The first thing to consider when selecting a finish for a wooden
screen door
is maintenance. You may love the look of unpainted wood, but it may
require lots of work to maintain its beauty if it is directly exposed
to the elements.
We offer three options when
it comes to a finish for your screen-storm door: an oil-based primer, suitable for
painting; Exotic Hardwood Penofin (PENetrating Oil FINish) if you want the natural look of
mahogany; or unfinished, if you want to apply a stain or other type
of product to the door.
If your door is not protected by a porch or roof and is exposed to
direct sunlight and rain, an oil-based enamel paint is really the best
choice for a durable, low-maintenance finish.
Paint will shield the
wood from ultraviolet radiation, which will not only bleach and
discolor the wood rapidly but will also break down the lignin that
binds the wood fibers together. This is what causes varnish to chip
and peel.
Based on our research, a varnish product is not a good idea and should only be considered if the door is in a very
well-protected area and not exposed to direct sunlight or rain. Even
so, count on periodic maintenance that will be considerably more
difficult than maintaining a penetrating finish like Penofin.
If you want to enjoy the natural beauty of mahogany, we recommend a
product that was introduced in 2000,
Penofin
Exotic Hardwood Oil Finish, a
superior penetrating oil finish specially formulated for Mahogany and
exotic hardwoods. A natural blend of Brazilian Rosewood seed, Tung seed, flax seed and pine oils deeply penetrates
and bonds with the wood fibers,
protecting it from the inside out, allowing moisture to escape, not remain trapped as with most other
stains on the market.
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Penofin blocks 99% of UV rays, contains a mildewcide and repels
moisture. We apply the first coat and you apply maintenance
coats. Finished with Penofin, the wood is a beautiful reddish-brown
that will deepen and darken with age and maintenance coats. This
finish is easy to clean and apply and each coat further enhances the
grain and natural beauty of mahogany.
If you think you want to stain it, you should order your door
unfinished and use an oil-based stain, which would be compatible with
an oil-based wood protector or varnish clear coat. Because it is a
naturally dark wood, don't expect to be able to stain it to look
lighter like oak or pine. When you order an unfinished door from us,
we will provide you with cut-offs from your door for you to experiment
with.
Another product we would
recommend as an alternative to Penofin or
a varnish type product is made by Sikkens. Our customers have
reported success with this product and have been pleased with its
longevity. They make a wide family of products, but the
Cetol 123
is probably the most appropriate for this application.
The
Sikkens website
has detailed information and
locations where this product can
be purchased. If you opt for this product, you would order the door
from us unfinished and apply it yourself.
One more thing to consider when selecting a finish is that the greater
the contrast is in the hue of the screen-storm door to the entry door,
the more the detail of the design will be enhanced and visible,
especially at a distance. If they are the same hue, they will tend to
blend together.
Things to Consider
When Selecting Screen Door Hardware
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