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I plan to build a small loft door for a designer (?) barn . I would like to hear from forum members regarding the best wood and paint to use in an attempt to maximize its life and minimize maintenance.
Thanks
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(12-10-2018, 10:47 PM)RB61 Wrote: I plan to build a small loft door for a designer (?) barn . I would like to hear from forum members regarding the best wood and paint to use in an attempt to maximize its life and minimize maintenance.
Thanks
White oak, cedar,white pine, redwood where available and Ipe. I used white oak a lot for exterior work. Ipe also good for exterior. Cedar and redwood are less dense but hold up well in weather. I haven't painted Ipe but have painted the others mentioned without problems.
mike
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Cyprus is another good outdoor wood
Steve
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Cypress is better than Cyprus for woodwork and won’t make Hank Johnson fearful of it tipping over.
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My first thought when I think of outdoor wood is Teak, but that stuff is REALLY expensive unless you buy a VERY small amount of it. I'd probably go with Redwood as my first choice. You asked about paint, though, but said "finish" in the subject title of this thread. With paint, any exterior grade paint will do, although if it's a more formal setting you might want to go with something special for an entrance door (Benjamin Moore Grand Entrance, for instance). Those types of paint are pretty expensive, though.
If you're going with some kind of clear coat finish, I know spar varnish or spar urethanes are meant for outdoor stuff (though they can be used on interior furniture as well). Anything with UV protecting properties in it besides what I've listed here should be good as well.
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If you keep it coated it with a good latex paint, just about any wood is going to hold up.
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(12-12-2018, 08:50 AM)daddo Wrote: If you keep it coated it with a good latex paint, just about any wood is going to hold up.
This.
John
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(12-10-2018, 10:47 PM)RB61 Wrote: I plan to build a small loft door for a designer (?) barn . I would like to hear from forum members regarding the best wood and paint to use in an attempt to maximize its life and minimize maintenance.
Thanks
Thanks to everyone. It sounds like I am more concerned than I need to be.
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Best paint choice I could suggest is Benjamin Moore Aura exterior.
Best exterior stain I have used is Sherwin Williams WoodScapes.
Best practices are to have surfaces seasoned, cleaned of dirt and mildew that is primed and caulked with high quality products.
Any free advice given is worth double price paid.
