We do not offer finishing for doors. More often, you are going
to want to match some interior casing, flooring, cabinetry,
or other woodwork.
All doors must be sealed on all six sides within five days
of receipt. If you cannot have them finished in this time
period, you should go to a paint store and get some Nelsonite
or other temporary wood sealer to be applied to the top and
bottom of the door to seal the end grain. Most temporary wood
sealers must be sanded off before final finishing.
Because sometimes you have to make minor adjustments when
hanging a door, we suggest hanging the doors first. Once you
are sure that you have hung all the doors plumb and straight
you can remove them. It is suggested to label the doors somewhere
like the top edge so that you know where they are to be returned.
If you remove the hinges from the jamb, you should label them
as well or the door will never hang straight Æ youÍll have
to re-plumb everything.
No. Why anyone would want to spend good money on a solid wood
door and then cover it up with paint is beyond our thinking.
Because paints have different bases, the moisture from the
paint often raises the grain in the wood and the paint does
not fully seal a door. Also, paint acts like an adhesive and
when a panel expands or contracts, it often causes damage
to the surrounding area. Painting an AutumnWOOD door will
void the warranty. If you HAVE to paint one of our doors,
our suggestion is to use at least two good coats of oil based
primer, using steel wool in between coats to keep a smooth
surface. Use at least two good coats of a high quality paint.
Keep in mind that in addition to voiding our warranty, you
also have to maintain the painted surface.
For new construction, typically the molding or cabinetry finisher
will be doing your doors. Please make sure that they have
had experience with SOLID WOOD doors. For remodeling, the
person contracted to hang the doors can often do it. If not,
look in the phone book under ñFinishing-Stainingî for persons
in your area. If you are going to do it yourself, see other
instructions. If you are going to do it yourself, please give
yourself plenty of time Æ do not RUSH. It is not something
that you can normally do after work. Also allow ample time
for drying.
You do not have to finish the door, but you MUST seal the
door. Finishes typically are just stains. Sealers actually
seal the wood so that moisture does not get into the wood.
Some sealers have tints so that you do not have to use any
stains. Every door must be sealed.
It used to be that most all wood finishes were oil-based.
Now, most all will be an environmentally safe water based
products. A visit to your local paint store usually serves
your needs. Whatever you use, we suggest saving some extra
finish somewhere safe and where you can find it later. Sometimes
you will need to do some touch-up work and having the same
finish will make it easier.
Again, usually you are matching some other woodwork Æ so match
away! Keep in mind that darker finishes absorb heat more than
lighter finishes. Heat is bad in the long term for wood as
it dries out the wood. If your door will get direct sunlight,
darker finishes are probably not the best option and may void
the warranty.
Every door will require some finish sanding before applying
finishes or sealers. Simply use fine grain sandpaper Æ 220
or higher number) and sand with the grain.
Read the instructions before purchasing the finish to see
if you are capable of following the directions. Often when
applying any kind of moisture to wood, small grains will raise
up from the wood. This is best expressed as the wood getting
a ñ5-oÍclock shadowî or like razor stubble. From a hardware
store get some 320 grit wet/dry sandpaper that will remove
these raised grains and leave you with a smooth surface.
Because different climates, altitudes, and regions have good
sealers we suggest contacting your local paint store. They
will have products that they sell and use. They will also
help you with instructions as well. Read the cans before purchasing
to see if your jobsite will allow you to use the product.
For interior doors we suggest a high quality lacquer as a
sealer. You want to use at least three coats. Lacquer often
comes in different sheens. A satin or matte finish keeps a
nice finish on the door and allows the beauty of the wood
to show more from longer distances. Gloss finishes can range
from semi-gloss to high gloss and usually match cabinetry
or flooring. Be sure to remove the door from the jamb, remove
all hardware and hinges before sealing.
For exterior doors we suggest a quality polyurethane. All
products nowadays have UV inhibitors that will help block
damaging UV rays from discoloring the sealer. Check for the
available sheens before purchasing. Polyurethanes require
a dust-free environment while applying and while it dries.
Be sure to remove the door from the jamb, remove all hardware,
hinges and the door sweep before sealing.
Think of a door as a cube Æ just a tall, skinny one! You must
apply sealer to all six sides. Things that tend to get overlooked
are the top edge of the door, the bottom of the door, and
the area under the hinges and hardware. To get to the bottom
edge of an exterior door, you must remove the door sweep.
Do not just run a rag around the edges.
It is best to use sawhorses or upturned garbage cans so that
you can seal one side of the door and all of the edges. Watch
for drips on the edges so that they do not run onto the bottom
edge. Then when it is dry, flip the door and do the other
side.
If you have a properly sealed door and an adequate overhang,
your solid wood door should not require much maintenance at
all. This not a perfect world and the following causes may
affect your sealer. Overspray from sprinklers or ledges can
cause the sealer to look cloudy. Direct sunlight can cause
some sealers to yellow over time. Just from basic use, the
finish can get chipped, scratched, dented or otherwise just
worn. When any of this causes you to think about refinishing
the door, the door will have to be stripped first then be
refinished. Depending on the kind of exposure your door receives,
this can be anywhere from an annual occurrence to the more
normal five to six years.
|
