We spend a lot of time at Absolute Painting going to homes that need all types of painting and construction work done. I am always trying to give homeowners advice on what to do with their homes to save them money or to make it so they have less maintenance.
One of the biggest mistakes that I see Portland homeowners make is purchasing a real wood door that faces the hot sun or gets direct rain on it. Some homeowners will purchase a beautiful front door or garage door that is made of wood. These doors can cost thousands of dollars when new. Many people will stain these doors with a beautiful semi-transparent stain and think they have made a wonderful investment.
The bad news is with our weather in Oregon we often get direct hot sun on these doors that breaks the stain or clear coat down very quickly. Within a year or two these doors can start to break down. The finish can wear off very quickly and the actual door can start to dry out and warp over time. If you have a glass door in front of your door it can heat up and damage it even faster.
We do not actually refinish doors at Absolute Painting & Power Washing but we do deal with a company that does this type of work and they typically charge $500-$1500 per door to refinish them and this may need to be done every 3-4 years. Garage doors often take more abuse than front doors as they are usually exposed to rain also.
If you are thinking about new doors you might consider how much weather exposure it gets prior to making a purchase. Some doors that are made of other materials will last much longer and will look great for many years. Call Absolute Painting & Power Washing with any questions on new doors.
