It is important that timber products are correctly finished to prolong their life and maintain a stunning appearance. Depending on the specific product you choose the decoration requirements may vary, so it is important you adhere to the finishing guidance provided in the fitting instructions you receive with the product. As a general guide we would advise the following:

Choose factory finished

We recommend buying fully finished painted or stained windows from us, giving you a great finish that protects and maintains their appearance for as long as possible and will save you added decorating costs.

Your products will arrive ready to fit, requiring nothing more than a light clean with a soft sponge and soapy water to retain their condition for quite some time - see our maintenance advice.

Our Hi-Build paint and stains are microporous which allow moisture to be released whilst protecting the timber. Light colours carry a higher warranty than dark colours as they don’t absorb the heat as quickly. Metallic and fluorescent colour options are not available.

If you do want to finish the products in a specific paint or stain, our basecoat stained, or primed products are the best option, make sure you choose a good quality Hi-Build microporous paint or stain to protect the timber whilst allowing it to breathe. You must fully finish your products before you expose them to the elements.

Decorating

If you prefer to do your own decorating, choose a branded microporous high-build paint or high-build stain, which can be purchased from most decorators' centres and some retailers. Always use in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

To achieve the best finish ensure you follow the manufacturers’ instructions, sand your products lightly between coats and allow adequate drying time.

We recommend that freshly plastered areas dry completely before our products are fitted so there are no rapid changes in humidity. This will prevent excessive moisture penetration and warping. 

It is important that external doors and patios are finished with a suitable base sealer and top coat on the surfaces, along all four edges and in any cut-outs for locks, hinges, letter plates, etc.

As soon as work on the door is complete, sand off any handling marks or variations caused by exposure, ensure the door is dust free and then apply two coats of base sealer or primer. Do not use wire wool or other sanding materials with steel or iron elements.

Use a proprietary branded hi-build stain or paint system (please note, our external ply doors, boarded doors and redwood doors are suitable for painting only). Treat in accordance with the paint or stain manufacturers' instructions. A light sanding between coats will provide the best finish. Adequate drying time must be allowed between the coats.

Our external doors and patios are not suitable for clear varnishes, waxes, polishes, oils, yacht varnish or lacquers as these finishes do not protect the door.

In areas of severe exposure, we suggest covering your external door with a porch, hood or canopy in addition to the decorative protection. Regular maintenance must also be made to stop deterioration of the wood, its construction or the finish.

INTERNAL DOORS

Moulded doors should be fully decorated using quality paint within 24 hours of fitting, paying attention to all 4 edges and any cutouts for locks and hinges etc.

Laminates and pre-finished feature doors come already finished and ready to hang. You will need to finish door edges if they are trimmed to fit, in which case we recommend a polyurethane varnish.

Our oak and primed timber feature doors can be finished with paint, stain, varnish or lacquer to suit your tastes and the style of your property.

WINDOWS, EXTERNAL ENTRANCE & PATIO DOORSETS

Joinery that is supplied factory-primed must be painted within three months of delivery and windows with a factory-applied basecoat stain must be decorated within a month.

Knotting treatment must be applied if an opaque stain finish is desired or knotting becomes visible through the primer or basecoat.

Any surfaces that are cut on-site, particularly those exposing an end grain, must be brush coated with preservatives and primed or basecoat stained depending on the final finish being applied before the window is fixed into position. Any alterations to the product supplied will invalidate the manufacturers' guarantees.

If primed or base coat stain finishes have deteriorated because of prolonged exposure, the surface must be prepared properly and primed again before finishing.

Think carefully before painting windows black or other dark colours, as the sun can shorten the lifespan of these finishes. Danish oils should never be used on JELD-WEN products.

Factory Finished joinery is guaranteed against blistering, cracking, flaking or erosion excluding natural resin exudation and movement around knots.

Suggested redecoration cycles

For pigmented coating system applied on windows e.g. white or pastel colours:

Construction

Moderate climate

Hard Climate

Extreme climate

Sheltered

10 years

10 years

7 years

Partly sheltered

10 years

7 years

5 years

Unsheltered

7 years

5 years

5 years

 

For stain and lacquer coating sytem applied on timber windows:

Construction

Moderate climate

Hard climate

Extreme Climate

Sheltered

6 years

5 years

3 years

Partly Sheltered 

5 years

3 years

2 years*

Unsheltered

3 years

2 years*

2 years*

*Only dark oak stain allowed. 

All unfinished joinery is described as being supplied 'in the white.' A suitable hi-build microporous paint or stain must be applied to unfinished windows before they are exposed to the elements and further coats will be needing to be added in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines to afford full protection.

Download the external joinery decoration guide

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