Paint or Restain Wooden Front Door

I have a wooden front door (no idea what type of wood) that needs some attention. I just bought the house and don't know how old the door is - but it has been neglected for a while. I am trying to decide whether to paint it or stain it.

 

depends on what you like to look at. if you want to paint, use a high quality exterior paint (latex or oil, doesn't really matter if the quality is good). try sunproof or manor hall exterior by pittsburgh paint. just be careful. if you have a storm door, don't paint the wooden door a dark color. the airspace between the two doors can become EXTREMELY hot and warp the door. if you stain it, go over it with a spar urethane (not polyurethane) Spar urethane is much more durable than poly. helmsman by minwax is a good choice. whether you choose to stain or paint, be sure to do all 6 sides of the door (2 faces and 4 edges) to maintain consistency. have fun.