External Door Treatments

An external door is one of the hardest-working parts of your home. It faces rain, sun, wind and frost all year round, and without the right protection even the finest oak will fade, swell and crack within a few years. Treating an external door is the single most important thing you can do to keep it looking its best and lasting a lifetime.

Why external doors need treating

Bare wood is porous. Left unprotected it draws in moisture when it rains and dries out under the sun, and that constant movement is what leads to warping, splitting and a tired, grey finish. A good external treatment seals the surface against water while still letting the wood breathe, and blocks the UV that bleaches natural colour away. Our solid oak external doors deserve this care most of all, as the very grain and colour that make them beautiful are what the weather works hardest on.

When and how to treat your door

Treat your door before it is hung, not after. Coat every face and all four edges, including the top and bottom, so no bare wood is left to draw in moisture. Give the same attention to the external door frame, which weathers just as hard as the door itself. Once the door is in use, a fresh coat every so often tops the protection back up, and how often depends on how exposed the door is.

Which doors need treating

Every external door benefits, whatever its style. A front door takes the full force of the weather at the front of the house, while a back door earns its keep through daily use. A glazed external door needs the wood around its panes sealed, and a stable door or a set of French and patio doors simply has more edges to protect. The same care applies to our veneered external doors as to solid oak.

The treatment we recommend

After years of finishing external doors, the treatment we stock and recommend is our Impranol Colour Protective Coating. It is a micro-porous, water-repellent coating that lets the wood breathe while sealing out moisture and guarding against UV and fungal growth, and it will not peel, blister or crack. The translucent finish keeps the natural grain on show and dries quickly between coats. Build up three to four coats for full, lasting protection.

Keeping your door protected

A treated door is not a job done once and forgotten. Check the finish each year, especially along the bottom edge and any south-facing face, and re-coat before the surface starts to dull or let water soak in rather than bead. Kept up, a well-finished oak door will look the part and stay sound for decades.

Not chosen your door yet? Browse our external doors, or start at the external doors hub to weigh up the options.