Finishing a stripped front door

[martin_pentreath]

I've had my internal doors dipped and stripped and I'm in the process of sanding and waxing them, and I'm very pleased with the results.

The front door needs attention, and to make its internal side match the other doors (and just because it's caked in 120 years of crappy paint) I'm thinking of sending it off for stripping too. On it's inside I'm planning to wax it to match the others. But I'm thinking of my options for the outside if I don't just paint it again. Staining is the obvious answer, or perhaps varnish. I really like the glowing sheen you get from wax, but I guess this isn't durable enough for outside (although in fact the door is very well sheltered, being recessed into a kind of porch, although not one with a door of its own if you see what I mean). Any ideas for what would work best?

[Stuart Noble]

Part of the reason wax looks good is the way it's applied. If you put polyurethane on with a rag, you avoid the treacle look and end up with a smooth unglossy surface. 2-3 coats applied sparingly works well IME. Best to use an acid catalysed varnish (Rustins Floor Varnish or similar) if you want to keep the colour pale.

[bigcat]

wax: silky finish attracts dirt, which mixes into the wax needs regular waxing not durable, no use for outdoors

varnish: looks good much less maintenance than paint

alkyd paint:

3 yr repaint cycle.

linseed oil and linseed oil paints: longest repaint interval of any paint, 15 years

So I'd go with varnish or linseed paint.

I wouldnt stain, pine mellows well without stain, much better than it does with, though slower. Staining makes white chips stand out badly on a darker finish. It also very much subdues the contrast and pattern of the wood, which are the nicest point of pine.

NT