All wood products contain some moisture, since wood is hygroscopic material. This means that wood readily exchanges water vapor in the air with molecules in the wood or visa versa. What this means in high humidity areas is that wood will pick up moisture as well. In low humidity areas wood will release water and shrink. This cycle will continue as the humidity changes. MDM manufactures all doors at standard humidity level. MDM checks each lumber shipment for proper moisture content and only uses wood that meets our water moisture specifications. It is of the utmost importance to seal the door(s) before final installation or when the door(s) sit at the site longer than one week. To quote from Architectural Woodwork Institute in Arlington Virginia: “Subsequent dimensional change in wood is and always has ben an inherent natural property of wood.. These changes cannot be the responsibility of the manufacturer or products made from it.” And: “Responsibility for dimensional change problems in wood products resulting from improper relative humidity exposure during site storage and installation rests with the contractor.

A finish is designed to keep moisture away from the wood. No finish made will keep moisture away from the wood indefinitely. If you choose a finish that does not repel moisture, your warranty will be void. It is the owners responsibility to maintain the finish. MDM will ship doors without a factory finish, however we will not warrant performances of any finish or finish materials applied by others. It is very critical that your door is sealed on all six (6) sides. The following suggestions are offered as a guide to your selection and use of finish materials; however we also recommend you consult with your painting contractor or local dealer.

1. Make sure all doors are clean and dry. Adjust or align components if necessary.
2. Prior to staining, the door should be looked over very carefully to make sure that there are no scratches, dents, chips, etc. that may have been put in the door during the transportation of your door. MDM sands all doors with a 120 grit sanding abrasive, however it is not a bad idea to go over the door one more time before applying the stain.
3. Apply finish as soon as the door is fitted, but before the final hanging.
4. Finishing the door properly requires all hardware that was applied to the door in the installation process to be removed.
5. Before finishing, remove all handling marks, instruction labels, oil, grease and/or stains with a thorough final sanding over all surfaces.
6. Clean the door thoroughly after sanding to remove all dust or foreign material. Do not use caustic or abrasive cleaners. The use of wood bleach to lighten the natural wood color may cause serious damage to the door and its component parts. MDM is not responsibility for any damage that might develop as a result.