Performance Series Care & Finishing

Finishing Options

Because Simpson Performance Series® doors are crafted with only the finest materials, you can choose from a wide variety of stain or paint possibilities. However, to maximize the life of your door and assist in warranty compliance, take care in following the finishing instructions provided in this brochure.

Handling

Do not walk on any door units. Some units contain glass.
Avoid dragging doors across one another and keep doors clean.
Store flat on a level surface in a dry, well ventilated building.
Doors should be conditioned to average prevailing relative humidity of the locality before hanging.
Doors should not be subject to extreme or rapid changes in heat or humidity. Avoid sudden changes such as forced heat to dry out a building.
If the doors are to be stored on the job site, all ends and edges must be sealed with an effective quality oil-base sealer in order to prevent undue moisture absorption.

Preparation for Finishing

Before applying the first coat of finish, sand the entire surface lightly with 5/0 sandpaper (180 grit). This is to remove fingerprints and handling marks. This is one of the most important steps in finishing and can be expected to take considerable time.
Adjust or align components if necessary before finishing. Wood panels "float" and may be knocked into alignment with a wood block and hammer. Be careful not to damage door.*
Clean door thoroughly after sanding with a cloth to remove all dust or foreign material. However, avoid using caustic or abrasive cleaners.
Hang door before finishing, then remove to finish properly.
All surfaces of the door must be properly finished. The edges (top, bottom and sides) should be coated with each and every coat of finish that is applied to the exterior surface of the door. Doors must be dry before finishing.
On doors that are glazed with clear glass, the finish used should be flowed from the wood slightly onto the glass. This will provide assurance against water leakage and protect the glazing "putty" from drying out.

Finishing

FOR STANDARD CARE & FINISHING INSTRUCTIONS, SEE MASTERMARK CARE & FINISHING.

High Exposure Finishing

Use an oil-based primer followed by at least three top coats of oil or latex-based paint on the exterior. Latex is more durable and has better color retention.
Use a silicone or caulking bead (must be compatible with paint) around the perimeter of each glass pane. This will seal the putty and prevent any moisture from running directly into the door.
Ensure all finish coats are allowed to flow into the glass area at least 1/16".
Ensure all coatings that go on the surface of the door are also applied to the top and bottom. Coat all six sides of every door, or your warranty will be voided.
Silicone the door bottom sweep onto the bottom of the door and apply a surface mount drip cap to the bottom of each door to allow for moisture runoff onto the sill.
For outswing units: Prior to finishing the top of the inactive door, be sure to fill the mortise pocket around the flush bolt prep with silicone or caulking. Moisture has a history of pooling up in this area on outswing units. Consider a thin layer of metal across the top of the door to keep moisture from direct contact with the wood.
Storm or screen doors may be mandatory to completely eliminate moisture problems. Storm doors must be vented to eliminate temperature build-up.

Paint Finish Specifics

"Bridge" finish from face of door to moulding, ensuring there is no gap between moulding and surface of the door.
"Bridge" finish as noted above on inside of panel area where moulding meets panel and/or glass.
Ensure all moulding miters are well-coated, leaving no gaps.

Jamb-to-Sill Specifics

Caulk at sill-to-jamb leg connection.
Use corner pads where sill meets jamb.
Flood flush bolt hole in sill with caulk or silicone.

Fitting and Hanging

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 panel doors down in height by more than 2" (1-1/2" maximum from bottom, 1/2" maximum from top). Care should be taken in cutting panel doors down in width to avoid exposing engineered components. 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 three hinges on doors up to 7' in height and four hinges on doors over 7'. 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 or with sufficient protection. If an overhang is not feasible or if additional protection is not practical, finishing the door in a light color will prevent excess heat build-up in the door.
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.
Prior to exterior exposure, doors should be finished with complete finish system.
To minimize heat loss and save energy, use weather stripping.

Maintenance

Your Simpson Mastermark door has been handcrafted to last for years to come. But, like any fine piece of furniture, its finish will require some simple, periodic maintenance to keep it looking great and provide proper protection against the elements. Regular finish maintenance is also a requirement of the warranty that's included with every Simpson door. Here are some signs to watch for. They indicate that it's time for some simple, easy-to-perform 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 from a southern or western exposure, you'll want to examine your door's finish often. Depending on the conditions, you may also need to refinish the door more frequently.

*See #7 under "Characteristics excluded from these warranties."

Performance Series doors incorporate the patented FRAMESAVER® technology, under license from BMS of Nacogdoches, Texas. U.S. Patent No's: 5,873,209 and 6,122,822.

Simpson Performance Series U.S. Patent No. 6,185,894