How to re-stain front door?

[Edc888]

 

Hi, I’m looking for advice on how to re-stain my front door. We get both sunny and wet weather, and the door is about 2–3 years old.

What equipment, products and steps should I follow? So far I have:

• If I’m keeping the same colour, sand the door down to remove any grit. Any suggestions for sandpaper?
• Stain: any recommended products? Would Intergrain Natural Decking Oil be suitable for a front door as well? I already have this product on hand for another project, so I thought I’d check if it can be used for this too.

[EricL · Accepted solution]

Hello @Edc888 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about re-staining your front door.

Re-staining your door is a great way to maintain and extend its service life. However, matching its original stain is extremely difficult as it is no longer its original colour due to exposure to the sun and weathering. Even if you were to put the original stain on its surface it would come out totally different to what you have now. However, if you are looking for the same tone or a close match, I suggest visiting your local store and looking at the stain sample board in the paint department. You'll get a better idea of what the stain will look like once it has been applied to timber.

The general steps to staining a timber door are to sand it back to wood, clean off the sanding dust on the surface with a clean rag and a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment. Mask the glass section to protect it from overpainting. Make sure to give the stain enough time to cure before applying a second coat.

Here is a handy step-by-step guide: How to stain and varnish a timber door 

Here are some discussions regarding staining timber doors:

• Solved: How to re-stain my front Windsor door by @Mingles
   
• How to stain front door and door frame? by @Sunil1 
   
• How to match external timber door stain? by @Dogman 

Please remember to wear personal protection such as gloves, goggles and a mask when working on your project.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric