For many homeowners, their wood folding door system is the centerpiece of their home. It’s the grand entrance that opens up the house to fresh air and sunlight, and it makes an impression on every visitor who comes into the space.

Natural hardwood doors are incredibly beautiful and are commonly found in luxury homes, resorts, and high-end condominiums. While hardwood folding doors are incredibly beautiful, they do require a bit of maintenance and regular upkeep if you want to keep them looking brand-new.

Unlike aluminum or vinyl folding doors (which are relatively maintenance-free), wood is an organic material that’s susceptible to water damage, mold, and natural decay. Its one and only line of defense against the elements is the thin layer of water-resistant stain that keeps the doorframe from absorbing water, developing mold, and protects it from the sun’s harmful UV rays.

Periodically, you’ll need to re-stain or touch up the stain on your wood doors to keep them operating smoothly and maintain the structural integrity of the doorframe.

So, for our DIY readers who are considering doing a full re-stain, we decided to put together a complete, no holds barred guide to re-staining your wooden doors. While we always recommend having a professional do the job, it is possible to DIY if you have the right materials, tools, and some basic carpentry experience!

How Can You Tell When It’s Time To Re-Stain Wood Folding Doors?

Maintaining the integrity of the wood stain is of vital importance if you want your expensive doors to last. This is one area where you want to be proactive rather than reactive.

Many people wait until the damage has gone too far and have to hire somebody to try and repair the wood folding doors. Unfortunately, once the stain has been allowed to break down and water has gotten into the wood, it may warp the doorframe for good. This can cause difficulty opening and closing the door, and may even allow water to seep through into the interior of your home!

Sounds pretty bad, right?

Well, thankfully, as long as you’re proactive in treating and re-staining your wood doors, this nightmare can be averted. The only question is, how do you tell when it’s time to re-stain and repair wood folding doors?

The Stain Has Faded Significantly

The first sign is rather obvious… If you realize that your once-dark wood stain has faded to a light, pale shadow of what it once was, then chances are that it’s time to re-stain your wood.

As we mentioned above, one of the main jobs of wood stain is to protect the wood from UV rays, which can break down the integrity of the wood over time. The stain is absorbed into the upper layers of wood, and bears the brunt of the UV rays, allowing the wood to remain safe and protected underneath.

Once the color starts to fade, it means that the safe layer of protection is beginning to fade. This, in turn, means that more UV rays are penetrating into the wood itself, causing damage. If it’s allowed to continue for an extended period of time, then the wood will begin to crack, bend, and separate.

The best way to tell how much the wood has faded is to compare how it looks today with a picture of how it looked on the first day that the stain was applied. If you’re reading this article now, then we’d be willing to bet that it’s probably a lot lighter.

The Doors Are No Longer Water-Resistant

Another warning sign that you need to re-stain your wood folding doors ASAP is if you notice them absorbing water.

When the stain is in optimal condition, it’s supposed to keep all of the water out and prevent the wood from absorbing moisture. If it rains or you spray a bit of water on it, then the water should immediately fall off or puddle up into large drops that fall right off.

As the sun’s UV rays cause the stain to break down, it loses its ability to protect the wood, allowing moisture inside. This moisture can eventually cause the doorframe to warp and expand, causing difficulty when moving the door panels. It can also cause some of the interior hardware and locks to become repositioned, which will prevent them from operating properly.

The Surface Of The Wood Is “Fuzzy”

Once the wood stain really breaks down, you’ll often notice a thin layer of fuzziness on the surface of the wood. These are thin wood fibers that have escaped the protective layer of stain and have been damaged by the sun. It means that the damage has already begun and that you need to re-stain as soon as possible before further damage occurs.

Do I Need To Hire A Professional To Re-Stain My Folding Doors?

By this time, you’re probably thinking to yourself, “Hmm… this re-staining process seems like quite a big deal. Should I just hire a professional to make sure it gets done the right way?”

We’re going to be completely honest with you here – re-staining wooden doors is no easy task. Staining a brand new wood door is hard enough, but a re-stain involves stripping the old stain off completely before applying a new layer of stain. Wood strippers contain heavy-duty chemicals that must be handled with care to prevent injuries. If they’re not handled properly, they can burn your skin and eyes; if you breathe them in, they can even cause respiratory pain and injury.

Additionally re-staining the wood properly requires a steady hand, impeccable timing, and extreme attention to detail. Otherwise, the newly stained doors will appear blotchy, and you’ll be able to see unsightly overlap lines.

Last but not least, there’s also the issue of removing the door panels. If you have experience installing and removing door systems, then it should be fairly straightforward. However, if you don’t have experience, then you could risk damaging your door panels and voiding the manufacturer’s warranty while you’re at it.

The only real advantage of re-staining your wood folding doors yourself is that you’ll save money that you would otherwise have to pay a professional. The cost of professionally re-staining a folding door system can easily be $1,000 or more, depending on the size of your doors, so it’s not exactly a “cheap fix.”

Conversely, the advantages of hiring a professional include:

• Pros likely have prior experience re-staining wood doors.
• There will be several people to help remove the heavy door panels.
• The job will be performed quickly and on schedule.
• You won’t have to buy any extra tools or equipment.
• The job will likely be covered under a warranty or have a “satisfaction guarantee,” if anything goes wrong.

So, all in all, we strongly recommend hiring a licensed professional if you’re planning on performing a full re-stain. Just make sure that they have experience working with folding door systems, offer a satisfaction guarantee, and have a track record of performing quality work.

Re-Touching Vs. Re-Staining Wood Doors

If you’re feeling a bit apprehensive about the whole process or you don’t have the extra cash to hire somebody to completely re-stain your wood doors, then you might just consider re-touching the stain instead.

Re-touching is a good choice if the stain just needs a spot treatment or if you’re not able to perform a complete re-stain. Admittedly, it won’t look as good, and it won’t be a long-term solution for the problem, but it can act as a “bandaid” and allow your doors to go a little bit longer before you perform a complete re-stain.

In order to re-touch your wood door, you’ll want to use the exact same stain that you originally stained your doors with. If your doors were stained by the manufacturer, then you’ll want to call them to find out what stain they used. The chemical formulation of a stain can vary from one brand to another, which means that not all stains will be compatible with the original underlying wood stain.

Once you find your stain, you’ll want to perform Step 1 below and clean the doors. Then, use a stain sponge applicator to apply a THIN coat (very important) to the damaged areas. You may want to re-touch the entire outer-facing surface of the door. Before doing this, you should use painters’ tape to cover the door hardware and window.

Re-touching your wooden doors will enhance the outer appearance, give them an extra layer of UV protection, and ensure that water doesn’t penetrate from the outside. It won’t be fully absorbed into the wood, but it will provide a thin protective layer until you have time or can afford to completely re-stain the doors.

How To Re-Stain Wooden Doors

Alright, now for the part that you’ve all been waiting for! Before we jumped straight into re-staining the doors, we wanted to give you an accurate depiction of what the job entails, as it’s not something that you should go into without being fully prepared.

However, if you’re still committed to performing a DIY re-stain, then we’ve got you covered. To write this guide (and ensure that the information we’re giving you is completely accurate), we partnered with a friend of ours who’s a local wood artisan and regularly re-stains door systems for his clients on the West Coast.

So, that being said, it’s time to repair your wood folding doors for good with a beautiful new stain that will have them looking factory-fresh!

Step 1: Clean The Doors

Whenever you’re working with wood, you always want to start with a clean surface. If you start with a dirty surface, it can interact with your various stripping chemicals or the stain, causing less than satisfactory results.

Thankfully, cleaning your doors is a fairly easy and quick task. The main goal of this is to remove any surface oils and grime on the wood and to kill any mold or mildew that may have started developing.

To begin, mix a solution of:

• 3 cups of white vinegar.
• 3 tablespoons of Dawn dish soap.
• 3 cups of warm water.

Then, using a soft-bristled brush (don’t use a hard-bristled brush as it can scratch the wood and harm the finish on the door’s hardware), lightly scrub the exterior and interior wood doors. Let the solution sit on the doors for a couple of minutes before drying it off using microfiber towels that won’t leave behind any cloth fibers.

Now, your wood should be free of any surface debris, mold spores, and oils.

Step 2: Prepare Your Supplies

Before you do anything else, you want to have all of your supplies in one location. Since you’re going to be completely removing your folding doors from the track, you’re going to have an open doorway. This means that you’ll want to complete the job as fast as possible so you can close your house back up and protect it from the elements.

Wood Stain Stripper

The first chemical you’ll want to purchase is a strong wood stripper. There are two ways to go for this route. The first route is to purchase a deck-stripping chemical. These are heavy-duty basic chemicals (‘basic’ as in pH levels, the opposite of acidic), which are designed to break down the oil bonds in the stain and allow it to be removed.

Unfortunately, good deck strippers can be expensive and a bit hard to find. They can also be very dangerous if you get them on your skin, and will always need to be handled with proper PPE. However, there is another solution – denatured alcohol.

Denatured alcohol can be purchased at just about any hardware store and is kind of like a stronger version of rubbing alcohol. It smells very strong, so you’ll want to wear a respirator mask, but with a bit of scrubbing, it should break through the old stain and allow it to be easily removed.

Wood Brightener

The wood stripping process often tarnishes the natural color of the wood. Thankfully, a wood brightening chemical can bring back the wood’s natural colors and showcase some of the beautiful wood grain. A good brightener can make your old wood look brand-new, and can be purchased at most hardware stores or online.

New Stain

The most important part of re-staining your wood door is, of course, the stain. When it comes to wood stain, you don’t want to be cheap. Do some research and find a high-quality stain that you really like, even if it costs a bit more than you were hoping. You only get one chance at this, so you may as well do it right!

One of the best ways to test stains is to visit a hardware store and ask them for samples. The associate should be able to dip small pieces of wood into the stain so you can see exactly how it will look once it’s dry. This will give you a chance to compare and contrast different stains before you make a final decision.

Stain Vs. Sealant: What’s Better?

If you’ve never purchased wood stain before, then this may be a question you have, as both stain and sealant are usually right next to each other on the store shelf. Sealants are clear solutions that protect the wood from water while preserving the natural finish and grain of the hardwood.

However, sealant also doesn’t last as long. It also won’t provide much protection against the sun’s UV rays, which are your wood folding door’s biggest enemy. For this reason, you’ll want to purchase a wood stain. Stains will be completely absorbed into the upper layers of the wood and will provide protection from UV rays and ensure that the door is impervious to water.

Darker-colored stains tend to hide the wood grain. However, there are a number of light-colored stains that will still preserve the natural wood grain and texture if that’s what you’re concerned about!

Rotary Sander

After you finished stripping the deck, there will be a layer of fuzzy dead wood that will need to be sanded off. The easiest way to remove it is by using an electric rotary sander and fine-grit sandpaper.

Pressure Washer

After applying the wood stripper, there will be a lot of sticky clumps of old stain and dead wood sitting on the surface of the doors. The best way to take care of this is to hit them with a fine-mist pressure wash tip.

Step 3: Remove The Doors From The Track

Before you begin re-staining your doors, you’ll want to remove them from the track. You’ll be dealing with a lot of chemicals, stain, and water, which means you don’t want to do this inside of your home.

Before you go unscrewing hinges, you need to be absolutely sure about what you’re doing. If you have no idea how to begin, then we recommend hiring a professional door company for this step. They’ll likely know the easiest and safest way to remove your folding doors from the track without damaging them.

To facilitate this process, it also helps to have a diagram of the door. This will ensure that you know where all of the parts and pivot points in the door system are so that you can easily put it back on its track once you’re finished with the staining process.

Step 4: Set Up A Clean, Dry Space To Re-Stain Your Doors

If you have an enclosed garage space, then you should clear it out and move your doors there. During the re-staining process, you don’t want the wood to get wet, otherwise, it can mess up the entire process. You also don’t want any wind blowing debris into your wet stain. It’s important to have a clean, enclosed space for this project.

Keep in mind that you’ll also want to place the folding door panels somewhere where they won’t slip and fall. Replacing the glass window panes in your folding door system can be almost as expensive as buying a brand-new set of doors, so you’ll want to make sure that no harm comes to them.

Step 5: Apply The Wood Stripper And Wash Off The Old Stain

Now that you have all of your materials, a clean workspace and your doors are securely supported, it’s time for the first major step- stripping the old stain off the wood. This is arguably the hardest and most labor-intensive part of the process.

No matter whether you’re using a deck stripping chemical or denatured alcohol, make sure that you’re wearing proper PPE. You should be wearing a respiratory mask to protect you from harmful fumes, safety glasses to prevent anything from splattering into your eyes, and rubber gloves that extend up your forearms to prevent the chemicals from coming into contact with your skin.

If you’re using a deck stripping chemical just follow the instructions listed on the back of the label. Each deck stripper is a little bit different and may involve a slightly different process. Typically, after the deck stripper does its job, you’ll need to use the pressure washer or a hose to spray off all of the gunky stain globs that are left on the doors’ surface.

If you’re using denatured alcohol, then you’ll need to put in a little bit more elbow grease. Using a medium-bristled brush (such as a standard kitchen/bathroom cleaning brush), scrub the denatured alcohol into the stained wood until all of the stain is dissolved.

You may need to have a couple of rags handy to wipe up any chunks of stain on the surface. However, the advantage of using denatured alcohol is that you won’t have to spray the doors down with water afterward. This is because the alcohol will just evaporate into the air and won’t leave any residual chemicals on the wood’s surface.

Step 6: Sand Down The Top Layer Of Wood

After you’ve stripped the stain from the wood and the doors have had time to dry, you’ll notice that there’s a fuzzy silver-colored layer of dead wood on the surface of your doors. The amount of fuzziness on the wood will vary, depending on how damaged they were or how intense the stripping chemical you used was.

Using your rotary sander and fine-grit sandpaper, lightly sand down these areas. You can use a handheld piece of sandpaper (the same grit) to clean the hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.

You don’t need to go overboard for this part. You just need to remove the thin layer of fuzziness from the door. In fact, if you sand too much, it can actually seal the pores of the wood and make it harder for the doors to absorb the new stain.

Once you’re finished, use an air hose or hair dryer to blow all of the wood dust off of the doors. Then, soak a cloth in denatured alcohol and wipe it across the wood’s surface to remove any stubborn wood dust and shavings. Remember, you always want to work with a completely clean surface!

Step 7: Apply Brightener And Let The Doors Dry

The next step is to apply your wood brightener to the doors. This is one of the coolest parts of the process, as you’ll get to watch the doors literally transform before your eyes.

By this time, your wood might be looking a bit dull and dark. However, after applying the brightener, it will come back to life in a matter of minutes, showcasing a variety of natural wood shades and vibrant colors.

As each wood brightening product is a bit different from the next, the best rule of thumb is to follow the application instructions on the label. Most brighteners will have you wash the acidic compound off with water after it’s done its job.

How To Check The Wood’s Moisture Level

Before you apply the stain, you’ll want to make sure that the wood is completely dry. We recommend purchasing a wood moisture meter from Amazon or your local hardware store. They typically cost anywhere from $30 to $40.

The reason these little devices are important is that your wood may look dry from the surface, but can contain moisture within. Sometimes, the wood may take a full 48 hours to completely dry, and your moisture meter will give you the most accurate results.

Step 8: Mask The Door Apply Two Coats Of New Stain

The final step in this process is to apply two coats of new stain to the doors. Before you begin to re-stain your folding doors, you’ll want to use painters’ tape to cover all of the hardware such as:

• Door handles and doorknobs.
• Hinges.
• Locks.
• Rollers.

You’ll also need to cover the glass panels using a combination of painters’ tape and plastic or paper. Stain can be hard to remove from glass, so you’ll want to avoid making a mess whenever possible.

For application, you can use a brush, a stain application pad, or a combination of both. Since stain starts to dry relatively fast, you’ll want to make sure that you focus on doing one section of wood at a time. So, pick a plank of wood or trim to stain piece-by-piece, until the entire door is stained. When flipping the doors over to stain the other side, make sure that you don’t ruin the freshly applied stain that you just did.

Depending on the type and brand of stain you’re using, it should take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours to cure (check the label). Once the first coat is 100% dry, it’s time to apply the second coat.

Now, you’re pretty much finished! If you happen to notice any small “puddles” of stain that didn’t get completely absorbed, use a small cloth or sponge to absorb the residual stain. If you allow the puddles to sit, then they can cause the wood to have an unsightly sticky patch.

Step 9: Re-Install Wood Folding Doors

Your masterpiece is now complete! Once your second layer of stain has completely dried, all you have to do is re-install them on your door track. Since these doors are incredibly heavy, we recommend hiring professionals or having a couple of assistants to help you lift and re-position the heavy door panels without dropping or damaging them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before we finish up the article, we figured that we would take a few minutes to answer some of the most commonly asked questions when it comes to re-staining your doors. Let’s take a look!

Is Re-Staining Expensive?

DIY re-staining doesn’t cost a lot of money. However, it is very labor-intensive. There’s a lot of detailed work that goes into the process, and you’ll need to set aside at least two or three days to complete the project.

Hiring professionals is usually the best option. While you’ll have to pay them a good bit of money, you also won’t have to take valuable time off of work, so it helps to offset the costs.

How Long Will The New Stain Last?

As long as you applied two coats of high-quality stain, then it should last you around five years! If your doors are installed in a shady area, then the stain may even last up to seven years or more. The more UV exposure the stained wood doors receive, the faster the stain will break down.

Conclusion

There you have it! As you can see, restaining your wood doors isn’t necessarily rocket science, it’s just a lot of hard work and attention to detail. Even if you do end up hiring a professional to complete the job, we still think it’s a good idea to have a basic understanding of the process.

Understanding how the process works will allow you to have an educated conversation with whoever you end up hiring to re-stain your doors and will give you the knowledge you need to quiz potential contractors to see if they know what they’re talking about. If you do end up attempting to re-stain your faded wood folding doors yourself, then we wish you the best of luck!