But a beautiful wood door with a clear finish will attract many more admiring glances as long as you maintain it with devotion.
Best way to finish exterior wood door.
A second choice would.
An extra smooth surface will not absorb stain as well as a rough surface.
The other option is wood boat bright work and use spar varnish but realize boat coatings are made to be removed and renewed periodically so the same will happen to your door.
Nothing beats paint for practicality.
Clean the door and coat it with sikkens and a foam brush and wait for it to dry.
Don t sand too much.
Use varnish with compatible stain.
The first option would be using a penetrating finish such as watco exterior.
My go to finish system for exterior doors is a combination of two products.
Depending upon exposure you are good for another two to twenty years.
Two coats of enamel paint over a primer will provide a wood door with the best and longest lasting protection against sun abrasion and weather about 8 to 10 years.
Penetrating stains and marine varnish are a good start but clear finished doors will still need occasional maintenance.
These must be applied in multiple coats with meticulous initial and in between coat prep.
Pettit marine paint s captain s varnish and epifanes wood finish matte.
Their popularity and effectiveness for finishing the bright work on boats makes them the best choice for protecting exterior wooden doors that are exposed to harsh weather elements year round.
My go to finish system for exterior doors is a combination of two products.