# Oil or water based poly on front door?



## WestKyPainter (Nov 7, 2018)

Tomorrow morning, we are to sand and stain two front doors. I've done a number of these projects in the past 20 years but I'm starting to wonder if I should use water based poly over the stain? I could probably get the job done by Wednesday instead of Thursday if I use the water based product.

Will the water based poly stay wet long enough to get an adequate coat on the door? Semi gloss poly is probably what we'll go with, just need to pick oil or water.


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## Holland (Feb 18, 2011)

Exterior Front Doors? how much sun exposure will it be receiving? 

I'd hesitate to put anything but Spar (or similar) on an exterior door, just because clears don't hold up well to UV. May cost you later.


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## WestKyPainter (Nov 7, 2018)

Exterior front doors and yes, they get a bit of sun.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

Seal them up with some benite, stain and waterborne spar like old masters ascend, general finishes 450, dalys... they're fairly easy to apply via brush but better sprayed.
I also like sikkens door & window but that product is slow, 3 coats minimum and 24 hours between.


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

I switched to waterborne. If it were full sun, I might use an oil instead.... The way I see it is, either the client is gonna maintain them or they wont... So, even if the oil will last a year longer, oh well. Its easier to recoat and maintain the waterborne coating, so once gain, its on the clients back to keep a maintanence schedule.


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## Holland (Feb 18, 2011)

Can someone give me the skinny on Benite? 
Never heard of it before two weeks ago.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

Holland said:


> Can someone give me the skinny on Benite?
> Never heard of it before two weeks ago.



Dalys, out of seattle. A penetrating wood conditioner, becomes part of the wood cell structure wont ever peel or crack and leaves no surface film. Use as a traditional prestain conditioner it will amber the wood a bit. Can also mix in oil based stains to use as a toner. After applied you can leave it for months then come back and stain or paint it, prevents the wood from taking on moisture during that time. Can also be used as its own finish like a traditional varnish. Really great to use on reclaimed wood. I spec it a lot on front doors, jambs, and window casings that will be stained, varnished or painted. Can be used to 'refresh' oil varnished furniture. Can also be used on concrete and masonsry as a waterproofing sealer, won't change the look to much and binds chalky crumbly masonry too. Easy to apply, goes on like water. I would spec this anywhere I expect moisture to be present in the lifetime of the coating.



Another similar product from dalys, shipnshore, I have also had guys using successfully on steel as a replacement for penetrol. Phenolic resin and oil modified urethanes cures to a flexible rust preventative finish. Can also be painted or stained over or left as its own finish. Love using shipnshore on really dry, thirsty exterior wood and as a waterproofer/preservative for reclaimed wood.



I think of both of these products as clear penetrating primers...


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## WestKyPainter (Nov 7, 2018)

Gel stain which was oil based, then two top coats of Helmsman. I thought it turned out nice.


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

WestKyPainter said:


> Gel stain which was oil based, then two top coats of Helmsman. I thought it turned out nice.


What Stain...I always thought Wood Kote J'led stain was a great product for synthetic doors. I guess it's just an assumption that door is synthetic?


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

WestKyPainter said:


> Gel stain which was oil based, then two top coats of Helmsman. I thought it turned out nice.


Nice work. 

I’ve yet to see a door that has been freshly refinished not look nice (unless done by a clueless DIYer). It’s how they look three, five, or seven years down the line.

Helmsman, Old Masters, Sikkens, all make good products. Not a huge fan of Deft for exteriors.


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

Chances are the door will hold up longer than the jambs. The quality of wood used in the jambs these days is horrible. Often you can dent the wood using a thumb nail!


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## WestKyPainter (Nov 7, 2018)

We just used a Minwax gel stain, oil based. Here's the truth, these doors need a maintenance coat every couple of years to keep it in top condition.


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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

Holland said:


> Can someone give me the skinny on Benite?
> Never heard of it before two weeks ago.


It’s basically linseed oil and dehydrated/polymerized castor oil cut with ~ 84% mineral spirits. I use a lot of TO & PTO for similar applications ...same concept/different oil, also having 101 different uses.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

Excuse my ignorance, Is the Hellsman a water based product or oil.? And why did you decide on a gel stain.? Also what kind of wood is this.. Leaving out some valueble information.. Sometimes it not whether it's water or oil, but the product and situation itself..


WestKyPainter said:


> We just used a Minwax gel stain, oil based. Here's the truth, these doors need a maintenance coat every couple of years to keep it in top condition.


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

Helmsman is Minwax's long standing brand of spar varnish. For years it's been the most recognized brand of spar in the States. Traditionally oil based, but they now make a water base urethane version.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

finishesbykevyn said:


> Excuse my ignorance, Is the Hellsman a water based product or oil.? And why did you decide on a gel stain.? Also what kind of wood is this.. Leaving out some valueble information.. Sometimes it not whether it's water or oil, but the product and situation itself..



Gel stain doesn't need to be stripped fully down to bare wood.


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## Tprice2193 (Oct 3, 2017)

Like @RH said time will tell on the helmsman. I used it once on a Mahogany door, 30% direct sun, and it failed within two years. Never even considered using again.


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## WestKyPainter (Nov 7, 2018)

It is a mahogany door that we chose Aged Oak gel stain. The gel stain was used because we like it and have had better luck with it. The polyurethane used was an oil based product.


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## Doorzz (Feb 22, 2021)

It really depends of he type of wood used for making the door. For some of them it should work the water based for others the oil based one. I've experienced the same issue with my patio door that I ordered from a Company
My main stupidity was that I didn't ask them directly what works the best for their doors and called a local paint job Company that used an water based poly and it almost ruined it. Guys, it's really nice that are existing such forums where everybody can share their experiences and opinions !


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