Finishing and Care Guidelines

Failure to follow these instructions may void the product warranty

A. General Instructions

1. Allow doors to acclimate to local relative humidity, usually 1 to 2 days.
2. Finish upon installation and no longer than the following limits:
   • Interior: Paint Grade, within 3 months. Stain Grade, within one month.
   • Exterior: Paint Grade, within 3 months. Stain Grade immediately upon installation.
3. Remove hinges before painting or staining. Solvents in finishes may damage hinge finish and the hinge mortise must be finished.
4. Doors and jambs must be finished or painted equally on all surfaces including:
   • Top and bottom edges
   • Beneath hinges and hardware
   • Under the weatherstripping
   Failure to do so may result in expansion or contraction of , or deflection of product that will void warranty. Always finish both sides of the product. Never leave one side unfinished.

B. Application of Finish

Before you begin, check panel alignment. SELECT products are manufacutured using a “floating” panel construction to allow for the natural movement of wood during changes in humidity. It is possible that some of the panels may have shifted and be slightly out of alignment. Re-align panels by gently tapping into place with a cloth covered wooden block before applying finish.

1. Primer - Primer alone is not a complete finish, it is only a base for paint. Primer is not sufficient to properly seal a door.
   • Lightly sand to remove any handling marks or effects of humidity raising grain.
   • Use compatible primer and top coats. SELECT recommends vinyl base (interior) or alkyd base (exterior) primer.
2. Painting Factory Primed Doors
   • Fill any dents from on site handling, then re-prime any filler.
   • Sand entire door, including machined profiles with 400 grit paper.
   • Wipe clean with a tack cloth to remove dust and fingerprints.
   • Use a high quality oil base paints.
   • Seal around moldings, glass, and panels with a quality paintable caulk is required prior to final coat of paint, when products are exposed to rain or excessively high humidity.
3. Staining and Clear Finish
   • Lightly sand to remove on site handling marks or effects of humidity.
   • Be sure surfaces are clean, dry, and dust free.
   • Use high quality stains, sealers and top coatings.
     Select recommends penetrating or wiping stains, sanding sealers and lacquer for interior productand urethane or catalyzed finishes for exterior product. Check with your finish supplier to assure compatibility of all materials and whether they are suitable for the application.
   • When products are exposed to rain of excessive moisture, sealing around moldings, glass and panels with quality clear caulk is required after the finishing has been completed.
4. Factory stained and Clear Top Coated Products
   • A touch up kit is provided which includes stain and sealer.
   • If finish is altered for intallation, fitting of hardware, or weatherstripping, the wood must be refinished immediately.
   • After installation fill and seal nail or screw holes in jamb and brickmolding. Reseal any nicks and scratches.

C. Follow up care

Because various environmental and climatic conditions can greatly affect finishes, it is difficult to predict how long a finish will last. Proper care and maintenance will extend the life of a finish. The product should be kept clean and dry. Routinely inspect exterior doors for signs of deterioration. Additional coats of finish should be applied as signs of wear are seen. If any dullness, roughness, flaking, peeling or surface checking appears, it is evident that refinishing is necessary. The area should be sanded, stained and re-sealed. Additional top coats should then be applied to the entire surface. Do not use water, abrasive cleaners, or heavy waxes that leave residues.

D. Exposure

Adequate overhangs must be provided to protect the product from exposure to the elements. Adequate overhang depends on the normal weather conditions for the area that the product will be used. Typically, an adequate overhang would be a distance extending to one half the elevation of the entire unit. Failure to provide such overhangs shall void SELECT’s limited warranty.

E. Storm doors

If storm doors are used, the glass must have sun screen or be tinted and proper ventilation must be provided to protect the product from the effects of the sunlight and heat. Failure to follow these intructions shall void SELECT’s limited warranty.