Ok folks, continuing the eternal conversation about my blue door :) My husband and I had another conversation about why we each felt the way we do, and it helped us both understand better. His thoughts: We have a beautiful home that we have put quite a bit of money into improving, but mostly adding to. We are finishing our basement, and instead of throwing up drywall and carpet and calling it done, we have finished it just as nicely as the rest of the house. Wood floors, wainscoting, custom cabinetry, etc. To him making that door any color that wood does not naturally have cheapens it. So to him it would be like putting cheap formica countertops in a custom kitchen. He also grew up in a home with very nice wood trim, floors, cabinets and built ins that are stained golden honey. While he doesn't care for that color, in his home you respect the wood, and painting wood that nice defeats the point of having wood that nice. My thoughts: I love blue. I love French Cottage. I love the blue and the stone together. I think it would draw attention to our door and enhance the beauty. Blue is a happy color for me. Most homes built in the last at least ten years in my area are brown stucco and stone (just. like. mine.). I hate having the exact same thing as everyone else. I like to be unique (though not be weird just for the sake of being different). I also love color. I come from a place where houses aren't all the color of dirt. So after this conversation we are both reconsidering our positions and the thoughts of the other. I agree that paint would be a mistake because it would cover the natural beauty of the wood. But watered down paint that shows the grain and knots but still gives the color, or blue stain could be really beautiful to me. So does a blue door cheapen the look of everything else?

kellyeng - wow those are really nice!! soonermagic - I just saw your door in your other thread! I have picked out the door! I gave the catalog back to the builder or I would scan it in and post it. It almost looks like teach 2007. To be honest, I am kind of forgetting what it looked like! LOL! I looked at soooo many. I do know there is 6 windows at the top of the door! LOL! I guess I will remember when I see it on the house! Thanks everyone! I am sooo glad I went with Alder. I LOVE the wood! I am dieing to see the cabinets! Kel

I have knotty alder with 3 coats of catalyzed lacquer/sealant for my trim, interior doors and front door and LOVE it. It was expensive compared to other woods (cherry's not cheap either though)and takes quite a bit of sanding between coats of lacquer but it is definately worth it. It seems hard enough to me. I have 2 large dogs and young boy and have no worries about it's lack of strength. (I tend to run into it more not paying attention to where I am moving things and have not noticed any dings). At first I was a little worried because pre-lacquer, it is very light but with each coat of lacquer it got darker. Originally, I was thinking stain then lacquer but am glad I did not do this. As for the knots....either you like them or you don't. There were 2 grades of alder from my supplier, the more expensive had less severe of knots. I chose the other as I like the knots and feel that they have more character (on a small few they go all the way through). Off subject, I am new to this site and am wondering what dh stands for?

Here's' another option http://www.askhlm.com/Articles/ArticleViewPage/tabid/75/ArticleId/26/Paint-On-A-Clear-Finish.aspx   Original tester was in Texas. Try wiping a small area with mineral spirits to simulate what the door will look like with a fresh coat. If you need to add color, you might look at gel stains. They do not need to soak into bare wood like oil- or water-based stains do. But you will want to at least rough up the areas to get a dull base and remove any UV damaged old finish. And for me, there is not even a question, I'd remove the door to work on it. And another study that talks briefly about marine varnishes http://www.askhlm.com/Articles/ArticleViewPage/tabid/75/ArticleId/26/Paint-On-A-Clear-Finish.aspx   And, by the way, Minwax Helmsman is not in the same class as the real marine varnishes. Poly just has very limited UV resistance. It was the so-called spar urethane used in the first article.