Warranty

The complete Ranch House Doors warranty, painting and sealing instructions, and wood care document.

Coverage

Ranch House Doors warrants its doors for a period of one year from the time of delivery against defects in workmanship or material. All Ranch House Doors must be properly protected and cared for according to the instructions and guidelines laid out herein.

All doors must be finished within 72 hours of receiving the door. Due to the hygroscopic nature of lumber, doors should not be stored in an unfinished state beyond this period. RHD recommends that garage doors are finished prior to installation. Attempting to finish doors while installed may compromise the finish and void the warranty.

Material Warranties

In addition to the RHD 1-year workmanship warranty, certain engineered wood materials carry separate manufacturer warranties covering the material itself.

Manufacturer material warranties are issued directly by the material manufacturer and are independent of the Ranch House Doors workmanship warranty. Contact your dealer for documentation.

Paint Grade Finish Instructions

Surface preparation: All surfaces must be clean and free of dirt, grease, dust, or any substance that will prevent paint adhesion. Any scarring that occurs during the shipping, handling, and installation process must be re-sanded and free from defect. All surfaces should be sanded with 220 grit or greater sandpaper going with the grain only.

Paint grade doors must receive a total of three coats of paint on all six sides of each section: one coat of primer and two coats of exterior grade finish paint. Both latex and alkyd paints are acceptable.

Some species of wood, such as cedar and redwood, require tannin stain blocking primers and paints to prevent the acid from bleeding through. Bleed-through is not considered a defect and will not be covered under this warranty. Follow all instructions from the paint manufacturer as well. Failure to do so will void this warranty.

Doors must be caulked on all horizontal areas to prevent moisture penetration and trapping. RHD recommends Lexel clear caulking applied over the paint. All V-grooves or other areas that would allow moisture behind the trim must be filled. Failure to properly caulk the horizontal boards will void this warranty.

Stain Grade Finish Instructions

Surface preparation: All surfaces must be clean and free of dirt, grease, dust, or any substance that will prevent stain or sealer adhesion. Any scarring that occurs during the shipping, handling, and installation process must be addressed before staining and sealing. All surfaces should be sanded with 220 grit or greater sandpaper going with the grain only.

RHD recommends using a pre-staining wood conditioner on softwoods only. Follow the instructions on the can.

Staining: One coat of stain color Old Masters. Allow to dry per the manufacturer, then apply two top coats of an Oil Alkyd product (PPG Door and Window, Proluxe Maintenance, or McCloskey Satin minimal sheen). Follow the manufacturer dry time and light sand between top coats so the surface is dustless before applying.

Use of any other products will void the warranty. Following the manufacturer instructions, apply three coats total (sealer and two top coats) of finish to all exterior, interior, and edges of each door section.

After the stain and top coat process is complete, or between finish coats, all horizontal boards and surfaces must be caulked to prevent moisture penetration behind the trim. RHD recommends Lexel clear caulking applied after the stain and sealing process is complete. Failure to properly caulk will void the warranty.

Vintage / Reclaimed Wood Finish Instructions

RHD recommends the following products for reclaimed and aged wood doors:

• Bora-Care (also known as Borrada) for the prevention and control of subterranean termites, Formosan termites, drywood termites, carpenter ants, listed wood destroying beetles, fungi (rot), and algae
• Rain Guard for all reclaimed and aged exterior products. See the manufacturer sealing instructions.
• Modern Masters DP612-GAL Exterior Dead Flat Varnish, which allows the finish to maintain that aged effect and removes undesirable variations in sheen

Thermalized Series Finish Instructions

Thermalized products: Cutek stains is the only product to be used for the Thermalized Series.

• Product reference: www.cutekstain.com

After the stain and top coat process is complete, all horizontal boards and surfaces must be caulked to prevent moisture penetration behind the trim. RHD recommends Lexel clear caulking applied after the stain and sealing process is complete. Failure to properly caulk will void the warranty.

General Care

Thermally modified lumber is still a natural wood product and depends on a maintained finish to perform. The guidance below is general care advice. It does not replace the Cutek application instructions or the warranty requirements above.

• Keep surfaces clean. Rinse away dirt, pollen, salt, and airborne residue with clean water and a mild soap using a soft cloth or a soft bristle brush.
• Avoid harsh chemicals, solvents, degreasers, bleach, and abrasive pads. These can strip or dull the finish and open the surface to moisture.
• Keep pressure washers well back from the surface, or avoid them entirely. High pressure at close range can raise the grain and drive water into the wood.
• Clear leaves, debris, and snow from the bottom section and from any horizontal surface where moisture can sit against the door.
• Address scratches and worn spots as they appear rather than waiting for a full refinish.

Re-application timing: follow the Cutek instructions for the product, together with the exposure based schedule in the Maintenance Procedures section below. As with every Ranch House Door, visual inspection governs. A door that looks weathered ahead of schedule should be maintained when visually necessary regardless of timeframe.

Painting, Sealing, and Wood Care

Water base and polyurethane products: These products are short term compared to Oil Alkyds (Proluxe Sikkens). Clear coats: if you must use water base, observe the following.

Hardwoods, for example rift sawn white oak: When using these types of systems, all six sides must be sealed, especially the end grains of boards. This is the hardest area to reach, therefore do not allow the stainer to just put on a light coating. The end grains must be sanded and receive two coatings. This is where boards will absorb moisture and turn a blackish color if not sealed. Cupping and checking will also occur if not sealed properly.

Yearly inspection of all surfaces of each door will reveal the extent of weathering and need for refinishing. Your specific climate may demand a yearly finishing process. Your annual inspection will ensure the longevity of your Ranch House Door.

Sun and Water Exposure

Your particular environment must be accounted for in your door selection process. Taking the proper steps to protect the wood from sun and water will ensure the longevity of your Ranch House Door. For example, vertical grain cedar for southwest exposures. This species of wood can handle the toughest conditions.

Tannic Stains

Tannic acid is in all wood, however redwood, cedar, and oak have exceptionally high levels. When a water-based primer is applied to these woods, the tannin becomes soluble in the water content of the primer and travels to the wood surface. At the surface it mixes with air and oxidizes, turning brown or yellow on the surface. These stains will transfer through the next coat, continually staining the surface unless locked within.

Tannin stain blocking (TSB) primers have high levels of components capable of locking the stain as it dries. The stains will be visible, but if allowed to cure completely, nearly 95% of tannins will be blocked from transferring to the next one. Presently, a 95% block is the maximum one can expect. Another characteristic of TSB primers is a less than desired resistance to abrasion, particularly for products shipped without top coats.

The best process is to apply the TSB primer and allow it to cure, followed by a second coat of standard primer to hide stains and resist abrasion. The two-coat system is an industry standard with water-based coatings and should always be accompanied by two finish coats of exterior paints as well.

Wood Putty

Ranch House Doors does not putty doors that are made from Western red cedar (clear or STK), incense cedar, Alaskan yellow cedar, Spanish cedar, Port Orford cedar, or redwood unless specifically requested. These doors will have brad puncture holes on the face and overlays of the doors and are the responsibility of the end user to fill if they so desire. Putty is available for these species at no extra cost. However, RHD holds no responsibility for color matching putty on these species.

Bowing, Checking, and Warping

Exposure to the environment may cause bowing, checking, and cracking. These are not defects. They are only unforeseen and uncontrollable characteristics of natural wood. It is the sole responsibility of the dealer and the end user to select the type of material and door that will offer the best results and longevity in each climate and environment.

Dark Stains and Paints

Dark stains and paints excessively increase the heat of a wood door. Lumber cannot be expected to endure this excessive heat as it will create too much stress on the lumber, resulting in cracking, warping, twisting, shrinkage, and basic fiber compromise. Any wood product that is placed under these circumstances will be void of warranty. Please consult with your dealer for further information. South and southwest facing doors should be cedar.

For dark paints and stains RHD recommends the following materials:

• Paint grade: Use Tricoya, or use cedar or Accoya if painting real woods. Standard Extira and MDO are not recommended. Painting black or dark colors will void the warranty.
• Stain grade: Use cedar or Accoya. Any other real woods are not recommended. Staining or painting dark colors will void the warranty.

Maintenance Procedures

Proper maintenance starts with visual inspection of the door. These estimated timeframes can be used as a general guideline. However, as weathering, exposure, and altitude vary, maintenance may be needed sooner and should be performed when visually necessary regardless of timeframe.

Do not wait too long before performing maintenance on the door (1-coat system). The longer the homeowner delays, the more expensive it will be to refinish the door, requiring stripping, re-staining, and applying a 3-coat system.

Products to Use

• Sikkens ProLuxe Cetol Maintenance RE, a premium, clear, alkyd resin exterior wood finish designed for use exclusively as a maintenance coat on wood

Storage

Doors that are stored in an unfinished state past the allowed sealing time will void the warranty. When storing, doors must be laid flat with support every 36 inches to ensure that no abnormal bowing occurs. Doors stored in an unfinished state, unsupported, or standing sections vertically will void the warranty.

What Is Not Covered

• Shrinkage and swelling, natural characteristics of lumber, not defects
• Bowing, checking, and warping from environmental exposure, not defects
• Tannic staining from cedar, redwood, or oak. RHD primer is not tannin blocking and RHD assumes no responsibility for tannin stains.
• Tannin bleed-through on species such as cedar and redwood
• Brad puncture holes on Western red cedar, incense cedar, Alaskan yellow cedar, Spanish cedar, Port Orford cedar, or redwood faces and overlays
• Color variation in putty after staining
• Gaps of 1/8" or greater as reclaimed or aged material acclimates to its environment, and staining of cut edges on reclaimed material
• Transportation, shipping, labor, paint, stain, sealers, or any other charge related to a warranty claim
• Doors that have been stained, sealed, painted, or installed before inspection
• Doors finished more than 72 hours after delivery, or stored unfinished, unsupported, or standing sections vertically
• Dark or black finishes on standard Extira or MDO, or dark stains on species other than cedar or Accoya
• Use of deck stains, lacquer single coat systems, or any product other than those specified
• Failure to follow finish, caulking, or maintenance requirements

Claims

Ranch House Doors reserves the right to repair any warranty claim. Ranch House Doors is not responsible, under any circumstances, for transportation, shipping, labor, paint, stain, sealers, or any other charge related to the warranty claim.

To submit a warranty claim contact your authorized Ranch House Doors dealer.