Wood entrance doors will last centuries, with normal paint/varnish maintenance.
What is ‘normal?’
Simple answer: when cosmetically ugly, it’s time to paint or varnish! It is vital to keep the wood sealed at all times, to prevent water egress.
It’s too bad that this vital principle doesn’t always start at the manufacturer!
It can lead to unexpected expenses
To explain: recently we had to make two new church doors, 9′ high, because they were rotted beyond repair.
And….they were only 21 years old!
Water had entered at critical points, and under trims, keeping them damp, because normal cosmetic painting was not done .
Further, at time of their construction, none of the trims were sealed before assembly.
Here’s a pictorial of how we seal vital components AT TIME OF ASSEMBLY.
Is this process new?
Not to us: we are shipbuilders, for centuries, and as such, have taken care to make every effort to KEEP THE WATER OUT!
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- Start with a strong tenon, with a watertight joint
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- Paint or varnish the edges of panels: that’s where the water wicks-up into the wood, causing rot.
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- Pre-paint or varnish the panels. NOTE: Wood moves seasonally! Solid wood panels have to ‘float’ in the frame. Cracking will result if these can’t move with humidity variation.
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- Choose one of 1000’s of trim profiles; or leave it plain, for a clean look. Here we choose a traditional ogee.
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- Assemble the moulding into a frame, and dry-fit into place.
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- Paint those internal areas that will be hidden by trims. Insert the panel to ensure fit.
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- IMPORTANT: seal the backs of the frame BEFORE final assembly. Follow these steps, and paint/varnish as required: and your door will last centuries!
“We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape u.s”
– Churchill