All forms of moisture or lack of it, rain, condensation and even atmospheric humidity have a critical bearing on the well being of your timber door, especially exterior doors. Therefore great care should be taken to select the correct door, for each separate application the following points should be considered :- Consider carefully the finish you require for your door and purchase a good quality propiety brand product - avoid the use of varnish or plyurethane based products as these do not "stretch" with any thermal movment. Immediately upon receipt, sand your door lightly with fine glass paper in the direction of the grain to remove nibs and finger/transit marks. Dust down thoroughly and apply at least one coat of your selected sealant to all surfaces, including glazing beads, being sure to follow all instructions. Having fitted your door, remove immediately from its hinges, taking of all door furniture and thoroughly reseal where appropriate, paying particular attention to "cut-outs" i.e. hinge recesses, letter plate slots, rebates for water bars etc, and all four corners where end grain is visible. Follow this by a minimum of two or preferably three coats before finally re-fixing furniture and re-hanging. Do not use Linseed Oil Putty - use more flexible compounds or low modulus mastics. Fit your door with the beaded side to the inside, it is important to seal between glass to door and glass to bead with flexible compounds. Never fit mortice or cylinder locks etc. to rail joints - this will weaken the joint - cavities required for locks should be kept to a minimum. Always use a minimum of three good quality 100mm (4") hinges. Do not fit without a suitable weatherboard Future maintenance should be in accordance to the coating manufacturers instructions, usually washing down with warm water and detergent every two to three years and then re-coating fully. When selecting a solid timber panel door consideration must be given in relationship to its location as they cannot be recommended for use on South or South Westerly elevations without at least being protected from the direct heat of the sun and the prevailing weather, by means of a porch or some such similar construction. Always take care to select the correct door to ensure its suitability for the particular purpose that you intend e.g. not all doors are suitable for use internally, for each application the following points should be considered :- Always inspect your door upon receipt, if it is not what you want or if there should be any damage to it then query it with the sales person with whom you negotiated the sale. Never locate your door directly adjacent to a radiator - this can cause shrinkage and distortion to the door alignment. Do not introduce your new doors into freshly plastered rooms or homes, which have not thoroughly "dried out", for the moisture leaving the masonry will enter new or freshly treated timbers causing distortion and swelling. Natural timber panel doors such as knotty pine doors should always be sealed/painted as soon as received and not left to acclimatise to room temperature as normally associated to more traditional doors. All door surfaces must be sealed/treated without delay, this includes the top and bottom edges, it is vital to retain the correct moisture content of your door which the manufacturer would have endeavoued to achieve prior to its despatch. Doors intended for use in high humidity areas within your home such as bath or shower rooms and airing cupboards must be hung on a minimum of three good quality hinges. All doors classified to be within the range of Knotty Pine and Clear Pine should be fitted with a minimum of three good quality hinges irrespective of their location within your home. Care should be taken not to reduce the door by more than is recommended by the manufacturer, any failure to adhere to the good practice principles as applied to doors could result in a failure of some or all joints. Any excess reduction could cause a total failure of the door and at the very mimimum a greatly reduced product life expectancy. Whilst these "Hints & Tips" are offered as a guide to the good practice which should be applied to timber doors they are not intended to replace any manufacturers recommendations or instructions and should be used only to compliment said information. If you are in any doubt then contact a qualified trades person, who has been recommended by others, to help with queries. Remember that they are skilled professionals upon whom you can rely on to offer advice and guidance with selection and possibly provide you with a fitting service which could subsequently enhance the appearance of your new door.