Time to Refinish Your Wood Front Door

Is your front door looking a little worn? If so it might be time to refinish it. If you have a wood door that's been stained or varnished and it receives a healthy amount of sunlight, regular maintenance--including refinishing--is essential.

After all, if the varnish on your door is flaking or peeling off, it not only looks bad, it can decrease the value of your home--and that means it's time to refinish the wood.

Damage to the Door

In many cases, the primary reason why a door needs a refinish job is the amount of sunlight the door receives. Without a storm door to protect it, the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays really take their toll. And, despite the fact that you've already applied varnish to the door, the sun attacks the door's cellular structure damaging the wood, which causes the varnish to crack, flake, and peel off. Even if the door has a clear finish, the sun can cause damage to wood, necessitating a refinish.

Preventing Damage to Your Wood Door

While it isn't terribly difficult to refinish a wood door, it is a lot easier to avoid damage in the first place. Two ways in which you can decrease the likelihood of having to do a door refinish are to protect the wood with paint or with a storm door. Because paint has pigments that block the sun's harmful rays, by keeping the door painted you can avoid having to refinish the wood. However, if you opt for a storm door, you not only will protect the door from sun damage, but water damage as well (of course water damage is yet another reason why you may need to refinish the wood).

Refinish Your Wood Door

If it's time to refinish your wood door, you'll begin by scrapping, stripping, or sanding off the damaged finish. After it is removed simply apply a UV-resistant varnish (or paint) to the front, back, top, bottom, and sides of the door. After it dries simply rehang the door.