How to Stain Your Front Exterior Oak Door

What Type of Stain front door is good To Choose

While paint sits on the exterior of a surface, stain is absorbed. When wood absorbs stain, it will take on the colour of the stain, while still retaining the overall look of the wood.

Transparent Stain
If you want to see the grain through the stain then choose a stain that is labeled as transparent or semi-transparent.

Opaque Stain
To hide the grain, use a thicker opaque stain which will give better coverage, and appears more like paint. This is a common choice when using low-quality wood.

Exterior Stain
Did you know there are different stains for interior use and exterior use? When staining your front door, it’s important to select a stain that is exterior grade. Why? Interior grade stains will often discolor in sunlight and may take a lot longer to properly dry. You will still need to varnish and protect the wood after staining, but it is still important to choose the right stain for the right application.

Alcohol-Based Stain
Available in a wide range of colours, alcohol-based stain dries faster than water-based. It can also be sprayed onto the wood if needed, rather than applied with a brush.

Popular Stain Colours For Your Front Exterior Oak Door

Stain comes in a wide range of colours, that extend beyond the typical wood-brown look. White-wash, greys, and even light shades of blues, reds, and greens are stylish choices for your front door.

Instructions to Stain Front Door

Preparing The Door For Staining

Often, the most time-consuming part of a painting or staining project is in preparation. In fact, the better you prepare the surface, the better the end result! So it pays to spend time with this step.

For some, removing the door hardware and removing the door from the hinges will make the job easier. If you choose not to remove the door,  you will want to spread a drop cloth on the floor of the doorway.

Patch and fill any holes or cracks in the wood door.

Now it’s time to remove the old varnish. You do this by sanding the door. The job will be a lot easier if you use an electric sander. This is where patience is key. It’s important you remove all the old varnish from the door.

When you are done sanding, you can vacuum and wipe down the door to remove all the dust created from the sanding.

Staining the Front Door

Believe it or not, this is the easy part. The most important part of staining is wiping off the excess right after you apply it. In other words, stain a section, then wipe. The longer you let the stain soak, the darker it will be. You may wish to do two coats of stain. Use a paintbrush to apply the stain the area, and then wipe with a clean rag.

Varnish Over the Stain
Let the stain dry completely as per manufacturer’s instructions. Your next step is to apply a protective varnish. Try to used best varnish for exterior doors. You want to be sure to get one that is meant for outdoor use. You will want to lightly sand the door with a fine-grit sandpaper. You don’t want to remove the finish you just created, but you want to create enough grit for the varnish to stick. Check for drips, brush strokes, brush bristles and missed areas before you varnish.