Cypress door

[Lowell Holmes]

I'm going to make a new entrance door in order to keep the leaded glass that is in the current door. I think I would like to use cypress for the door. The door will probably be painted after it is made.

I'm in the Gulf Coast area and the winter months can be quite wet.

I am concerned about the door swelling when the seasons change. Also, I don't know how painted cypress holds up.

Do any of you guys know any reason not to use the cypress?

My alternative is vertical grain fir.

Thanks in advance for any tips you have. :-)

[Sonny]

Lowell,

Before inserting glass or hardware, completely seal the door (and especially the edges) with slightly thinned tung oil, next apply a coat of Sealcoat, then paint. Cypress doesn't hold paint well, unless you prime it well. The tung oil and Sealcoat is your primer, as opposed to standard primer. You might want to spray paint the door (several coats), rather than brush on your paint, but brushing is fine if you have no sprayer.

Sonny

[Lowell Holmes]

Sonny,

Thanks for responding.

In the same line of thought, what is the preferred adhesive? Intuitively, I think of using urethane glue. Do you have to prepare the wood similarly to the way teak is prepared for gluing?

Lowell

[Sonny]

I've never glued teak. I have never had to prep cypress (even old cypress or sinker cypress), in any special way, for an outdoor or an exterior door glue application. Titebond II is sufficient for your application, as well.

Sonny

[Lowell Holmes]

Sonny

Thanks again!