Protect a Wood Door from Sun Damage

LESLIE: Going to the Lone Star state. Talking to Jerry. What can we do for you?

JERRY: I’ve got one little problem here. I just built a house about four years ago and we put a solid, really very thick, mahogany door on the front of our home. It’s really nice and everything, but …

LESLIE: I have one, too. They’re gorgeous.

JERRY: Except when you have to take them off because they weigh like a million pounds.

LESLIE: I know. It’s so heavy.

JERRY: But my problem is it faces west and when we built the home it actually had a little – kind of a tunnel that you walked into before you get into the house; like maybe five or six feet long. I didn’t think it’d be a big deal. But the sun is just – is really damaging that door and I was going to sand it back down and paint it. [1] Not paint it but stain it [2] with something. They did some kind of clear stain. On the inside it’s beautiful, but the outside is like this yellowy, almost chalky look to it.

TOM: You know what I would do? I would use a marine varnish on that. Marine varnishes are really good at standing up to ultraviolet radiation, which is what’s going on.

JERRY: Oh, OK. And I can get that a Home Depot or wherever?

TOM: Yeah, you probably can or you can get it in a marine store.

JERRY: Oh, a marine store. OK, any …

LESLIE: Mm-hmm.

TOM: Marine supply, mm-hmm.

JERRY: Is that the same thing as Valspar or something …?

TOM: Oh, Valspar [3] is one of the manufacturers and, yes, they make a very good-quality varnish.

JERRY: OK, and I just sand it and prep it like I would normally?

TOM: Yeah.

JERRY: Just get a clear and just go for it and put a bunch of coats on it?

TOM: (overlapping voices) Exactly. Yep, two to three – two to three good-quality coats and remember, don’t – you know, don’t do it in full sun. Try to do it in sort of cloudy weather or shady and just give it plenty of time to dry.

LESLIE: Mm-hmm. Yeah, and you want it to thoroughly dry between coats; otherwise it just gets sticky and will never dry.

JERRY: What about temperature. Like right now, I mean would it – if it was like 40 degrees outside, would that be too cold to paint it?

TOM: That might be a bit cold. Generally you want to be sort of in the 50 to 70 degrees ...

JERRY: Right.

TOM: … is good painting temperature [4].

JERRY: Now do you have any idea how long that can last?

TOM: Several years.

JERRY: OK. I just wondered if it’d be something I could do once and never have to worry about it again.

LESLIE: No.

TOM: Not when you’re dealing with a wood door. You’re always going to have to stay on top of that, Jerry.

JERRY: OK. Well, I sure appreciate it today.

TOM: Well, you’re very welcome. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. If you want a door you never have to paint, get a fiberglass door. Looks like wood; never, ever needs paint.

LESLIE: Yeah, but the mahogany doors are gorgeous.

TOM: They are gorgeous.