Protecting wood from sun

[JRB]

My wooden front door is stained and varnished but, as my garden is very sheltered and the door faces SE, it gets a lot of sun and the temperature is often 30+ even if it is much fresher beyond the gate. I had it scraped down to the wood and redone 18 months ago and it is already looking really scruffy again. Any suggestions of what I can do to keep it looking good for longer?

[The Builder]

I would go for something like this...............

http://www.decorating...viewprod/t/TORSOLASB/

I used it again only recently on a conservatory that I'd built. I guess it's your varnish that's peeling and cracking. It would be worth going back to bare timber again, then two good coats of this. The lighter the shade the better, to reflect the sun's rays.
No primer needed. The colours are excellent, if you decide to go for colour.

[jamesnan]

How about the old fashioned, seen at the seaside, striped canvas door protector hanging down and protecting the door! I presume you can still get them

[JRB]

Thank you both. I'll look into both options.