Door swollen from rain and splitting apart

Christyt

Hi all - I'm wondering if I can still save my front door.

I spent hours sanding, undercoating and painting numerous coats of top quality paint only to discover that the rain was leeking in under the weather bar (which I hadn't taken off to paint under and the carpenter hadn't undercoated or protected in anyway).

The door swelled up around the bottom and has dried out now but now the weather bar had fallen off (when we were struggling to open it because it was jammed) - and there are cracks around the panels.

I've taken some paint off where some cracks appeared but can see smaller cracks elsewhere.

Can anyone advise if this door is saveable. If so - what I should fill cracks with before repainting and installing a new weather bar? I'll get some pictures posted up shortly.

Thanks all.

Christyt

Hope you can see these pictures - the last one shows a fine crack in the paint where the panels join and have split apart a bit as we've struggled to open the door when it was swollen.
Since then we were advised a bit of olive oil on the edge of the door would help with opening and shutting.

I'm wondering if I should try and put a very long galvanised wood screw through the side of the door to try and bring it together and then seal with something and repaint the bits that are not painted?

Grateful for any advice.

jcb208

https://www.flickr.com/photos/31267686@N03/13309631283/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/31267686@N03/13309467185/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/31267686@N03/13309628993/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/31267686@N03/13309626273/


Fixed the links

Christyt

Many thanks. Much obliged!

Christyt

Last attempt to get any suggestions from knowledgeable forumites?

mart.vader

Hi, I have looked right through your album, from your bodged flat roofing through to your mother in law (?) with her tongue out, and very interesting it was too. (!)

As to your door, it doesn't look too bad to me. I'd probably use this > http://www.screwfix.com/p/unibond-repair-wood-for-good-280ml/33117 (but I'm no expert)

More stuff here >http://www.wickes.co.uk/super-tough-wood-filler-550g/invt/600073/

Christyt

Hi mart.vader
Thanks for taking the time to reply.

That stuff looks like the right stuff to fill the gaps. I guess I should strip back paintwork wherever there's the tiniest gap just to be sure.

I'm just a big concerned that the door is wider down the bottom than the top due to the swelling and coming apart of the door. It does close - only brushes a bit at the moment. So maybe if I do the filling and repainting properly that will be enough.

I'm only planning to patch repaint. If I have to take off the whole lot I'm def looking at a new (second hand) door!

Davesnave

Pulling the door together again requires a sash cramp. Keeping it there is the hard bit!

I placed a piece of strong timber behind the bottom of my door and screwed it on while the door was still in the cramp. I then did the same on the front. It looks hideous, but the whole door, frame and conservatory they are attached to has only months to live anyway.

Perhaps screwing the water bar on again will be enough to hold your door. I'm not sure that pulling it together with a screw would work, but you could try that first, before splashing out on a cramp.

Christyt

Hi Davesnave
Thanks for the info.
Sounds like clamp would be what's required. I'll look into it.
Much obliged to you.

the_matrix

I would use clamps to hold the bar. Do NOT screw the bar it will look ugly. Instead use L-brackets underneath to attach to the door. You might need to take the door off. I'm not sure if you would want to do that though.

tony6403

There are other ways to try to get it back to its original state.
You could
- pull the joint together with a clamp and drill a couple of 8mm holes through the stile, about 20mm and 40mm to the right of the open joint (centre point of the rail) , to go through the tenon at the end of the rail. Then insert and glue 8mm dowels. Saw any protruding part of the dowels off and sand flush.
- and/or put a liberal amount of PVA glue all along the line of the open joint and thoroughly drag it into the gap with a very thin piece of card ; then clamp not too tightly so that you don't squeeze out all of the glue.
- inject glue into the open joint with a syringe and then clamp , Chair Doctor below may not be the best choice as it swells the wood but you get the idea.