Oak front door

[Rich]

I have a front door and the finish is starting to fail. It looks like it was varnish. What is the best thing to use to restore it to its original look?

Thanks, Rich

[dadiOH]

Whatever is on it now. After sanding. Or - if you want something easy to maintain - strip it and use oil.

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[Joseph Meehan]

There are a number of good products for the job and a number of good products that are good for other jobs, but not this one.

I suggest a true marine varnish. Visit a real boating store for the stuff.

[m Ransley]

Is it veneer, most doors are. Is the wood sealed or discoloring from cracked varnish. This will determine if you can sand much to get good wood. A marine - exterior varnish is needed. Not oil, it wont protect. My experiance P&L makes a great marine-exterior varnish its apx 90$ a gallon. But the new waterbase marine-exterior probably equal it if not better it. Marine -exterior products take UV and expand contract better. Are products from boat stores better than a true paint store , it depends on the manufacturer. It has all changed in the last 10 years.

[Rich]

Not veneer, it's solid and VERY heavy with an oval window inset into it. I check into Marine varnish and look for its UV resistance.

Thanks everyone for your replys.

[m Ransley]

To be sure it is solid you have to look at the top or bottom, door removed . and look for a 1/8 - 1/4 veneer. All good doors are solid and

99% are veneer. They are veneer because oak doesnt handle moisture like other tighter grain wood. Use gloss for all coats if you dont like gloss buy satin for the last . Gloss is harder and clearer. If its not veneer sand till new grain, till it looks good. Be sure ive redone 100 s of exterior doors on the best houses.

[dadiOH]

Yeah, it will. I used oil (boiled linseed) on the rope stropped blocks, deadeyes and belaying pins I made for my sail boat. May have to renew it from time to time, don't know...the stuff I made was only 15 years old when I sold the boat.

-- dadiOH _____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.0... ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at

[m Ransley]

To be sure it is solid you have to look at the top or bottom, door removed . and look for a 1/8 - 1/4 veneer. All good doors are solid and

99% are veneer. They are veneer because oak doesnt handle moisture like other tighter grain wood. Use gloss for all coats if you dont like gloss buy satin for the last . Gloss is harder and clearer. If its not veneer sand till new grain, till it looks good. Be sure ive redone 100 s of exterior doors on the best houses.

[m Ransley]

You wont see oil on any exterior wood on water going boats that have lasted or quality boat except decks . Hardcoat varnish doesnt breath like oil. Teak oil for Teak decks is different. Teak oil has to be reaplied many times a season. Varnish , new polys outlast oils and keep wood from rotting better. I never saw a sailboat with oiled spars for a good reason, varnish is better. The last thing you need to rott on a sailboat is what moves you. Boat yards wont oil masts and spars. Thats why people look for "Spar" or Marine varnish , if its good enough for a million dollar sailboat its the best.

[dadiOH]

I didn't say I oiled spars, I said I oiled wood blocks, deadeyes and belaying pins and that it lasted for at least 15 years. Never oiled my teak decks with anything. Never painted spars either, always varnish (on wood spars) so you can see what is happening to them.

-- dadiOH _____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.0... ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at