Mandeville Mahogany Door Restoration

Mahogany Door Refresh near the lakefront (No Gel Strippers—Ever)

Twelve summers near the lakefront will do a number on any door. This mahogany one had gone dull and flaky—classic UV + humidity combo.

What we did:

Pulled the hardware, masked everything clean. No mess, no scratches.

Finish removal: no gel strippers, ever. Just careful hand-sanding to keep lines crisp.

Sanding ladder: 120 → 180 → 220 → 320 with the grain. Quick raise-and-knock for whiskers, light conditioning on tired spots.

The finish:

We used a three-coat marine varnish made for brutal Louisiana weather:

Thinned penetration coat to lock into the fibers

Build coat, sanded smooth for grip

Show coat for depth and clarity. We also sealed the top and bottom edges—the step most people skip, and the one that keeps moisture swings in check.

The result

Warm color back, ribbon grain glowing, and a clear, tough finish that looks like furniture but handles storms. Lake Pontchartrain sun? Ready. Humidity and sideways rain? Also ready.