Beautiful front doors have a more significant curb appeal effect than any other thing. Don’t worry if you have an old wood front door that needs to be restored. Refinishing a front door is simple with a gel stain. Researching the best product for this particular wood front door took me a while. There are many benefits to using gel stain to repair a front door. One of these is that it doesn’t require you to take the exit off the hinges or strip the door before restaining. It’s easy to do it my way. Sold. Gel stain does not penetrate the wood, which is why it’s different than traditional stain. Like paint, it sits on top.
The gel stain is opaque and has a pudding-like consistency. The gel stain will become translucent when the excess is removed. This allows the wood grain to show through just as a regular stain. This post was originally published in 2011. Since then, gel stain has been applied to many Door Finishing projects. You can find helpful gel stain tips and tricks in my blog post, “Helpful Gel Stain Tips & Tricks to a Perfect Finish.” You can read the post that follows this one to learn more about refinishing doors with gel stain.
Before we get into the detailed staining steps, I’d like to address the #1 question: Can you stain an existing stained door? It is possible! It’s possible to use gel stains on doors that have been dyed. In this article, I’ll show you exactly how to accomplish it.
To restore a stained door using gel stain, sand the surface just enough to take off any protective sealer. Although you don’t have to file the door to its bare timber, remove any protection that may remain before staining. The first step to refinishing your front doors is sanding. Sandpaper and a block are needed to remove any traces or old finishes. It would be best if you tried to mix grits. For smooth results, start with coarser and then move up to finer. A sanding sponge and sanding disks may be used for difficult-to-reach areas.
You must use a paint stripper to remove old paint or finishes from your front door. Non-chemical and chemical strippers are available. While chemical strippers work better, they emit more pungent fumes, so wear protective gear. These non-chemical strippers may be safer but take more time to perform.
Now it’s time for a new coat of finish. No matter if you are staining or painting, make sure to choose a durable and long-lasting product. A brush, roller, or drop cloth will be needed to finish and protect the floors. You can easily paint your front doors to improve curb appeal and keep them from being damaged by the weather. How do you pick the best paint for your front door? This article will help you select the best color for your front doors.
Understanding the Different Types Of Paint Available: There is a variety of types of paint that can be used on front doors. They include latex, oil-based and water-based. While oil-based paints can be more weather-resistant and durable, they also emit strong fumes that take longer to dry. Although water-based or latex paints dry faster and don’t emit as many fumes as oil-based ones, but they are less durable. When choosing the right paint for your front doors, it would be best to consider your local climate and weather.