I am planning to build a pair of exterior doors for the front entrance of my home. I am confident that I can handle the construction, but I am not entirely sure about the choice of wood and finish.
I plan to build the doors in the Craftsman/Mission style used by Greene & Greene. The doors face south and receive 5 – 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. However, they are sheltered from direct contact with rain, snow, etc. I am considering mahogany or quartersawn red or white oak. My main concern is stability. Also, in the interest of energy conservation, I am wondering if the door panels could be glued to thin sheets of Styrofoam as extra insulation. I live in Virginia, so the winters aren’t too bad, but I would still like to make these doors as energy efficient as possible.
Since the doors are exposed to so much sunlight, I am thinking of using a good polyurethane finish. I have seen more than a few south facing doors with peeling or flaking finishes.
Any suggestions will be much appreciated.
Carpe Diem,
Dan T.
Replies
IMO;
Mohagany is the more stable wood, and not too hard to work with. Better if you do go to the foam panel layup.
Sunlight is harder on doors than water is.
Polyurethene is not for exterior or UV resistant, unless specifically formulated withthe additives to be so. That may be why you see flaking. Most exterior bright work needs refinishing or touch up quite often.
Excellence is its own reward!
If I do the foam lay-up, what thickness would you suggest for the wood panels and the foam insert (1/4-1/4-1/4)?Carpe Diem,
Dan T.
I wouldn't use a foam core for panels. That was your call. So I can't advise how to do it. Your first posts seemed to imply that you had the carp skills to take care of that end of things.
But since you asked...here's why I'm agin it
If you replace wood at about R-1/inch with foam at R-5/inch for even as much as a half inch, you have only gained R-2 and that in a small portion of the door, at high cost and higher risk for delamination with certain structural weakening of the unit. .
Excellence is its own reward!
I've made two exterior mahogany doors in my home. They are typical raised panel. The back door is a circle head with a bolection mldg holding the panels in place. The front door is typical ovolo coping and sticking. I didn't like poly for the same reasons you mentioned. I use Deks Olje, available at marine stores, for the finish. It is an oil. I actually take the doors off the hinges and lay it on saw horses. I coat one side until it is seeping through the door, then I flip it over and wipe it off. Twenty years later they look as good as the first day. No peeling, no cracking and no flaking.
jocobe
Ditto with Piffin on the foam............I wouldn't do it.
jocobe
Thanks to all. I didn't really think it was a great idea, but I wanted to find out what the experts thought. No foam for me.There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but there is always enough time to do it over.
Dan T.
DanT,
I just joined this forum so bear with me. What is a dependable, long life finish for the exterior surface of mahogany doors? The environment is sunny Atlanta, Georgia shining on the doors full time.
Thanks,
Ode
Try one of the marine grade WATERBORNE finishes. Be prepared to pay a whopper of a price for the material.
Woodworkers Supply sells their "J. E. Moser's Marine Shield Water-Based Spar Varnish" in both gloss and satin. Check it out at http://www.woodworker.com.