Storage and Handling

1. Doors shall always be stored flat and in clean dry surroundings. Protect from dirt, water, and abuse from weather. If stored for long periods, doors must be sealed with a non-water base sealer or primer.
2. Doors shall not be exposed to excessive moisture, heat, dryness, or direct sunlight.
3. Doors shall always be handled with clean hands or while wearing clean gloves.
4. Doors shall be lifted and carried, not dragged across one another or on the ground.

Field Finishing

1. Prior to finishing, insure that the building atmosphere is dried to a normal, interior relative humidity. Insure that the doors have been allowed to equalize to a stable moisture content. It is Imperative that the doors be sealed within 10 days of delivery.
2. Prior to finishing, remove all handling marks, raised grain and other undesirable blemishes by completely block sanding all surfaces with a 100 to 150 fine grit abrasive.
3. Certain species of wood, particularly oak, contain chemicals, which react unfavorably with certain finishes causing dark spots. Where possible, the species/finish combination should be tested prior to finishing the doors.
4. In order not to induce warping, avoid dark stains or paints on door surfaces exposed to sunlight.
5. In order to prevent blemish magnification; avoid extremely dark stain on light colored wood species.
6. Water based sealer or prime coats should not be used. Water based topcoats should only be used over surfaces that have been completely sealed with a non-water base sealer or primer. The seal should be at least 2-3 coasts of 95% polyurethane or 95% varathene. No penetrating oil finishes unless it is then coated with a urethane product.
7. A first coat of a thinned sanding sealer, followed by light block sanding, will minimize subsequent handling marks and promote the uniformity if subsequent stain coats.
8. All bare wood surfaces must be sealed, including top and bottom rails (these are end grains and tend to be much more porous. Furthermore, all lock and wheel cavities must be sealed as well. All glazed doors must have finish lapped onto glass for proper sealing (1/32 of an inch).
9. To achieve the desired results of color uniformity, finish build, gloss and reduce the frequency of refinishing, obtain and follow finish manufacture’s recommendations.
10. be sure the door surface being finished is satisfactory in both smoothness and color after each coat.

Installation

1. The utility or structural strength of the doors must not be impaired in fitting to the opening, in applying hardware, in preparing for lights, louvers, or plant-ons or other detailing.
2. Use a minimum of one hinge for each 30 inches of door height on all exterior doors and all solid core doors. When using 3 or more hinges, they are to be equally spaced. Interior doors that are hollow core and weighing less than 50 pounds and not over 7/6 high may be hung on 2 hinges.
3. Clearances between door edges and doorframe shall be a minimum of 1/16 of an inch on the hinge edge, 1/8 of an inch on the latch edge and top rail.
4. All hardware locations, preparations for hardware, and methods of hardware attachment must be appropriate for the specific door construction. Templates for specific hardware preparation are available from the hardware supplier.
5. Apply the sealer, primer, or first coats of the required finish, on exterior doors, immediately after fitting, cutting for hardware, weather-stripping, etc., and before installation of any hardware.
6. When light or louver cutouts are made for exterior doors, they must be protected in order to prevent water from entering the door core. Metal flashing at the bottom of the cutout is one satisfactory method.

Maintenance

1. Most finishes on exterior doors deteriorate relatively quickly. In order for exterior doors to continue receiving the protection required, inspect the condition of exterior finishes at least once a year and refinish as often s needed to maintain the protective integrity of the finish.
2. Insure that the doors continue to swing freely, do not bind in the frame and that all hardware remains functional.