Care & Finishing for Your Wood Door
Upon Receipt Of Door
Inspect your door thoroughly . Immediately check for squareness or warp . Do not cut , fit , or hang any door with any noticeable damage or defects . If any type of problem is found , notify the company from which you purchased the door for further instructions .
Storage & Handling
1 . Before installing , allow 24 — 48 hours for the door to adapt to the general humidity and temperature conditions of your area .
2 . Doors should always be stored flat , in a clean , dry , well-ventilated room . Protect from dirt , water , and abuse . If stored for long periods , doors should be sealed with a high quality sealer or primer .
3 . Doors should be stored in a dry area , and must not be exposed to abnormal heat , direct sunlight , direct moisture , or extreme dryness or humidity .
4 . Deliver to your building site after the plaster and cement are completely dry . Avoid prolonged exposure to heated or air-conditioned environments prior to finishing .
5 . If the doors are to be stored on the job site , all ends and edges must be sealed with a wood sealer in order to prevent moisture absorption .
6 . Doors should always be handled with clean hands or while wearing clean gloves , to prevent dirt and oils from penetrating the wood grains .
7 . Doors should be lifted and carried , not dragged in order to prevent damage to the wood surface .
Preparation for Finishing
1 . Prior to finishing , ensure that the building atmosphere is dried to a normal , interior relative humidity . Ensure that the doors have been allowed to equalize to a stable moisture content .
2 . Doors must be completely finished on all 6 sides prior to final installation . Installation of an unfinished door will void the warranty .
3 . To assure uniform moisture exposure and dimensional control , ALL surfaces must be treated equally . This includes front and back , top , bottom , and 2 sides .
4 . Before finishing , cut , fit , and hang the door . Then remove the door and any hardware prior to finishing . When trimming the door , do not remove more than 1 ” from the bottom rail and / or 1 / 2
” from the top rail of the door . Do not reduce the width of the door by removing more than 1 / 2˝ from either side edge . Removal of more than these amounts from the door will void the warranty .
5 . Before applying the first finishing coat , sand entire surface lightly to remove handling marks , raised grain , or other undesirable blemishes . Use 120 to 180 grit sandpaper , and always sand in the direction of the grain . Spot sanding can cause the finish to appear splotchy .
6 . After sanding , clean the entire door with a clean cloth to remove all dust or foreign debris . ( Avoid caustic or abrasive cleaners ).
7 . Certain species of wood contain chemicals which react unfavorably with certain finishes , causing dark stain spots . Where possible , the finish selection should be tested prior to complete application .
8 . Avoid very dark stains or dark colored paints on door surfaces exposed directly to sunlight . Dark colors induce warpage .