If you have a wood exterior door, then you know that even if you use a good quality sealer, eventually it will look a bit weathered. I refinished our front door about 8 years ago. Even though it sits under a porch and is partly protected from the elements, it still was showing wear. I just got a new kitchen door (details coming soon!) and it made it even more obvious that the front door needed some attention. So here is how to refresh a weathered wood door!
This post is sponsored by HomeRight but all ideas and opinions are my own. This post also contains affiliate links.
Before
The sealer started to crack and fade. You can see the line along the side where the edge of the door was inside the frame and protected. It still looks great. But the rest, not so much.
How to Refresh A Weathered Wood Door
It is so much easier than you might think! And it is the perfect weeknd project.
Supplies:
Sandpaper (120 & 220 grit)
Damp Rag
Painters Tape
Sanding
You don’t need to completely sand it down to the bare wood. All you need to do is hand sand it until it is smooth. You don’t even have to remove all of the old sealer.
Use a 120 grit sandpaper first and then use a 220 grit paper. Always sand with the wood grain.
Clean Surface
Once you are done sanding, wipe it clean. Let it completely dry. Once dry, if there are streaks, wipe again.
Seal!
Now it is time to re-seal! Make sure to tape off anything you don’t want to get sealer on it.
Use a quality sealer that is meant to withstand outside elements. I used a spar urethane (Helmsman by Minwax). Spar Urethane has resin and is more yellowish than polyurethane but is better at blocking UV rays and protecting against water.
In the past I have always brushed it on, but recently I tried out using a sealer in my HomeRight sprayer and it was awesome! I decided that since it is Fall, and I have a limited amount of time before it gets dark (thanks daylight savings…), that I would use the sprayer on the door. It was so fast and worked like a charm!
I used the Finish Max Super and was done in just a few minutes. I waited the appropriate amount of time for the first coat to dry, sanded lightly grit 220 grit sandpaper, and applied a second coat. Since the door had already been sealed, I probably could have just done one coat. But since the sprayer made things go faster, I thought I might as well!
Add Hardware & Hang
When it started to cool down and get dark, we brought the door inside to finish drying. I allowed it to dry for as long as possible (until Shane started falling asleep on the couch) and then carefully put it back up and added the hardware back on. Since we only had a sheet covering the opening while the door was getting worked on, it was nice the project went so fast so we could do it all in one day.
Now the outside looks as good as the inside of the door!
It looks so mice we even got our family pictures taken on the front porch :)
GIVEAWAY!
HomeRight is offering to giveaway a Finish Max Super to one lucky reader. Fall is the perfect time to complete some last minute projects outside. This sprayer will definitely help you do that!
Enter below using the Rafflecopter widget. Email me if you have any issues.
You must be at least 18 years old to enter. You must be a resident of the USA to enter. The giveaway will go from November 16, 2020 until November 23, 2020. The winner will be chosen by random.org and will be notified by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner will be chosen. The shipping of the prize is the responsibility of the company, in this case HomeRight.
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This is super exciting! Your projects always turn out great when you use this sprayer! I’ve wanted one forever but it never seems to fit in the budget so I struggle to fight brushstrokes. 😜 I have an antique dresser that needs a new life but it deserves better than brushstrokes, which is why I’ve waited to do anything about it for so long. This would be perfect, thank you for the opportunity!
Oh my gosh your door is beautiful!! That is amazing that you got to spray it. How convenient!! I have a bench I would love to do. I have never tried a sprayer. Thank you for sharing & the opportunity to win.
Your door looks great!
well id like to finish painting the room in the front of the house this fall
I have a set of chairs I am itching to get painted!
Ooooh! Turned out nicely! I need to give feed room some love.
I still need to paint my garage door and my back fence!
What a beautiful and handsome family. The door looks beautiful too. So unique!
I want to repaint the outside of our house. Your door looks amazing!
This sprayer would make so many projects so much easier and much faster. Thanks for the chance to win!
I scored one of those giant wooden spools that I’d like to refinish into a coffee table
Your door looks great!! My front door needs a refresh also. The Finish Max Super is a great giveaway!
What a beautiful family picture, Stacy! I can’t believe how tall your boys are now! I am constructing out of old fence boards and the sprayer would be great for sealing them. Thanks for the chance to win!
Wow! What a great result! I have repainting my kitchen cabinets on my list of projects to complete this fall. I have to believe that it would go much faster and have a better finish with the HomeRite Finish Max sprayer. Thank you for offering this chance to win one!
Gorgeous!
I’m would like to paint my basement laundry area!
I would love to restain our weathered front door also! Yours looks amazing! Thanks for sharing the details!
I’d like to have my husband make a farmhouse table.
I am trying to refinish my son’s dresser before it’s to cold.
Reroofing the garage and repainted the doors and lights on it too.
I need to spray my patio furniture.
My HOA just announced that everyone needs to paint their fences. It’s just a little too much for a paint brush, but too much for a commercial sprayer.
Such a cute door. Love the arch! Thanks for having the contest to win a sprayer! I have plenty of projects to us it on!
My screened in porch. Adding shelves for my plants.
Your door looks great, such beautiful wood! I appreciate the chance to win a sprayer so I can stain a lattice patio screen.
I always inspired when I see the things you do. have 2 projects I need to complete. I have a faux grandmother clock to paint and also my doors for my cupboard in my laundry room. Need to sand and paint or stain, A sprayer would help with my motivation, thank you for the chance.
We are still,working on mom’s remodeling job.
Painting the outside of the house is next.
I’ve always loved how unique your door/entry is! My project is a dresser that has been needing to be refinished for a long time. 😬
Funny enough I have a wooden entry door that I’d love to refresh as a project.
I have a dresser in my master bedroom that I’d love to use this on.
I love everything you can do with this! I’d love to use it on several second hand pieces I purchased to spruce up.
I would be able to finish a few tables and kitchen cabinets in my house if I had this.
I’d love to work on redoing my dining room table.
Your door is gorgeous!
We need to repaint out wooden fence in the backyard. It is weathered wood and we’d like to paint it white.
Fantastic job on the door. Love it.
I would love to finish up the crown molding that we have started…
We want to paint the entire outside of our house.
I would like to finish my patio door.
i want to make a concession stand for our little movie theater room.