Step 1
Sand surface thoroughly with 140 grit sandpaper to remove shiny finish. For difficult areas to sand such as in panel moulding an application of acetone is recommended.

Step 2
Paint with 1 coat of solvent based primer or undercoat - preferably white liquid etching primer or automotive grade etching primer.

Step 3
For PAINT FINISH - 2 coats of acrylic paint of choice is recommended.

Step 4
For STAIN FINISH - wipe on Wattyl Colourwood stain of choice - wipe off surplus stain to achieve an uneven finish.
When first coat is thoroughly dry (24 hours) a second coat of stain can be applied if desired, this coat is best smoothed out along the grain removing surplus stain, an acrylic brush is recommended.

Step 5
For STAIN FINISH - brush finish with 2 coats of exterior grade varnish of choice - we recommend Wattyl Estapol or SIKKENS Cetol Filter 7 exterior varnish.

Note: Staining must only be done with door lying flat.

Recommendations For Sealing And Priming Wooden Doors
ie. Western Red Cedar
Always paint or varnish doors while lying flat and prior to hanging. Before hanging make sure all cut-outs for hardware have been primed or sealed according to warranty. Avoid fitting locks at joints of rail/stile. If the door is prehung remove from hinges for finishing.

Allow doors to become conditioned to site temperatures and when packaging is removed prime or seal all six surfaces according to warranty.
Be sure to thoroughly clean the surface before priming or sealing.

This sealing coat is most important, it seals against moisture and dictates the durability of subsequent finishing coats. It is vital to pay special attention to the bottom edge as this is a likely entry point for moisture particularly when hung in aluminium joinery. Fill any holes and seal well.

To seal for varnish finish we recommend a mixture of exterior polyurethane 60% with mineral turps 40%

OR - Sikkens Cetol HLS (solvent base)

OR - Intergrain sealer (waterbase)

If for paint finish use exterior primer/undercoat or tannin blocking primer for cedar.

Finishing Coats
A) Paint finish - use 3 top coats of good quality exterior finishing paint applied according to the paint manufacturers recommendations.

B) Varnish finish - we recommend sikkens Cetol filter 7 (solvent base) or Intergrain varnishes (water base)

All these products provide medium / long term protection with a semi transparent penetrating finish with a light pigmentation and UV screen in a variety of popular timber finishes. They should be applied according to the manufacturers instructions and are available from most reliable paint stockists.

Please note: Clear polyurethane varnishes are not recommended. After consultation with the Forestry Industry Research Institute’s timber treatment technicians there is no clear varnish on the market that provides medium/long term protection.

Regular maintenance of all exterior door surfaces is essential, obvious lack of such maintenance can lead to deterioration of the door and warranty claims will not be considered.