How Do You Refinish An Exterior Wood Door?
An exterior door that has been hanging on the outside of a building for a long time is a prime candidate for a new, fresh coat of varnish, wood stain or paint. The longer the door has been exposed to the elements, the easier it will be to remove the old finish and put a new coat in its place. Remove the hinge pins from the exterior door so that the door can be taken down and worked on. Start with the bottom hinge pin and work up toward the top, removing the top hinge pin last of all. Use a hammer and the tip of a straight edged screwdriver to first loosen each hinge, and then tap the hinge upward until it comes loose. Set the door on a pair of sawhorses and remove all metal hardware, including hinges, handles, locks, knockers and doorstops. Then closely examine the door to determine the best way to remove the old finish. Sanding is usually preferred to chemical stripping. However, sanding works best when the door is solid wood with a flat surface. (See Section 2 for an explanation of c
