Wood doors are a beautiful addition to any home, whether it be an inside door, or a grand entry from the outside.

However, wood doors are not suited for all applications. Wood doors are not designed for heavy weather conditions, especially southern or western exposure applications. We do not recommend wood exterior doors for areas without adequate protective overhangs.

Wood doors require special care when finishing! All wood doors should be properly finished and/or painted with oil-based products to protect against weather and moisture damage. To keep your wood doors beautiful, they require periodic resealing or painting dependent on weather or moisture exposure. Dark colored stains or paint is not recommended on doors exposed to sunlight as some expansion and contraction of door parts may occur.

Doors, which are not properly sealed or finished, are not covered by manufacturers' warranties. Doors made of wood are a product of nature, and just like trees at the ocean or alpines at high altitude, extreme conditions will damage any wood no matter how well they are finished. For direct sun, extreme weather conditions or an area with no protective overhang, please consider installing fiberglass or steel doors.

The care you give to your wood doors during the finishing process will add to the longevity and beauty of your door. All doors must be properly finished before or immediately after installation or before prolonged storage. If you are matching your new door to an old door opening ("match-up"), please, try your new door in the opening prior to finishing to make sure it fits - any necessary alterations to your door should be made before you finish it.

A few words about . . .
Sanding: Before applying the first sealer coat we recommend you lightly sand your doors to remove slight imperfections, handling marks, scuffs or spots were the grain might be raised. We also recommend a light sanding between coats to assure a better final finish. After sanding, and before applying a coat of sealer or finish, clean the entire door with a dry soft cloth or by using tack-cloth

Sealing or Painting your door: ALL surfaces including top and bottom of door must be sealed and finished using oil-base products only.

IMPORTANT: On doors with glass, as a final process, please be sure to caulk between the glass and stop on top, sides and bottom of the exterior side of the door (acrylic caulking works best). Please be sure to read the instructions included with every product you use to finish your doors.

Recommended Finishing Techniques And Products

Exterior and Interior Doors
Remove all hardware - locks, hinges, and doorknobs. Make sure you are finishing every surface, including hardware cutouts, on the door. Hardware cutouts, especially for exterior doors, must be properly sealed prior to installation of hardware and exposure to moisture or weather.
Seal the door - we recommend Daly's^© Benite Clear as a penetrating conditioner. Benite is designed to prepare the wood for staining and finishing. Apply one generous coat of Benite to all surfaces of the door, including top and bottom.
Staining the door - full penetrating oil-base stain is recommended. Do not use any type of water-base stain product. 
Finishing the door - we recommend Daly's^© Seafin Teak Oil, or Daly’s^© Profin as a clear top finish for exterior doors. Seafin and Profin are a hard drying, oil finish designed to protect from moisture and repel water. For an exterior door we suggest an application of three to five coats of finish to ensure proper protection of your door. Other exterior oil-base varnishes or clear finishes may also be used. For interior doors other interior oil-based clear finishes may be used.

Do not use any type of water-base (latex) finish whether your door is an exterior or interior door. Be sure to read and follow the instructions included with every product you use to finish your doors.

If you are painting your doors - to reduce the chance of warping, veneer cracking or fading, avoid using dark-colored finishes or paint if the door is exposed to direct sunlight.

Painting Recommendations
Benite Clear - one coat
Oil-Base Primer - one coat
Oil-Base Paint - two to three coats.

NOTE: We do not recommend the use of latex paint to finish your door. We will not warranty your door for moisture damage if you use latex products.