FINISHING GUIDE – EXTERIOR

Exterior doors must be properly finished prior to installation or prolonged storage. Improperly finished or unfinished doors carry no warranty. All surfaces of a door, including the top and bottom, must be covered with all coats of recommended finishing products. As a final step, glass inserts in doors must be sealed- Use a thin bead of clear caulk around the outside perimeter between the glass and stops to prevent moisture infiltration.

General recommendations for stain or clear finishing are:

• Coat with oil base wood conditioner such as Daly’s Benite to harden the surface for finish sanding and promote uniformity of the stain color.

• If a stain color is desired, apply a penetrating oil base stain. It is a good idea to do a test sample first. If a clear finish is desired, skip this step.

• Top coat with a clear, exterior grade oil-based finish. Semi-gloss or high gloss is preferable to flat or satin. Daly’s Teak Oil and Minwax Helmsman spar urethane are available at Frank Lumber.

General recommendations for painting are:

• Apply slow drying, penetrating, oil-based primer to harden the surface for finish sanding and allow the proper adherence of the finish paint.

Important: Use only premium quality paints, stains, and clear finishes. Cheaper, mass produced products do not perform well and are not recommended. A paint specialty store or quality finishing shop can help select the best products for each application. Read the labels for each product carefully; follow directions regarding temperatures, drying times and recommended number of coats to ensure the best possible results.

There is no warranty extended to wood doors in the following circumstances:

If you have questions specific to your situation, be sure to address them with a salesperson. It is the sole responsibility of the customer to do all the necessary finish work (includes cleaning glazing sealant from glass inserts). Inspect and clean the door carefully before you begin the finishing process.

Door manufacturers do not compensate for finishing expense in warranty replacement situations.