For Wood Entry Door

From a finishing standpoint exterior doors rank right up there with decks as the most complicated surfaces to protect and maintain.

Best finish for wood entry door.

Once damaged wood fibers separate from the underlying wood taking the finish with them. Nothing blocks uv rays better than pigments. Two coats of enamel paint over a primer will provide a wood door with the best and longest lasting protection against sun abrasion and weather about 8 to 10 years. What is the best way to finish an exterior wooden door.

Maintenance is a necessity for outdoor wood finishes. The best clear finish for an exterior door is 3 coats of clear epoxy followed with 2 3 coats of spar varnish. Available in a rectangular shape they flood your space with natural light and give the room a larger appearance. Doors made with stable woods are less affected by humidity so they re better at holding up to the elements.

As a critical high traffic barrier between the interior and exterior of a home the finish on a. Wood entry door materials and finishes photo by keller keller. There are a variety of exterior wood finishes with different characteristics and properties. Nothing beats paint for practicality.

Dyes impart some color to the finish but do little to block uv rays. But a beautiful wood door with a clear finish will attract many more admiring glances as long as you maintain it with devotion. The wood you see beneath a clear finish determines whether your door s look will be rustic or refined. Film finishes especially better quality ones that flex after curing best protect wood from moisture.

Their popularity and effectiveness for finishing the bright work on boats makes them the best choice for protecting exterior wooden doors that are exposed to harsh weather elements year round. 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. Good exterior finishes protect the wood from these harsh conditions but will certainly fail unless they are renewed on a scheduled basis. Find the shape glass options and grilles that best suit your style.

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. Good woods photo by manfred koh time inc. Pettit marine paint s captain s varnish and epifanes wood finish. Scott burt owner of topcoat finishes a high end residential paint company in jericho vt responds.

Create a grand entryway with the addition of a transom over your wood entry door. Allow the door to dry for an hour or two check the instructions on the paint can then apply a second coat.