General Care & Finishing
Handling, Storage, finish and maintenance instructions.
General care:
Most problems with the doors are due to improper handling, installation and/or finishing. Care should be taken during site storage and installation of the doors. Wood does not change size or shape unless its moisture content changes due to the humidity and heat conditions of the environment. Extreme moisture or dryness will cause panel and stile/rail expansion and/or contraction, joint separation, checking or cracking, bowing/wrapping.
Handling and storage
1. Store doors flat on a level surface in a dry, well-ventilated building. Cover to keep clean but allow air circulation. Avoid exposure to direct sunlight. Do not store them standing on one end and leaning against a wall.
2. Doors should not be exposed to excessive heat, dryness, humidity or direct sunlight.
3. Do not allow doors to come in contact with water.
4. Doors should always be handled with clean hands.
5. Doors should be lifted and carried when being moved, not dragged across one another or across other surfaces.
6. Wood doors should not be installed where there is insufficient overhang or where there is excessive exposure to the direct rain and/or sunlight.
Finishing:
1. All unfinished doors must be finished on all six sides, including the lock holes within two days(48 hours) of delivery or the limited warranty becomes void.
2. Before finishing , door surfaces must be clean and dry. Remove handling marks or effects of exposure to moisture by sanding the door thoroughly, with the grain, start with 120 grit and working up to 180 grit. Always sand in the direction of the grain.
3. After sanding, clean entire door with a cloth removing dust or foreign debris.
4. Applying a wood conditioner to the product prior to staining will help reduce the colour variations and it will allow even stain application.
5. Choose a stain with ultra violet inhibitors to minimize changes from exposure to sunlight.
6. Apply sealer/primer or first coat of required finish immediately after filling, cutting for closure, weather-strip and/or threshold and before hanging the door.
7. The entire door including the top and bottom edges must receive three to five coats of paints/varnish or polyurethane to prevent undue absorption of moisture.
8. No lacquer or water based sealers are acceptable on exterior doors and will void warranty.
9. Avoid using very dark stains or paints on the door surfaces exposed to direct sunlight, as it will induce warpage and/or excessive deterioration of your door, not covered by limited warranty. Sunburn in Douglas fir wood door will result in pitch bleeding out onto surface, which will not be considered defect.
10. If the door is exposed to rain, a fine bead of clear or paintable caulking must be used between glass and wood moulding on the exterior surface to eliminate water infiltration and seal failure.
Maintenance
Exterior door finishes may deteriorate quickly. To insure exterior door is protected, inspect the finishes regularly and refinish as often as needed.