Refinishing The Front Door

I first I removed the busted up screen door. The front door is very large, very old and very heavy. On the bottom half, all of the stain has been washed away. On the top half, there is thick dripping old lacquer. 

I used a chemical stripper and an orbital sander removing as much of the old finish as I could.

Because this door is so heavy, I'm going to stain it while its hanging. I'm using Modern Masters Espresso Gel Stain. This is my favorite brand. It's very saturated, and very high quality. I brush on the stain, starting with all of the raised panels. As I finish each strip I wipe away with an old tee shirt revealing the grain. 

I used a tarnish remover on the door knocker, handle and locks, and then brushed on 2 coats of Modern Masters Flat Clear Coat. The final step was to add a wreath. The door jamb and the trim needs to be stained and painted, but we're pretty happy with the finished front door.