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CARE & MAINTENANCE

Storing & Handling

  • Do not walk on any door units. Some units contain glass.

  • Avoid leaving unfinished doors in direct sunlight. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight will discolor the wood and bake on the plastic film which protects the glass during the finishing process.

  • Avoid dragging doors across one another.

  • Keep doors clean.

  • Store doors flat on a level surface in a dry, well ventilated interior space.

  • Doors should be conditioned to average prevailing relative humidity of the locality before hanging. This generally takes 48 to 72 hours.

  • Doors should be delivered to the building site only after the concrete, plaster, stucco, sheet rock work and paint are completely dry.

  • Doors should not be subject to abnormal heat, dryness or humidity for prolonged periods. Avoid sudden changes such as forced heat to dry out a building.

  • Doors must be finished immediately upon delivery to the job site.

  • If the doors are to be stored on the job site, the entire door including top and bottom edges must be sealed with a clear or pigmented based sealer to prevent moisture absorption. All six sides of the door must be properly sealed

Installation

  • Immediately after cutting and fitting (before hanging), seal all cut surfaces and ends of door with an effective quality sealer. See exterior and interior finishing recommendation for complete instructions.

  • When hanging door, allow adequate clearance for swelling of door or frame in damp weather. Allow approximately 3⁄16” clearance for swelling when the door is installed in fully dry conditions. Jambs must be plumb.

  • Do not cut doors down in height by more than 2-9⁄16” (13⁄16” maximum from top, 1-3⁄4” from the bottom). Care should be taken in cutting doors down in width (maximum 1⁄8” each side) to avoid exposing engineered core. Use sharp fine tooth saw for trimming ends of doors.

  • Caution must be used to avoid impairing the strength of the door when fitting for locks. Allow at least 1” of wood back of mortise.

  • Use  four hinges on all doors over. Hinges must be set in a straight line to prevent distortion.

  • Jambs and stops must be set square and plumb.

  • For best performance, any exterior door should be installed under an overhang equal to the height of the door.

Maintenance

Here are some signs to watch for that may indicate it is time for maintenance:

  • Hairline cracks in the top coat of finish.

  • Changes in the color of the finish.

  • Changes in the texture of the finish, such as flaking or scaling.

  • Dullness or chalkiness in the finish.

If you live in a severe climate or your entry receives a lot of direct sunlight exposure, you will want to examine your door’s finish often. Depending on these conditions, you may also need to refinish the door more frequently.

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