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I NEED help, advice even on repairin an old entry door.

4K views 37 replies 12 participants last post by  BigJim 
#1 ·
This door was damaged when the firemen pryed thier way thru it and now i've got to repair it. Replacin it is out of the question now due to budget reasons.
I know the talent for what i need to do is here in this forum and i want to thank y'all ahead o' time.
I'm thinkin that i can do a 'dutchman' sort o' repair on the jamb and concern myself with matchin up the decorative aspect of it later. ( it'll most likely require old school toolage to accomplish the beadwork anywho).
As for the door itself. I am at a loss as to how to go about it. Not to meantion, the season is changin fast and i may not have much 'down time' for the door. Spose plywood could fill the hole fer a spell tho lol.
I want to do this in a way that it can be a permanent fix.A restoration even if possible. Of course it will be painted.
As you can see, i did a lazy thing and just filled the gap with Great Stuff. I had to focus on more important fire damage in other parts of the house which are now startin to git caught up on.
 

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#2 · (Edited)
Holy Catfish!

You got a problem partner! For the door I'd go about 20" or so and replace all the busted out wood and redrill and re mortise the lock set. Remove it and see where you can get back to good wood to make the attachment. I'm thinkin' a half lap will be the strongest mechanical joint, dowels would work, a loose tenon, but difficult to do.

Another approach would be to make a new stile from top to bottom. Less work in one way, but more work in another...50/50 ?
Cleaner repair however. ;) bill
 
#18 ·
You got a problem partner! For the door I'd go about 20" or so and replace all the busted out wood and redrill and re mortise the lock set. Remove it and see where you can get back to good wood to make the attachment. I'm thinkin' a half lap will be the strongest mechanical joint, dowels would work, a loose tenon, but difficult to do.

Another approach would be to make a new stile from top to bottom. Less work in one way, but more work in another...50/50 ?
Cleaner repair however. ;) bill
Thanx Bill, i was actualy entertainin a whole new stile with sort of a full length mortise and tenon . Mmm....(rubbin chin)
 
#3 ·
What might work is to set the door on the hinge edge (remove hinges) and remove lockset/handle. Remove all the loose wood and fill from the area. You could just cut out the area. Cover both faces with waxed paper. Use 3/4" plywood clamped on both sides as a form, and fill the void with reinforced fiberglass. When cured, sand the edge flush with door edge. You may run grooves into good wood on both sides, and front and back.

When that repair cures it will be stronger than wood. It can be drilled for the hardware.








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#19 ·
What might work is to set the door on the hinge edge (remove hinges) and remove lockset/handle. Remove all the loose wood and fill from the area. You could just cut out the area. Cover both faces with waxed paper. Use 3/4" plywood clamped on both sides as a form, and fill the void with reinforced fiberglass. When cured, sand the edge flush with door edge. You may run grooves into good wood on both sides, and front and back.

When that repair cures it will be stronger than wood. It can be drilled for the hardware.











.
Pretty good idea C-man. I have a product i use for bedding rifles called Acra-Glass. It is impervious to EVERYTHING and machines pretty good. I jist don't know how well it will take a coat of paint. Or if fiberglass fill paint well either and not leave a noticable 'smoother' area shrug. Good idea ya got tho :thumbsup:
 
#4 ·
for me I would remove the whole stile and since it is difficult to match the old rail & stile grooving I would rip the stile down to the last good width leaving you with a strip that still has the grooving on it. you can join it to a board ripped to the width you need it with TBIII and brass screws from the grooved side , it will never be seen anyway, mortice in your lockset ,glue and clamp the stile back in place and paint....never be able to tell it happened. as for the frame, rout it out and dutchman treatment with TBIII and a lag bolt or two counter sunk for added strength

now if for some reason you cant get the stile off, then get a friend or two to help you run the whole door over the TS and trim back to good wood, cut the replacement piece and drill counter sunk holes everywhere you know it will hit solid wood and use 3 in screws to attach it back to the rest of the stile with a generous slather of TBIII, mortise in the lockset , plug the screw holes and paint

best of luck
 
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#8 ·
I'm likin' this idea the best. :yes:
Rip off the stile to leave the moldings, probably about 1/2" to 3/4" remaining. Rip a new piece the correct dimension to replace the cut off. Glue it, but rather than screws I'd just dowel it into the rails using 3/4" dowels. You'd darn near have an invisible repair with no "patches" showing, just a thin glue line running vertically. It would be as strong as the original door as well. :thumbsup:
 
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#21 ·
If it were this FF I'd have saved you the trouble of having to repair it... You'd would need a new one... :laughing:

~tom ...it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt...

How did i know you was gonna say that ? :laughing::laughing:
 
#7 ·
Take the hinges off and set them on the floor. Line them up and space them accordingly. Put a new door onto the hinges. Sorry, but by the looks of that door, it's gonna be hard to rebuild it. Oh, you can do it like the others said, but I wouldn't trust it to be secure.
 
#22 ·
Take the hinges off and set them on the floor. Line them up and space them accordingly. Put a new door onto the hinges. Sorry, but by the looks of that door, it's gonna be hard to rebuild it. Oh, you can do it like the others said, but I wouldn't trust it to be secure.
Eventualy Bud i will build a new one. I jist don't have the time or the budget for the wood and needed cutters right now.
 
#9 ·
woodnthings said:
I'm likin' this idea the best. :yes:
Rip off the stile to leave the moldings, probably about 1/2" to 3/4" remaining. Rip a new piece the correct dimension to replace the cut off. Glue it, but rather than screws I'd just dowel it into the rails using 3/4" dowels. You'd darn near have an invisible repair with no "patches" showing, just a thin glue line running vertically. It would be as strong as the original door as well. :thumbsup:
I'd have to agree with that one.

~tom ...it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt...
 
#26 ·
It's a pretty biig heavy door Keith. I dunno if biscuits would be sufficient.
 
#14 ·
You might also check if you have a ReStore near you -- they're run by Habitat for Humanity, and the one near me generally has doors similar to that for between fifteen and forty-five dollars. I bought a steel over solid wood entry door with a window for about $50.

I don't know anything about where anything is in PA, but there's one in Montgomery County, PA, so if that's not near you, there may well be another. Their website is: http://www.habitatmontco.org/ReStore/index.html
 
#28 ·
You might also check if you have a ReStore near you -- they're run by Habitat for Humanity, and the one near me generally has doors similar to that for between fifteen and forty-five dollars. I bought a steel over solid wood entry door with a window for about $50.

I don't know anything about where anything is in PA, but there's one in Montgomery County, PA, so if that's not near you, there may well be another. Their website is: http://www.habitatmontco.org/ReStore/index.html

WOW, thanx Alex. I never knew they existed. We have a place called Construction Junction but they think everything they have is an antique.:thumbdown:
I will definately check out ReStore. Thanx Again.
 
#29 ·
That's jist the age of the wood kpo, ( 170 y/o) and some discoloration from the smoke and from bein exposed for the past 9 er 10 years.
It's all painted now and will be repainted.
 
#35 ·
Thanx Jim and Cody for describin the floatin tenon for me.
And Jim, yes, i am gonna go the new edge and 3/4" dowel route.
 
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#36 · (Edited)
This one?

http://www.mikestools.com/513-Porter-Cable-Lock-Mortising-Kit.aspx

If you have one of those you are a pro! I used one and made enough mistakes on a sample to get the hang of it on the actual door. Pretty cool rig and I borrowed it from a custom door maker down the road. He makes great doors but will not install them. Well, he make exceptions like the doors he made to the Governor's office in Lansing, Michigan....4' x 12' ...massive. :eek:
He made this one, my front entrance door: 2 1/4" x 6'8" x 42"

Make sure you take a few pictures of this project as you go. I for one would like to follow your progress. :yes: bill
 
#37 · (Edited)
http://www.mikestools.com/513-Porter-Cable-Lock-Mortising-Kit.aspx

If you have one of those you are a pro! I used one and made enough mistakes on a sample to get the hang of it on the actual door. Pretty cool rig and I borrowed it from a custom door maker down the road. He makes great doors but will not install them. Well, he make exceptions like the doors he made to the Governor's office in Lansing, Michigan....4' x 12' ...massive. :eek:
He made this one, my front entrance door: 2 1/4" x 6'8" x 42"

Make sure you take a few pictures of this project as you go. I for one would like to follow your progress. :yes: bill
Bill, the machine I had was manual, it clamped to the door and had a 1 inch paddle bit (I think) with a stop on it that drilled at a dead 90°. I had to supply the drill. There was a crank handle to move the bit up and down the edge of the door. It was pretty quick once I got the hang of it. I have looked online but can't find one like I had, it looked home made, and in the 70s it cost $300.
 
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