# of coats-minwax fast dry polye-exterior door

[chester]

I am finishing a set of french doors that will open out, to the east, in seattle, so although there is no overhang outside, the exposure shouldn't be too bad. I am using Minwax fast drying polyuerathane. Before anyone comments, I am using this, and not switching. I am sure there are better products out there, but this is it. I had an ... unpleasant experience several years ago with Minwax Spar Urethane, so I WON"T be using that. I was planning on 5-6 coats on the outside exposure, but was wondering if this is overkill (i.e. is there a point of diminished return). I got three coats on one side of one door (ugh 3 more door sides to go). Any input is appreciated.

[m Ransley]

Use as many coats as you need to get a good finish. But you are using an interior product that is not UV resistant and will not flex as you doors will. So it wont last. There are other Marine grade products out there. Using an interior product outside is well you get the drift.

[SJF]

My experience with varnish on exterior surfaces exposed to the sun has not been good, even with the UV screening products. Seems the wood-varnish interface fails and the varnish flakes off. Totally shaded surfaces do not have this problem. Never tried marine varnishes. Supposedly they are better but I wonder. --- SJF

[m Ransley]

Ive used P&L marine varnish on alot of jobs, on boats and doors done 20 years ago look fine today ,perhaps 30 jobs as I used to do alot of wood work for a living. It probably costs near 100 a gallon today as I paid

70$ 20 years ago. None of the jobs have failed yet. There are cheap products and there are good ones. The key is not varnishing in sun, a hot surface or one that will recieve sun for 24 hrs. Regular polys yellow fast and non marine usualy fail in 5-7 years. When you consider the cost of re-stripping in 5-7 years 100 a gallon is cheap, it is the labor that is expensive.