My “Newly” Refinished Front Door Is Already Falling Apart—What Should I Do?

I hired a painter last month to refinish our front door because the stain was fading and a few hairline cracks were starting to show. He claimed to have experience with doors—but in hindsight, I’m not so sure. He sanded it down, applied a stain, and then sealed it with what he said was either a varnish or lacquer. The finish looked decent at first (aside from some visible brush strokes), but now—just a few weeks later—it’s already cracking again, worse than before. Some of the splits are wider and deeper, especially after the recent record heat wave we had here in the Northeast. The door is only 5 years old, but it faces west and gets absolutely hammered by afternoon sun. I’d really like to extend its life—ideally without calling that same guy back. Is this something I can tackle myself? I can't afford to pay another $1,200 to have someone else do it. Do I need to use wood filler first? Should I strip everything and start over? Open to any advice or product recommendations. Thanks in advance! submitted by /u/watchcargo [link] [comments]

Jun 26, 2025 - 20:32

My “Newly” Refinished Front Door Is Already Falling Apart—What Should I Do?

I hired a painter last month to refinish our front door because the stain was fading and a few hairline cracks were starting to show. He claimed to have experience with doors—but in hindsight, I’m not so sure.

He sanded it down, applied a stain, and then sealed it with what he said was either a varnish or lacquer. The finish looked decent at first (aside from some visible brush strokes), but now—just a few weeks later—it’s already cracking again, worse than before. Some of the splits are wider and deeper, especially after the recent record heat wave we had here in the Northeast.

The door is only 5 years old, but it faces west and gets absolutely hammered by afternoon sun. I’d really like to extend its life—ideally without calling that same guy back.

Is this something I can tackle myself? I can't afford to pay another $1,200 to have someone else do it. Do I need to use wood filler first? Should I strip everything and start over? Open to any advice or product recommendations.

Thanks in advance!

submitted by /u/watchcargo
[link] [comments]