# rotten back door - best way to repair??



## oddsocks (1 Jun 2008)

The back door is 14 years old and has rotted as shown in the photo, but it appears to be very localised. The vertical frame seems solid. What is the best way of repairing this (for example will the door need to come off or can I chisel, treat and fix in situ?). Prodding with a screwdriver indicates the wood is solid just outside of the area shown

I've heard of wood hardening chemicals but I couldn't find any products in the local focus DIY.

If we ever get a few days of dry weather I want to fix this!


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## Tusses (1 Jun 2008)

I'll probably get shot down in flames for this but ....

it doesn't look like a 'quality' door so ... I would get a drill mounted wire wheel and go to town on that area. remove anything that isnt solid.

Then ....

(ducks from flack)

get some car body filler (P38 ! ) and fill the hole as close to possible as the original form, then sand to the final finish and primer.

ok ... getting back on track with respectable methodology now ... then sand and primer the whole door and paint at least 2 top coats of gloss. with a light sanding and plenty of drying time in between.

should last a fair few years more


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## oddsocks (1 Jun 2008)

thanks for the fast response - It's the door that was new with the house, glazed in the top half so I am (as you say) looking for a way to get a few more years out of it before replacing as part of a full house double glazing upgrade. I've no problem with using car filler and have some (comes with every vectra!) - thank's for the suggestion.

Dave


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## Tusses (1 Jun 2008)

no worries - but dont forget the bit about proper painting of the whole door.

looking at the picture, you haven't so far - and if you don't , the rest will follow suit !

no offense an all that


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## Tusses (1 Jun 2008)

oh - and the frame too :wink:


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## oddsocks (1 Jun 2008)

will do - it was last painted 6 years ago with the dulux weathershield system so was (is) due again this year. I'll do it properly


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## Frank Drew (2 Jun 2008)

oddsocks":1m6su3rx said:


> T What is the best way of repairing this (for example will the door need to come off or can I chisel, treat and fix in situ?).



Dave,

Whatever repair method you choose, I'd think it would be very much easier to remove the door and put it on some sawhorses to work on. Spending hours hunched over working on one's knees isn't my idea of fun, added to the fact that you can't inspect or eventually repaint the bottom of the stiles and the lower edge of the rail with the door in place.

Give some thought, though, to correcting the issues that led the damage in the first place; is there any way to protect the doorway, to keep the rain off (if that's what caused the rot)? A simple shed roof?

You might also consider just having the proposed new door installed now.


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## OPJ (2 Jun 2008)

I've found Ronseal's Wet Rot Wood Hardener to be good for this kind of job. Make sure you scrap off all the wet and loose stuff before applying it. Screwfix now stock it, if there's nowhere else near you? It's very fast-drying and you can build up layers of filler on top.


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## skipdiver (2 Jun 2008)

If it were me i would put a new one in.Looks like a 2xg door and you could pick one up fairly cheap.

Failing that there are two ways open to you.Cut out and splice in a new bit of rail or go down the wood hardener and woodfiller route already mentioned.I used to do a lot of this kind of work years back but the advent of uPVC seems to have put an end to it.

The repair will look good for a while but ultimately it will start to show through again.


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## compo (2 Jun 2008)

Exactly what I'd say Skip. 

I started out scarfing in new timber on stuff like this. Then learnt of the hardener and filler route. 
Now only scarf in clear coated timber - at a push! 

Hey, oddsocks... 
14 years...?! Why not set y'self a goal and make a nice new one - maybe lacquered hardwood... :lol:


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## Racers (2 Jun 2008)

Hi,

I did the back door to my garage the rail under the window had rot in it. I routed all rotten wood made a new peice and glued it in with car body filler, its lasting very well.


Pete


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## oddsocks (2 Jun 2008)

thanks for all the suggestions. Ronseal wet wood hardener was the product I was thinking of. I'll have a look in Harlow tomorrow in the big Wickes and B&Q. I'll also find out the cost of a replacement door.

I would love to make a hardwood door - and may still get the ok to do so, but at the moment I'm trying to resist the push from SWMBO to go the plastic route. 

It's my daughter's wedding beginning of July so I suspect I'll only be planning this repair/replacement until life settles down again! I'll post the outcome (door not wedding!!!).

Dave


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## Benchwayze (3 Jun 2008)

oddsocks":qyepp7ug said:


> thanks for all the suggestions. Ronseal wet wood hardener was the product I was thinking of. I'll have a look in Harlow tomorrow in the big Wickes and B&Q. I'll also find out the cost of a replacement door.
> 
> I would love to make a hardwood door - and may still get the ok to do so, but at the moment I'm trying to resist the push from SWMBO to go the plastic route.
> 
> ...



Plastic is all very well. I have it throughout, but the doors still move about and jam in hot weather. Swimbo's tend to disbelieve this, but it is true.

Make a hardwood door. If it's half glazed, you won't have to buy all that much timber! Or, I have two sound, 'Kentucky' Style doors, if you'd like to convert one! 

Best of luck either way...
John


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## lurker (3 Jun 2008)

Find a friendly double glazing firm & ask if you can go though their waste skips.

I have one close to me and all my hardwood & firewood comes off his heap. Other than sheet material I've bought no wood for over two years.
There were 4 of those hardwood doors (near pristine) there when I visited last week. In the past, I've had a few & cut them up for the panels.

They always welcome me as I leave the pile tidier than I find it and save them a few annual uplifts.


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## skipdiver (3 Jun 2008)

I can confirm this.Used to subby to my mates upvc company and i was always in the skip "rescuing" stuff.It's where i got my user name.Used to break my heart to see Edwardian and Victorian (and sometimes older) doors and bits of sawn up bay windows thrown in the skip.

They are far more enlightened now and anything good goes to salvage.All leaded lights are bought by a local second hand shop who sell them on.All door furniture and ali windows sold for scrap.All other timber is sawn up and burnt in an incinerator that heats the factory,all glass and plastic recycled so it's slim pickings now.Still breaks my heart to see the yardman smashing up perfectly good doors and burning them.


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## oddsocks (3 Jun 2008)

Benchwayze":3oj21ua4 said:


> ....
> Make a hardwood door. If it's half glazed, you won't have to buy all that much timber! Or, I have two sound, 'Kentucky' Style doors, if you'd like to convert one!
> 
> Best of luck either way...
> John



Thanks for the offer John, but it's a 4 hour round trip to brum from me. I looked in wickes and BQ today and in BQ they had the identical door (treated softwood) with double glazed panel for £54 so I'm tempted as it can be primed, painted and the door furniture fitted without taking my old one off -in all much less hassle than rubbing down my old one. 
Wickes had a very limited selection of hardwood doors suitable for the back door into the kitchen.

I'll see if I can use skipdivers advice and find a double glazed panel - if I can i'll cost up the hardwood option, but seeing as it will be painted I'm not sure the cost /effort will be worth it compared the £54 door.....the satisfaction will be though (just need to work on the answer to 'and when are you going to do it / finish it' question that follows any suggestion to make something!)

Thanks for the info re plastic doors sticking - will use that argument for wood


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## compo (3 Jun 2008)

Just bear in mind that a £54 door will be a glorified kitchen cupboard door and have dowels instead of tenons. It is also likely to have a show veneer over low grade softwood.
No problems, just be aware that it wont last another 14 years!


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## Tusses (3 Jun 2008)

try the casualty dept's too - I got 2 half glazed softwood doors for £35 the pair. This was in wickes - they were damaged on the edge (hinge side - cant see it ) so I asked - 'How Much'


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## dennis (3 Jun 2008)

John

You say that you can fit the furniture to a new door without taking the old one off but this only works if a replacement door is exactly the same as the old door without any fitting which is rare it is standard practice to fit a door before fixing furniture.

Dennis


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## skipdiver (3 Jun 2008)

I think you misunderstood me oddsocks.The door pattern is a 2xg which is a basic door with midrail and glass in the top.A 2xgg has glass top and bottom.These doors are cheap to buy from a timber merchant and you could reuse all the furniture and the glass if you remove it carefully.I wasnt suggesting using a double glazed panel.Sorry for the confusion.


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## skipdiver (3 Jun 2008)

Just done a google for 2xg doors and homebase do one that comes with toughened glass for 49.99.Not sure what the quality will be like though.

Howdens do a redwood without glass for 57 and a hemlock one for 78.Suspect these will be better quality then the homebase one.


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## skipdiver (3 Jun 2008)

Sorry it was focus diy,not homebase.Will shut up now before i confuse myself.


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## Tusses (3 Jun 2008)

I made some doors for my last work shop ...

I cut a sheet of good exterior ply to door size

then laminated 3/4" pine for the styles and rails- both sides

then cut out the holes fo the glazed parts (thinking abut how you leave a bit to glaze to) then added the mouldings to the 'panels' - worked a treat and cheap too !


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## Tusses (3 Jun 2008)

thinking about it - I oversized the style and rails one side to give me something to glaze to !


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## oddsocks (3 Jun 2008)

skipdiver":38tcdhie said:


> Just done a google for 2xg doors and homebase do one that comes with toughened glass for 49.99.Not sure what the quality will be like though.
> 
> Howdens do a redwood without glass for 57 and a hemlock one for 78.Suspect these will be better quality then the homebase one.


 
Thanks Steve- typically I have a Focus 1/2 a mile away but looked in the B&Q near where I work as its a bigger store. I'll have look in focus tomorrow and the local builders merchants this weekend. 
I checked the howden site and its trade only so not for me , but it will serve as a good indicator for the local builders merchants. 

I have to step back to reality though and work out whether to patch for this year or not (bit like buying new tools - you need a screwdriver but end up convincing yourself to by the full cordless kit that happens to include one!). 

This thread has had far more responses than I hoped, and will provide some good ideas for anyone searching in the future. I like Tusses method as well for a workshop door. 

on the topic of single glazed panel v a double glazed panel i'm surprised that with all the insulation standards around its still possible and legal to fit a half single glazed door- a quot form one of the web pages indicates you cna't for anew fit but just replacement - _complies with Part L Building Regulations for refurbishments and like for like replacements, and is a good choice for busy entrances like, back doors, utility rooms and kitchens. _

Anyone have any comparative figures for a 2xg single gazed v 2xg double glazed door? I know our kitchen feels cold near that glass in the winter.


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## oddsocks (19 Jul 2008)

Well I finally repaired the door using ronseal wet rot wood hardener and ronseal wood filler. Both excellent products and a total cost of less than £16.

By the time I had reached sound wood the damaged area was twice the size of the original photo.

Finished item:


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