How to Guide

FINISHING AND REFINISHING INSTRUCTIONS
for Interior and Exterior Door Slabs and Systems (JCM004)
Read all instructions thoroughly before beginning. This is a guideline
for painting and nishing exterior and interior doors. JELD-WEN cannot
evaluate all available paints, stains, or application requirements. Consult a
paint professional or a local paint department/store for coatings best suited
to the project. Select top quality nishes and follow all manufacturers'
instructions.
Finish all six surfaces (both sides and edges) of the door slab, including
cutouts for hardware (if hinges are installed on an interior door slab,
do not remove them), as well as the frame and the brickmould or other
trim to ensure proper protection from the elements. The sweep on the
bottom of exterior doors needs to be sealed on both ends with exterior
silicone sealant and should not be painted or stained. The sweep should
not be removed as paint or stain application to the rail underneath is not
recommended. Failure to nish the door slab as instructed may result in
the denial of warranty claims for operational or performance problems.
IMPORTANT!
• Steel and berglass door slabs MUST be nished within thirty (30)
days of purchase.
• Factory primed wood doors (molded, ush, premium composite, stile
and rail) MUST be nished within fourteen (14) days of purchase.
• Raw, un-primed wood doors (molded, ush, stile and rail) MUST be
nished within SEVEN (7) days of purchase.
• Finish wood frames in the same manner as the slab.
• Vinyl components do not require nishing.
• Renish products when the nish cracks, splits or becomes dull.
NEEDED MATERIALS AND TOOLS
When preparing to nish doors, consider the materials and tools
required for the entire project. Listed below are some common items
needed to properly nish doors. Not all materials and tools will be
required for every job.
Needed Materials and Tools:
• Safety glasses and
rubber gloves
• Screwdrivers
• Power drill
• Hammer
• Punch
• Utility knife
• Plastic putty knife
• Hand block sander
• Foam brush
• Paint brush
• Sprayer
• Vinegar and water
• Denatured alcohol
• Wood block
• Masking tape
• Sandpaper - 150
grit or ner (Steel
and Smooth-Pro
Fiberglass Doors)
• Sandpaper - 400 grit
(Authentic Wood
Doors)
• Pre-stain conditioner
if staining wood
• Clean rags
• Cheesecloth
• Polyurethane
• Stain Kit
(Fiberglass Doors)
• Paint or stain
(see instructions
for each door
type for specic
recommendations)
• Paint thinner or
mineral spirits (for
clean up)
• Tack cloth
• 0000 Steel wool
BASIC FINISHING RECOMMENDATIONS
• Wear safety glasses for eye protection, and rubber gloves to prevent
soiling the door with oil from hands.
• Allow doors to acclimate to local conditions for at least 24 hours
before nishing.
• Remove all hardware (except hinges from an interior door slab) and
mask off glass, weatherstrip, and the door sweep (on the bottom of
exterior slabs).
• Finish in dust free area away from direct sunlight.
• Finishing is easier if the slab is in a horizontal, at position on a
padded surface. This is not required and the slab may be nished in
any position, however, do not stand an exterior slab on the sweep
(the weatherstrip on the bottom of the door) as damage may result.
• If nishing an exterior slab, seal both ends of the sweep (weatherstrip
on the bottom) with an exterior grade silicone.
• If nishing a slab with a glass insert, inspect for sealant that may have
squeezed out onto the glass or door. Carefully score excess sealant (do
not scratch glass) with a utility knife (stainless steel blade) and remove
with a plastic putty knife.
• If nishing a slab with a glass insert, follow the glass manufacturer’s
instructions on the glass insert frame label.
• Door must be clean and dry before nishing.
• Test your nish prior to application in a discreet location.
• Apply nish materials in multiple light coats instead of fewer
heavycoats.
• If painting grained or textured doors, too many coats will diminish the
wood grain texture.
CHOOSE FINISHING MATERIALS
• If the door is exposed to direct sunlight, dark colored nishes may
fade or deteriorate quickly and increase maintenance. See our
Appropriate Protection document at www.jeld-wen.com in the
Product Support section under Care and Maintenance for more
information on color choice.
• Use a good quality primer and paint, or wood sealer and stain.
We recommend using one manufacturer’s products to ensure
compatibility. Follow all manufacturers application instructions.
• If choosing an oil or solvent based paint, consult with a paint
professional on the best product (usually quick drying) for the job.
• If staining berglass doors, for the best results, we recommend using
our Stain Kit. If not possible, use only a professional quality, heavy
body or highly viscous exterior gel stain. Note: Once Architectural
berglass doors are stained, it is very difcult to change the color.
Always test the color in an inconspicuous area to determine if the
color is acceptable before staining the entire door.
• Use only exterior solid color stains on wood surfaces exposed to
sunlight because their high concentration of pigments protects wood
against damage. The natural wood color and grain is obstructed,
but the wood texture is retained. These stains provide minimum
protection against water or dirt protection, so a polyurethane top
coat must be used.
• Finish with coatings that are resistant to water, wear, heat, solvents
and chemicals. Without these characteristics, the nished product may
deteriorate, compromising its integrity.
• Use a topcoat containing UV inhibitor. Use exterior nishing products
on all exterior surfaces as well as for interior surfaces still exposed to
sunlight to provide extra protection and durability.
(07/15)
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information. Any reliance upon the information or advice is at the risk of the party so relying.
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