What do you put on a brown wood door facing the sun & rain?

[Tony Palermo]

I like the spar varnish idea.

Can I just add stain to the spar varnish to make it match the dark?

[Vic Smith]

There's no reason to match the dark unless you like that on the outside. It's very nice wood, so take your time and see what looks best to you. Sometimes nice wood grain show best with a light stain. I had a similar entryway door and never touched it in the 14 years I lived there, and it still looked good. That peeling (I've heard it called "cellophaning") probably means water-based, and you don't want to use that. As other have said, use an oil-based "marine" varnish. I've read that a scraper and heat gun can help to remove cellophaning varnish, so you can minimize sanding work. That wood still looks to be in good shape so it looks like a fun project. You should be very pleased with the results of your work.

[gregz]

I like the shadow effect. I would make it permanent.

Greg

[ChairMan]

I'd look here

Sikkens make some very good products, but being all wood, there is nothing that will last forever. Prepping it properly then using Sikkens and doing regular touch up and maintenance, it would hold up a long time

[walter]

Bought my home 20 years ago with a very badly weathered mahogany entry door, alligatored and looking shabby.

On the outside you need to remove all old varnish by sanding or stripping, plus finish sanding. Next you use a good quality oil based stain in a medium brown. Then you use a spar varnish. I recommend Minwax "Helmsman" Spar Urethane (HD) and apply at least 3 coats. This will give you a very rich looking finish that shows off the grain of the mahogany. I add a new coat every five years. It now looks better than new, after twenty years.

Same treatment for the sill.

On the inside of the door I used "Restor-A-Finish" by Howard Products. It comes in several finishes. It "restores the original color and luster to the finish while blending out minor scratches and blemishes". Also at HD. I used Golden Oak finish. You wipe it on with a rag. Works great.

Your door is definitely worth restoring. Take your time. You will be amazed at the result. Entry doors are very expensive.

[Norminn]

I tried spar varnish only once, and found it very thick and difficult to brush out. I've used other varnishes countless times, and spar may be different than what I experienced. The OP seems pretty unfamiliar with wood finishing, so tips need to be made with that in mind. One particular issue is that, regardless of the type of finish chosen, moisture seepage needs to be sealed out. The other, no finish will give good results if weathered wood is not sanded down. Power sanders may be overkill for someone without some experience. Whether regular oil-based varnish or spar varnish are used, surface prep is more important than that choice IMO. Thinning oil-based varnish allows it to sink into wood grain better and gives a smoother finish. Of course, the wood has to be DRY.

In choosing a stain color, it's a good idea to see the wood when it is either wet or some mineral spirits are wiped on...those give a good idea of what a clear finish without stain will do...some woods darken a good deal with just a clear finish. The OP's situation looks to have suffered more from water and wear than from sun.

[dadiOH]

I wouldn't use spar varnish as it is softer. I mentioned Z-Spar varnish but that is a brand name, not a type.

You could add universal coloring material to give color to the varnish but I wouln't add stain, too much cance for incompatibility.

In fact, I wouldn't stain at all. If you do and if you ever have to repair an area you will wish you had not stained. Varnish itself will darken the wood and give a lovely color.

You have a couple of black areas on the outside casing near the bottom. That is because the wood pieces are wicking up water; eventually (if not already) they will rot. Cutting off 1/8 - 1/4" from the bottoms will keep them from wicking up water.

Your sill is always going to be a problem as the constant wear from goings and comings will wear the finish much faster than the finish on the door and trim. If you ever get a chance, I'd replace the sill with tile as you have in the entry. That would be a fairly major job so not one you should undertake; if you ever need/want to change out the door and side lights, consider doing it then.

[dadiOH]

Probably.

No, stain, let dry then varnish. Keep in mind that the sun is going to bleach the outside color, stain or not. It will never match and stay matched to the inside.

[Tony Palermo]

That must explain why the outside of the sill is lighter than the inside.

[Tony Palermo]

This is a great plan because it allows me to stain and restore the mahogany wood door.

This is interesting. I will look for it at Home Depot.

[Tony Palermo]

I don't think I have ever varnished anything before.

The door will get soaking wet from rain so this is important!

I have a Makita belt sander but I can not imagine using it on this door due to the ins and outs of the molding. I might use it on the sill but even then it might dig a huge hole before I know it. I am ok with hand sanding though.

I suspect I start with the heavy grit. And then down to fine. What is the heavy grit I should start from? Wikipeidia has a list

Does P50 look like a good starting point? And maybe P220 as the final grit on the bare wood?

[Leon]

Perhaps a more permanent solution, although a bit more expensive. You have an inherent problem, call it an architectural design flaw.

Construct something to shield the door from direct sunlight and rain, a covered approach.

The sunlight is doing more damage than the rain, it is there every day all day long, the rain is not.

[dadiOH]

I changed my mind...a marine spar varnish may give you some benefit. Any finish tends to crack at joints between boards going different directions (up/down - side/side) because the boards expand and contract in different directions. Spar varnish is more flexible so it *may* help that.

FYI, "spar" and "marine" are not synonymous. You can have spar varnish that is not marine and vice versa. The thing that makes a varnish "spar" is a greater amount of oil. More oil equals more flexibility and less hardness. The primary purpose of spar varnish was for - surprise - spars so that they could bend without cracking the finish. Somehow, with the help of certain manufacturers, people have come to believe that it is a superior varnish for all things. That is not true.

[dadiOH]

I had a sizeable sailboat for 20 years and used a fair amount of varnish. Most of it was plain old marine varnish, some spar. I don't recalll any of it being particularly thick, always planned on four to six or more coats on bare wood.

Then a few years ago I built a sailing dinghy to use on our lake and bought some marine spar to use on the transoms and spars. That varnish was, indeed, quite thick. I'm just guessing but maybe the manufacturers have started using less solvent because people have become too lazy to apply numerous coats. At any rate, some thinner made it nice and brushable.

[Tony Palermo]

I had not thought of the word but this is what wikipedia says.

Spar varnish (also called marine varnish) was originally intended for use on ship or boat spars, to protect the timber from the effects of sea and weather. Spars bend under the load of their sails. The primary requirements were water resistance and also elasticity, so as to remain adhering as the spars flexed. Elasticity was a pre-condition for weatherproofing too, as a finish that cracked would then allow water through, even if the remaining film was impermeable. Appearance and gloss was of relatively low value. Modified tung oil and phenolic resins are often used.

When first developed, no varnishes had good UV-resistance. Even after more modern synthetic resins did become resistant, a true spar varnish maintained its elasticity above other virtues, even if this required a compromise in its UV-resistance. Spar varnishes are thus not necessarily the best choice for outdoor woodwork which does not need to bend in service.

Despite this, the widespread perception of "marine products" as "tough" led to domestic outdoor varnishes being branded as "Spar varnish" and sold on the virtue of their weather- and UV-resistance. These claims may be more or less realistic, depending on individual products. Only relatively recently have spar varnishes been available that can offer both effective elasticity and UV-resistance.

[Tony Palermo]

The roofline is tall above the door so I could construct a shade of some sort.

But I would still need to stain, seal, and varnish the door!

[Leon]

Yes you would still have to refinish the door however if yo keep the direct sun light off you are also likely to keep a majority of rain the rain off. However it is quite likely that this would be the last time you have to refinish the door. My previous home had a front door that was shaded from direct sun light and most of the rain, it never had to be refinished during the 30 years that I lived there.

[Lew Hodgett]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WHY?

You will come to regret stain (Bug Snot) unless you sell the place and pass the problem along.

Spar varnish is designed to remain flexible which is why it is used on wooden spars. Definitely not a good choice for a door.

Sonny has outlined the path to glory.

A LOT of work, but truly the only way to go.

The marine finish of choice would be Epifanes.

Check out Jamestown Distributors for Epifanes info.

BTW, where is this property located as in how far South of the Mason-Dixon Line?

Have fun.

Lew

[Tony Palermo]

Why? What is wrong with darker door?

I think the UV protection is what I need more than varnish flex. But UV protection might not be easy to decide from the can printing.

Does this look like the right stuff?

Epifanes clear marine spar varnish is formulated with tung oil, phenolic and alkyd resins and U.V. filters for superior protection.

San Diego. It never rains. But when it rains it pours.

[Lew Hodgett]

------------------------------------------------------- "T> Why? What is wrong with darker door?

------------------------------------------------------- Nothing is wrong with a darker color, but let Mother Nature provide it.

If you EVER have to make a repair of a damaged part that has been stained, you will cuss the day you ever used stain on that door.

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------------------------------------------------ Tell me about it, I'm in LA.

BTW, lots of good marine suppliers in S/D.

San Diego Marine Exchange for one.

Have fun.

Lew