Finish & Care

Instructions

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:

  1. Sand the Door: Use 150–180-grit sandpaper with an orbital sander and hand/finger sanding.

  2. Environment: Ensure the work area is dust and wind-free and between 60° and 80°F.

  3. Apply Stain: Use an HVLP spray gun or comparable tool.

  4. Seal Coat: Apply a high-quality catalyzed lacquer, varnish, or comparable product.

  5. Lightly Sand: Use 150–180-grit sandpaper to smooth the surface.

  6. Apply Glaze: If applicable, brush or spray on and wipe off, leaving glaze in corners for depth.

  7. Finish Coat: Apply a quality catalyzed-conversion varnish or lacquer product.

  8. 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.