Painting exterior door

The "residents" who have caused me problems in the past have been my dogs. When I just filled and repainted my rather nice living room door I seriously thought about putting a sheet of polycarbonate over the vulnerable area. I didn't in the end because the current residents are better behaved.

The short answer is that the underlying wood is likely to deform and no paint will solve that although (for example) two pack epoxies are tougher.

Is it also exposed to the sun and the cold? I have found the paint tends to go brittle and crack or chip. I'm sure old fashioned paint was not so bad. Brian

Sun occasionally. Cold yes. Coronaviruis maybe. It was only painted about two months ago. One of my neighbours has one of these big silly prams but of course I cannot prove anything.

At the moment, I am looking for a technological solution. I see that Network Rail used flake glass epoxy on the Forth Bridge but I believe this is wholly unsuitable.

A good epoxy on bare wood can't be beaten. That's why boats use it.

Andy

Unless I'm mistaken, using that on a timber door exterior traps migrating damp leading to rot.

NT

The trick is to make sure its dry before you coat it.

Andy

obviously that doesn't solve it.

Properly coated the door won't be allowing any damp in.

I'll admit I've had problems on my boat - but they are the areas where the damp cover sat on it (should have bought a new one sooner). The damp has not migrated into the rest of it, and once I'd replaced an inch or so of timber along the gunwhale the rest of it is solid.

Including the bits I jump up and down on. Which is likely to be harder work than a door would get.

Andy

alkyd paint layers are not impervious.

because alkyd paint layers are not impervious.

That sounds like a good reason not to use alkyd, and to use epoxy instead.

Andy

Really. No exterior wooden door has paint that remains gap & crack free. Paint that won't let migrating damp out causes rot. There is akso the separate question of flexibility & seasonal movement.

NT

Even better with a polyurethane topcoat to protect it from UV. As used on Nuclear Fuel transport flasks.

Epoxy is prone to UV damage. I can't recall what the varnish on mine is.

Trouble I had is that once it had had a few bangs, then sat with a wet canvas cover on it, the result was local damage.

Andy