Refinishing a front door that's seen better days?
Question:I have recently bought a house and the front door is in a terrible state, it was stained and varnished once but this is long gone, the wood is split and when it rains the door leaks. I cannot afford a new door, how much trouble would it be to try and refinish it and would it do me any good if I tried? Thanks for the help, BTW I'm not much of a carpenter or painter so this has to be an easy(ish) project.
Answers:
First of all you will need to completely Sand the Door well. I would purchase a wood Filler for the Cracks to match the Stain of the Door Color(such as Walnut). Then Stain the Door well, allow to dry and then Sand it again to remove the raised wood grain. Next Put a Good Exterior PolyUrethane on it, probably a couple of Coats. Allow to dry Completely Between Coats. My Fiance is a Painting Contractor and I have seen him do alot of Doors..
It will cost you less in the long run to replace the door. A good steel exterior door can be found on sale from time to time for about $130. (A used one would be cheaper, if you can find one.) I once decided to redo an interior bathroom door; it had five coats of paint on it. By the time I got them all stripped off, I had spent more on paint remover than the cost of a new door.
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