What to use to protect an external door?

[nickpowell77]

Hi - I recently purchased a hardwood door from B&Q:

Click Here

In the instructions it says to protect the door with three coats of High Performance Woodstain. However, I don't know which one to buy and I don't really want to paint the door because I like the grain of the wood. I'd prefer some sort of protection that is clear and lasts well.

Does anybody have any suggestions?

Thanks, Nick

 

[dcdec]

You'd be hard pushed to find anything better than the sikkens cetol range.

Go for a base coat top coat system in solvent based.

 

[TheDec]

dcdec is spot on Sikkens provide in my opinion the finest translucent systems available today, go for one coat of Cetol HLS Plus followed by Two coats of Cetol THB Plus.

Dec

 

[nickpowell77]

Thanks both for the response.

I've done dome research online and there seems to be translucent Sikkens Cetrol HLS plus for Mahogany, Light Oak, Pine etc .... Not sure what his means - can you help?

 

[ic1927]

Sikkens gets the thumbs up from me too, been using their stuff for years and it is top quality. My preferred method is a basecoat of HLS and two top coats of filter seven. Maintenance from then on is simply wipe down with white spirit on a rag (never put sandpaper on filter seven) and a coat of filter seven, do this every three years to keep it in top condition.

 

[TheDec]

Thanks both for the response.

I've done dome research online and there seems to be translucent Sikkens Cetrol HLS plus for Mahogany, Light Oak, Pine etc .... Not sure what his means - can you help?

These are just guides toward what colour tone you can expect, yet the grain and cut of the door will determine the final shade. Say as an example your door is oak then you could go with a mid or perhaps dark oak stain and so on.

Dec

 

[Robbie uk]

Sikkens is great and i would whole heartedly recomend it. They dont actually do a clear one. "Deal" is probably your nearest but can leave a slight yellowish tinge. As said a preservative basecoat follwed by 3 or 4 topcoats will look great and last. A maintenance coat every 12 months is all thats needed.
It would be worthwhile taking the door off to apply the basecoat to the bottom of the door as this is where the moisture will hang.

 

[Growler]

Wickes, do a clear gloss or satin, oil based, 5 year, microporous varnish.

 

[joe-90]

Most good exterior finishes have a yellowish tint to them as this is the best protection against ultra violet rays. Yellow naturally blocks violet - that's why driving glasses are often yellow.

 

[RadarBailey]

Sorry to jump in on the post. I was going to submit my own, but this topic seems to be covering some of my issues. I'be just had a hand made hardwood front door delivered. I want to treat it for protection and then will be looking to painting it in colour. I'd like to get some type of shine from it and was think of a gloss. What's the best way to treat it prior to applying the final colour.

Thanks

PS the door does get a some decent exposure to the weather as my house is on top of a hill

 

[TheDec]

If you are going to paint the door give it a coat of Aluminium Primer this will both protect and seal it.

Dec

 

[RadarBailey]

Thanks for that. 2 to 3 coats of this and then a gloss paint. I've been told that I should lightly sand down the door in between coats of the gloss. I'm trying to get that finish which you'd be able to see your own reflection in type of thing.

Thanks

 

[TheDec]

The primer of which I suggested was to both protect the door and seal off any resinous bleed that is very apparent in hardwoods, primers will raise the grain of the timber so when dry a light sanding is a must. If you feel the need to apply a second coat that will be fine on the proviso that you again lightly sand, just remember that when you sand you should either with a dusting brush or clean and dry paint brush remove the the dust.

Now you should be ready to apply your undercoat, lets get to that stage before we go any further.

Dec

 

[RadarBailey]

Ok I know it's been some time since I updated this post. My door in ready for painting (Primer and undercoat are on). I want to use gloss. What type should I use and is there a method to applying it, ie paint-sand-paint?

Thanks

 

[TheDec]

In your original post you said that you intended to apply a colour, so I presume that you have choosen the correct shade of undercoat for your desired top coat. If this is the case the gloss that I would recommend would be Crown Solo, and seeing that this is a self undercoating system then one coat should suffice, regarding prep just very lightly sand and dust off then apply your gloss.

Dec