Ready Strip is available at Home Depot. Get the gallon. You are probably going to need it :)

Should be in the paint department. While there get some scrapers and some "chip" brushes. Chip brushes are cheap throwaway brushes. You brush the Ready Strip on thick. It will be green. Wait for it to turn white, and that tells you it's ready. Use a spray bottle to mist it if it's dry. Then scrape it off, and you will see the paint coming off with it.

Yes you could do this with it hanging, but I don't think you want to. It's going to be a big mess. I would get a sheet of plywood and screw it over the opening for security ( I assume you have another entrance).

As for the finish you will have to see what the wood looks like underneath. There are other's here that are more expert about finishes than me. I would would use Waterlox.

And no need to rush into this project. That doors been there a long time, it's not going anywhere. I wouldn't want to do it now because it's too hot. I would wait until Sept/Oct when we aren't running A/C or heat.

You should google wood restoration for NYC, I say this because paint stripping is not for everyone. It is messy and slow work.

You will need to own a sander, some gloves, and a plastic putty knife. I almost forgot the stripper. In the old days I used Jasco Premium Paint & Epoxy remover. Since I live in California I am not longer able to use it. It is banned here. So is oil based house paint. I hear favorable things about Citrustrip. I am sure you can see how it is done on Youtube.

Commercial strippers can be good, but don't let them dump your nice door in a tank of lye if you go that route, find someone who will use an organic stripper (e.g. something based on methylene chloride and not water) on it.

Definitely wait until the weather cools off, get your supplies during the week and take the door off the hinges to work on it. Strip one side perfectlyl, apply the finish, then put the door back on during the week.

Next weekend, do the other side.

Watch this video - you can secure an opening with plywood and some pipe or rebar without messing up the door frame. Re-use the plywood later for something else.

http://www.todayshomeowner.com/video/installing-a-temporary-plywood-door-without-fasteners/#tabs-1

Folks

Amazing the amount of advice you can get on this forum so thank you! Can you folks take a look at the side of my door - it seems there is some plywood stuc to the solid wood. Do your recommendations remain the same or do I have to do something else now given I have both solid & plywood

Also, I'm showing a pic of the middle rectangular portion (about 42 inches by 20 inches) which has recessed in. Any material that can fix this or do I have to replace that part?

Thanks

I would still strip if off to see what's there. Even if you end up painting it again, it would be better to get rid of all those coats of paint.

Re the top 2 photos, it just looks to me like the door construction - how the pieces of it are sandwiched and glued together - not cut from one single piece (which would not be possible and if it were, would be prone to warping). That curved piece is interesting - I can see how they had to splice it together bc you cant cut one large curved piece like that. Then over 100 yrs the pieces will dry/shrink differently - no big deal. Can be sanded smooth again or wood fill applied in the gaps if they're large.

Not sure whats going on with the warped panel - whats happening on the other side? Did the original panel crack and they just stuck this piece over it?

Close up, that does look like a nice thick well built door. Cant wait to see what kind of wood it is!

Wow you are total newbies! I mean that kindly - we were all there once. Enjoy your new house and the learning process! Youre on the right track seeking out the old house lovers' viewpoint. In many/most instances, the restoration route is the way to go - esthetically better, more cost effective. Saving money on this door means you have more to spend on something else that really needs to have money spent on it!

I think the slot/kerf in the hinge stile of the door was for the interlocking metal weatherstripping. In an exposed location like it is, the thoroughness of the w-stripping is very important.

No doubt you could strip and repair this large and custom-shaped door for a fraction of the cost of a crummy square replacement, even if you bought the very best quality epoxy repair materials, a new heat gun, and bronze weatherstripping.

But, the sill is in obvious distress, too. A replacement door is not going to solve that. you may have to replace it with a costly chunk of white oak or mahogany. And I would argue that would not be a DIY. Patching the sill with epoxy, etc, yes, DIY-able. But good chance it's pretty far gone if the pics are accurate.

Casey

@kevin: your door turned out gorgeous! I've got one just like it that I bought on CL, and while it wasn't painted, the stain is scratched and dinged and I need to refinish it. I'm interested in how far you took it down, and what products you used on it.

First of all, congratulations on owning your first home! I agree with everyone else about keeping that door and restoring it. My house was built in 1890 and I've successfully removed layers of paint from window hardware by soaking the hardware in a jar of draino diluted with water. It will take anywhere from a couple of days to a week, depending on the strength of the solution. I've also restored badly rotted sills with CPES, two-part epoxy products purchased online from rotdoctor dot com. (I've used the liquid sealer, the gel-like laminating resin, and wood filler.) It's similar to Abatron mentioned above, just another choice. For inspiration in tackling your project, google "storybook houses" for images of homes with many stylistic features similar to yours. And please don't seek design advice from big-box store employees. Good luck and let us know how the project turns out.

It is extremely difficult to strip one side, finish it and do the other side. It is Impossible to keep the stripper off of the side not being worked on. Strip both sides before finishing.

Boil the hinges in vinegar water to remove the paint. Stripping this door is a HUGE job. Then you have the frame too. The cost the stink the mess the time. I did a small table many years ago. Not worth it.

Just wanted to cheer you on. You can do this! Just stop talking to the guys at home depot ;)

You need to get the door down to the bare wood and then you can assess what is damaged vs not. We stripped all the woodwork in our kitchen and it was arduous - you will have to get in a groove with what works for you. We worked carefully with respirators but went with the heat gun first, then chem stripper, then sanding.

To prevent further damage once it is finished, you might find an arch top storm door a good solution. It is a little pricey, but I have seen several of them in my neighborhood and they make a nice look.http://www.vintagedoors.com/arch_screen.html

My house isn't more than 30 years old, but the doors were very weathered by morning sun when we purchased this house. Staining didn't look good, so we ended up painting it a rich brown. Looks great now. We wanted to keep the doors because of the intricate design in the oval glass.

I hope you keep us updated as you work on this project. Looking forward to seeing how this turns out!

I definitely will keep everybody up-to-date with the project and will post pics!

Guys - I know this isn't the kind of post you want to see but not gotten to this project as yet but will next spring. In the mean while, I see a gap above the door - what's the best way to seal this up for the winter? A lot of cold air is coming in. Any good material that can be placed on the curvature of the door?

Thx

If you have another door to use, seal it on the inside with blue painter's tape for the duration, it will be 100% airtight, and the tape will come right off.

How about some weatherstripping?

Just add weatherstripping for now.

All the weatherstripping I'm finding is 36x84. My door is 42 x 84. Does anybody know of a product I can use - thx

Home Depot/Lowes have it in rolls as long as 17ft like this;

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-E-O-7-8-in-x-17-ft-Self-Adhesive-V-Seal-Weather-Strip-M13WH/100113501

or this

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-E-O-3-4-in-x-7-16-in-x-10-ft-Black-High-Density-Rubber-Foam-Weatherstrip-Tape-R734H/100047977

I don't think it necessarily has to be one continuous piece, as long as the pieces you cut but up against each other. You are probably going to have to cut it anyhow as you go around the arch. I would put it along the inside of the door stop (the wood that the front of the door hits when it closes). I would think that would give you the best seal.

And something like this for the bottom.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-E-O-1-1-2-in-x-36-in-White-Self-Stick-Door-Sweep-DS101WH/100137062

Not a lot of $$ but will save you on heating costs this winter.

This product looks like it could fill the gap.

Meanwhile.... you may want to try a heat gun to remove most of the paint prior to taking down the door and applying chemical stripper next spring. Can't wait to see the wood revealed! Your house will breathe a sigh of relief.

First of all....so happy you're keeping the door! Second, when it came to cleaning paint off hardware, the old crock pot is the way to go. Sprinkle in some TSP. Doesn't have to come from Lowes, just an example. I got a big old crock pot at the Salvation Army just for these projects. $5. Soak them on low overnight & you'll be surprised how clean they are the next day.

I do also agree with the comment by kasha_kat: "Finally I just wanted to suggest - Its usually recommended that you live with a house for a year before beginning any major or even not so major alterations. What seems like a problem at first often just isn't, once you get more information. Or you start to understand the logic of how the house was designed and how the layout of the interior works."

In fact, that was the best piece of advice I got when I got my 100 yo place 8 years ago.

What may bother you in the beginning may end up to be a very endearing quality that you love after several months.

One more thing, not sure how long you've been in your place, but maybe check basement, attic, garage, outbuildings...maybe the original screen door is around there somewhere.

I could see something like this storm door below on your place.

I have a similar style & my screen & glass are separate inserts. Interchangeable depending on the season.

Guys - i'm getting close to executing on this project and will do it along with a great handyman I've found. Here's a pic of what my home looks like - do you think the white entry looks fine or should I switch to another color?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1dmo3skqph4oagm/House%20pic.jpg?dl=0

Thanks

Can't see your photo. Don't wish to join dropbox! Please attach photos here on Houzz. Just click the photo icon and upload from your computer. Easy peasy. Looking forward to seeing your finished door.

Cute house! I definitely vote for another color, not white. I think something dark or bold is in order, like navy or red. Are you repainting any of the other trim? If so coordinate with that.

Suzi - you don't have to register on dropbox, just click - no thanks, continue to view at the bottom

If I post it on houzz, the pic will be here forever and I don't want that, with dropbox I can delete in a few days

Ialala - not changing the trim on the windows if that's what you mean, they'll stay brown and I think are made of aluminium. Navy may go well with the brown

I would like to see a dark color also for the door. A dark cranberry red, or dark green, or dark colonial blue color. Good luck, we have home built in 1925, been working on it for years. Love old homes.

Here's some inspiration. Almost everything I could find had a natural wood or red door! I think darker is definitely more classic. I googled "storybook cottage with arched door" to find these. Houses 4 and 5 look like they have a screen door like yours used to.

Your house is charming and I'm so glad to see you'll be stripping the door and not buying a HD cheap special. You won't regret it.

Also you might want to do some research as I'm guessing your home might be a Sears house or one of the other ones like Aladdin.

I've been told that the middle panel in the door has gotten rotten with humidity and lack of upkeep and has to be replaced. So they'll have to replace that with new wood. Any other ideas to keep the middle panel too?

Also, I would be replacing the mail slot with a double sided one so that it's not that leaky in the winter

Hey folks - i have good news and bad news. The good news is that the project has started and my handyman has stripped down a few layers. He says to completely strip down, he'll need another day and it's expensive since I'm paying him by the day. The entire middle section has to go and looking at some of the bare wood at the edges, there seems to be nothing great about it and I won't leave it just plain wood color. It just looks like regular wood. He's suggesting we stop now, sand it off and paint over it. Does that make sense? I mean what am I going to achieve by a complete strip-down? Looking to hear comments

Thx

If you aren't going to stain and just going to paint, I see no reason why you shouldn't just sand it down and paint it.

Worth getting all the paint off the door edges and the jambs. This to ensure the paint buildup doesn't cause the door to bind.

Casey

Guys - should we just apply exterior paint or exterior paint + a marine varnish?

Thanks

Worth just painting it. I'll leave whether to go with paint only or paint plus varnish to the experts.

That door looks a lot worse than it really is.

Don't take this the wrong way: Having a handyman strip the paint is the wrong path. We've all been first time homeowners at some time and didn't know nothing....

Someone experienced in the nuances, aka misery, of stripping paint could have had that door stripped, sanded and ready for paint in two days. 3 at the most. Inside and out. The door frame and casing would be another couple days. And of course there would be the time required for any repairs. The panel replacement, wood filler, etc.

The problem is finding that someone. So, enter handyman.

Anyhow, just paint (and primer). No need to put a marine varnish on top of paint.

Guys - new door hardware installed, stripping done, glass changed to plexi strong plastic and looking to replace the current rotten wood threshold with a marble threshold. We need a marble about 1 inch thick, 45 inches long and 8 inches wide. My handyman seems to suggest that any marble longer than 3 feet long will crack in a month. Is that accurate? If not, can anybody suggest any web links or home depot where I can pick something up for this size? He can cut it to the exact size

Thanks

Unless the walls are masonry, you don't use a stone threshold.

What I noticed when looking at the photo of the house. All the windows are framed in dark brown. The door is not, which is why it looks so barefaced. I would recommend replacing the center panel, painting white again. But the small strip around the door should be dark brown. And, I would go with a good hardwood sill, and paint the facing edge dark brown also. However you finish the rest of the sill, you need the same look for the door frame as the windows all have. Since the door frame shows hinges for a screen door, I'd look for a wood worker who could make you a screen door in dark wood. Whether you request inset screen to change out with glass inset is your choice. Most people have no use for a screen door with glass. Unless you like the extra light it could afford you. These may be decisions you can make later. Drive around, see if there is another home with your style and see how the front door is done. Glass inset screen door, or just screen? Give that one some time. Good luck on your door, am happy to see you want to do it right.

I was thinking a marble sill/threshold only because it would last a long time vs hardwood or hardened aluminium. If you folks it won't look good, which should I go with - hardwood or aluminium?

Thx

Hardwood would look great!

Oak is a good hardwood, as is hickory. I'm sure it will out last you during your ownership, provided it's finished properly. Go to a good woodworker and ask questions. Anyone worth their salt will be happy to share knowledge with you. You are just asking questions, not looking to gain enough knowledge to do this type of work yourself. You might take out the existing sill, and take it to a woodworker, ask him for his opinions and recommendations as to wood type, finishes, and how the job is done, what his price would be to remake this sill for you. He may also have an idea how to remake a storm/screen door. Or take photos on your phone or tablet to show what you're asking about. A photo of the front of the house may be helpful too as you're looking to replace an original feature. Good luck!

Do you folks think I can leave the interior side of the door white or would that look odd? Thanks

The inside needs stripped, and sanded smooth as well. I'd plan on repainting it at a future time.

For some reason to me, yellow pops out as a good color for that door. If everything else stays white.

I think the inside could stay white. I think most painted doors are different colors inside/out.