Refinishing Front Door

[Coop]

What would be the best finish to refinish a knotty alder front door?  I don’t want to replace it with a pre-hung door due to having to re-trimming inside and out and I’m afraid I wouldn’t get the hinge mortises correct if I bought a finished blank.
My concerns on refinishing the exits one is: 1) down time, having to board the opening up during the process. 2) Up keep 3) Durability- there is a recessed porch cover but driving rain can get to it. 

[wtnhighlander]

How about direct sunlight? My front door is under an 8' porch, and rarely does even the windiest storm get water on it. It faces due West, though, and the late afternoon sun would bake away any spar urathane I used. A storm door with UV blocking glass was my solution.

For durability, Total Boat's 'Gleam' product is supposed to be really good, but I suspect the cure time might be a bit long.

[fcschoenthal]

Highly recommend Total Boat products.

One consideration is whether you want the amber of oil-based, or clear of water-based. All are marine varnish, so you've got the UV & water protection pretty much covered.

All of their products (Gleam, Lust & Halcyon) require multiple coats. Lust (oil) and Halcyon (water) are fast drying and can have 5-6 coats done in a day. I use Halcyon on a lot of things because I love the way it levels, no matter how I apply it.

Maintenance is just a scuff sanding and reapply.

[Tom King]

Totalboat Lust can be recoated in an hour.   I put six coats on the entry doors on the rental house in one day.  I have a thread about it somewhere.  I thought maybe here, but know there is one on sawmillcreek.

edited to add:  I found the thread.  I didn't remember when I did them, but see from the date of the thread that it's been a bit over four years.  They still look like I just did them.

 

[Coop]

Wow! Thanks guys. You just made my life a whole lot easier!