GARAGE DOOR RESTORATION

This garage door had become badly weathered  throughout the years. The door faced continual exposure to afternoon sun, which caused significant deterioration in the finish, leading to chipping and yellowing.

The door was stripped with belt sanders, palm sanders, hand sanders, and lastly with fine dremel tool work in all the beveled panels. Stripping liquids were also used in the panels. We were able to achieve a very clean surface for the subsequent staining and restoration.

The objective was to match the garage door to the front door. However, because the exposed wood was so red and porous (being cedar), this was made considerably more difficult. In addition, it appeared that the vertical door elements may also have been made of a different wood (a white oak), which meant different stains would be employed.

Because of the porosity, a very light color was used, which still resulted in a finish in a deep rich medium cherry brown. The resultant finish was quite close to the front door. Color adjustments were made in both the staining and subsequent applications of spar varnish. The garage door was further weatherized with clear exterior siding caulk in areas where cracks were present. Lastly, the door trim was repainted in a matching cream color.