Sealant for wooden exterior door (red oak)
pwwppw
| Posted in General Discussion on
Hi all,
I have built up the main rails and stiles for a front door, then on closer inspection realise it’s red oak with open pores. Completely not ideal, very much a rookie error, but it’s nearly free wood, dry, and is nice to work with.
The door will be painted, inset 100mm/4″ into a west-facing wall, without a porch.
Can I use a clear penetrating epoxy as a sealant and primer? I thought I’d cover the side grain and especially end grain to seal the open pores before assembly. Then I’d use epoxy or waterproof PU glue for assembly, then I plan on undercoat and exterior wood paint.
Replies
I think red oak will probably do fine, especially as you will be painting it. it is definitely more porous, if you cut a 1/4 piece off the end of a board, you can blow air through that piece). Oil based paints generally do well over an epoxy sealer - as seen in cold molded boats. As you mentioned, pay particular attention to the end grain, and maybe even plan to re-paint the top and bottom of the door every few years (although that will probably not happen, if you are like me).
Be sure to seal the end grain of the panels (in fact, best to seal the whole panel and the grooves) before assembling the door. Water can leak down into the grooves and soak into the panels and frame pieces. I recently made an exterior door with no weather protection. I used sassafras, a naturally durable wood, but sealed everything I wouldn't be able to get to later before I glued it up. I would choose waterproof epoxy as my adhesive. It is liable to fill the end grain inside the joints, for a bit of extra protection.
Paint is all you need. I would most definitely NOT use an epoxy first as adhesion will be an issue.
One of my sailing buddy has that enormous ferro-cement boat with red-oak trim and after 40 years of Lake and ocean travelling it still retains most of its integrity althrough some parts are rotten, its been painted and in some areas, paint is what is holding it together but the whole boat is like that s0 it goes along with the style.
Thanks everyone