This was an exterior door on an ADU in Potrero Hill. It faced south, so it took direct sun most of the day, and it was also exposed to rain and the rest of the weather. Over time, the finish had broken down. The surface layer of the wood had started to warp and delaminate, and the door had become rough enough that the tenant was getting splinters and cutting his hands just opening it.
South-facing doors take the worst of it in the Bay Area. UV breaks down finishes and dries out the wood surface, and then rain gets into the cracks the sun opened. Once the protective layer fails, the wood starts to check, splinter, and lift, and it gets worse with each season.
The first step was dealing with the damaged surface. The loose, delaminating wood and old finish had to come off, down to sound wood, and the surface had to be smooth before anything new went on. There’s no point sealing over a failing layer; it will just keep lifting underneath.
For the finish, I chose a combined stain and varnish rated for exterior use. Interior finishes don’t hold up to direct sun and rain, and the UV protection in an exterior-rated product is what keeps a south-facing door from going right back to where it started. The stain brought the color and warmth back into the wood, and the varnish sealed it against water and sun.
The improvement was dramatic. The door went from rough, splintering, and weathered to smooth, rich, and protected, and it’s safe to open again. For a rental, it’s a small job that makes a big difference, both in how the unit looks and in the tenant’s day-to-day comfort.
A tip for anyone with an exposed wood door: refinishing it before the finish fails completely is far easier than restoring it after the wood starts to delaminate.
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