Tommy Mac Discussions › Forums › Fix-it Forum: Home Improvement & Do It Yourself Repair Forum › refinishing wood garage doors
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September 27, 2009 at 10:53 am #73876Unregistered-rcooksGuest
If there is a wood expert out there who might help me determine the best way to refinish my wood garage doors that would be great. Not sure of the wood type probably oak or mahogany. Old varnish finish is flaking off. Doors are ten years but the last finish is about three. Should I use a chemical stripper and go all the way down or just sand and refinish? Should I restain and use a polyurethane or spar or just use Sikkens which I also believe comes shaded (no need to stain?). What will hold up the longest and give me the least trouble? There are so many products out there. I have used all of the above but not sure whats the best way to go on this.
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September 27, 2009 at 5:18 pm #302439bobsbuddyParticipant
Yes, you will need to remove the existing finish. My preference would be stripping, maybe preceeded by a good scraping to remove the flaking parts.
Note that there are different “spar varnishes.” Technically these are “long oil varnishes,” meaning they have a high proportion of oil to resin in their manufacture. This is done to improve flexibility. They are NOT more resistant to water, but less. Consumer versions such as “Spar Urethane” are going to fail in short order. Ship chandlers will sell high quality marine varnishes. These run about $40 to $50 a quart. Plan on putting on lots of coats, maybe six or seven. And plan on regular maintenance of scuff sanding and applying maintenance coat, maybe annually. A recent Fine Woodworking (June 2009, #205) article on exterior finishes is worth a read, too.
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October 1, 2009 at 2:11 pm #302484Unregistered-MotionspaceGuest
We specify Sikkens quite a bit and have found that it is best to use their stain first then the sealer. The stain helps protect the wood from UV damage.
Motionspace Architecture + Design
http://www.motion-space.com
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