Finishing and Care Instructions for Doors
Under normal conditions, all wood products, whether raw or finished, contain some moisture and readily exchange moisture with the environment. Although a finish will slow this process, wood will still react to changes in humidity and environment.
Moisture and Wood Behavior
- High Humidity: Wood absorbs moisture and swells (expands).
- Low Humidity: Wood releases moisture and shrinks (contracts).
Relative humidity inside the home should be maintained between 40%-50%. Homes without proper temperature and climate control will likely experience problems with the dimensional change of the wood. Special care should be taken during site storage and installation.
Key Considerations:
- Extreme moisture or dryness can cause panel expansion or contraction, joint separation, veneer checking or cracking, delamination’s, bowing of the stile/rail, and door failure.
- In seasonal climates, doors may expand and bind against their jambs during humid seasons and pull away from their jambs during dry seasons.
- If a door needs to be trimmed, all exposed edges must be sealed and refinished immediately.
- Painted finish doors will reveal seams at the joints due to natural wood movement.
- Unfinished doors must be completely finished on all six sides within 14 days of delivery.
Factory Unfinished Doors
If ordered unfinished, the center panels will be machine-sanded individually, and the entire door will be machine-sanded to create a smooth, uniform surface. Additional hand sanding is required on-site before finishing to remove handling marks, oil residue, surface blemishes, and other minor imperfections.
Finish/Glaze Instructions
To achieve the best possible finish:
- Sand the Door: Use 150–180-grit sandpaper with an orbital sander and hand/finger sanding.
- Environment: Ensure the work area is dust and wind-free and between 60° and 80°F.
- Apply Stain: Use an HVLP spray gun or comparable tool.
- Seal Coat: Apply a high-quality catalyzed lacquer, varnish, or comparable product.
- Lightly Sand: Use 150–180-grit sandpaper to smooth the surface.
- Apply Glaze: If applicable, brush or spray on and wipe off, leaving glaze in corners for depth.
- Finish Coat: Apply a quality catalyzed-conversion varnish or lacquer product.
- Drying: Ensure each coating application dries completely in a dust-free environment.
Disclaimer: D & I Door cannot guarantee the results of a customer-applied finish.
Finish Maintenance
For interior doors and trim:
- Dust regularly.
- Wipe with a damp cloth to remove dirt and smudges.
- Avoid furniture polish, wax, vinegar- or citrus-based cleaners, paint removers, window cleaners, and abrasive cleaners.
For exterior doors:
- Inspect and wipe down every six months with a damp cloth.
- Depending on exposure, exterior doors may need to be refinished as often as every year.
- Use a high-quality exterior lacquer or varnish system for refinishing, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Proper care and maintenance will help preserve the finish and beauty of your wood doors.
