I run a custom door shop and in my experience tight grained at least 16 rings per inch vg douglas fir is about the best performer in direct exposure situations.
Best door for full sun exposure.
Wood doors work best when installed in a protected area oberg says.
Myself i have a white upvc door which faces west when the sun was dying down last summer the metal door lock catch would expand i could not lock the door yet the white upvc door was cool to the touch.
A wood door wouldn t work either as wood tends to warp crack and delaminate under direct sunlight as well.
Solid wood doors were best at resisting wear and tear in our tests.
That makes them an ideal choice for regions such as the south.
Unless they re under an overhang or located in a shaded area the homeowner will have to perform a lot of maintenance and warping will be a problem.
For one thing steel doors are far more durable.
Hi van the uv rays and heat from direct sunlight not to mention rain snow and extreme changes in temperature are very hard on exterior wood doors especially those with clear finishes.
Steel doors also cost the least.
Steel doors make up for the shortcomings of wood and boast advantages all their own.
Frequent oil finishing while not as water resistant is easy and actually develops a patina that looks better with age.
How to paint a front door that gets a lot of sun.
They re also the least likely to dent and scratches are easy to repair.
Yearly refinishing with uv resistant spar varnish is a pain.
All steel doors have an inner frame made of wood or for greater strength steel.
A steel door system with sidelights and premium hardware can nearly equal the cost of a wood door system however.
Since most front doors in palm desert are likely exposed to direct sunlight and extreme heat a steel door wouldn t work because it would absorb too much heat making it too hot to touch.
The sun wind rain and snow can dish out a beating to a front door so a good paint job is essential to protecting the door from the elements.
The durability of fiberglass fiberglass doors offer an attractive alternative for a.
Prices start at about 150 for a 3 foot wide x 6 foot 8 inch tall paneled door without hardware or glazing.
Your best bet is to sand the door down and finish it with multiple coats of an exterior spar varnish that s made for boats.