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Is there a method to repair rotted door.

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#21 ·
Everend said:
A common issue we see around here is rot at the base of the back door jamb and sometimes the door itself. When it is just the door jamb that is rotted we can use an oscillating tool to cut off the bottom 6-8" of the jamb leg and replace it with a new treated section of jamb leg. It's not as pretty as replacing the whole side or whole frame but much less expensive for the customer since it only requires removing a small portion of wood and painting one color.

It seems there should be a similar solution to repairing wood rot on the door itself. Does anyone have experience repairing a door like this instead of buying a whole new door?

Image
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First try to find out where the moisture is coming from, because that is the cause of it all. Then find out how deep the rotted wood is and check to make sure the moisture didn't penetrate the threshold. Very easy to find out, just drill a hole in the corner and see what will come out of it. If the damage is not so deep, remove all rotten wood to solid clean surface and scrape the paint on the jamb, then soak the whole area with Clear Epoxy sealer... this stuff will rot proof the whole area... let it stand for a few days then use epoxy filler, it will chemically bond with sealer, or use Durhams water putty, that will stick to anything. Then paint it.

If you don't want go through all that trouble, this looks like a plain Therma-Tru door with glass, you can get that door for a few hundred at any box store and swap the door, this way you can make sure everything will be flashed and sealed, and the HO will have a new door that will last for many years.
 
#23 · (Edited)
Looks like the jamb could have some life left in it-If there's no rot just scrape and paint it.

That door is toast, if it was a nice expensive door maybe worth the effort, but in this case i'd just hang a new door and paint the whole thing. Bit wierd though how the door is rotted where it is. As others said might want to look into what's going on with water getting in there.

With people like that i'd just tell them to think of all the value it will add to the property to do something that looks decent and new.

This job i'm working on now, the door should have been replaced about ten years ago. Had to replace the door and all of the framing around the RO. You could split the wooden sill in two with your foot.
 
#24 ·
Problem looks like the threshold is mismatched to the door. It doesn't even meet the full jamb depth. Water was leaking in the corner where the jamb meets the threshold. Doesn't look like they used the corner seal either.
A storm door would have helped stop this rot. Bondo is fast and cheap.
 
#25 ·
Can it be repaired? Sure, you can use all the methods already described, but it will (should) cost a couple a hundred bucks just for the repair. Not because it will actually take you 3-4 hours to do the repair, but it's the waiting around between steps (it's not like you are going to take it back to your shop or anything)... And just like a cavity, if you don't get it all, there's no guarantee that the "filling" will hold over time... especially if you rush cure times...



I see you are in Austin, TX... I did a quick search on Craigslist and you have LOTS of options available...

Results of "exterior door" - http://austin.craigslist.org/search/mat?query=exterior+door&srchType=A&minAsk=&maxAsk=

Some examples...

Metal Exterior door - $40 (N Austin) - http://austin.craigslist.org/mat/2769827363.html

(FREE) Solid Exterior Doors and More- Yours for the taking (2008 Justin Lane. 78757) - http://austin.craigslist.org/zip/2810827901.html

windows/doors/ building materials - http://austin.craigslist.org/mat/2786092930.html




Must be a new landlord... usually they have all the skinny on local resources for "deals"... All those aside, you can also check your local Habitat for Humanity Restore.

You can also check out.... http://www.surplus-warehouse.com/swlocations_store.php?store_id=44&state_id=20

... or other surplus/warehouse stores. I gotta' think there a lots of options in Austin...



For the landlord... appeal to his cheap side... Tell him you can repair it, but it will cost him a couple a hundred and because it's a wood core with steel sheet, there's no guarantee it won't happen again (at least you shouldn't warranty it for more than a year)... OR for a little more, you can replace it with a decent fiberglass door with a warranty, and put it to rest... OR you can find a "bargain" above, and make more PROFIT... just make sure it is a good one and give it a 5-year warranty...

From what I can see, this looks like a cheap door to begin with... this is not one you should replace... It's why we have recycling centers...

Best of luck.... 8^)
 
#26 ·
you can cut out the rot and do a dutchman with redwood/cedar.
you can also drill out the old with forstner/spade bits and fill with abatron or similar wood repair epoxy.
the sill looks weathered, but not rotten. clean it up, fill with repair epoxy, oil prime and paint.
from what i see in the picture this is an easy patch job. the biggest issue is that it will take a couple trips because the epoxy can't be painted for 24 hours according to the manufacturer. you could use bondo, but it doesn't act like wood so it might break off after a couple years depending upon the climate.
 
#27 ·
aptpupil said:
...the biggest issue is that it will take a couple trips because the epoxy can't be painted for 24 hours according to the manufacturer. you could use bondo, but it doesn't act like wood so it might break off after a couple years depending upon the climate.
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Hence, why some that will take an hour or so in physical time will end up being hours at a cost in the hundreds... This door does not have that VALUE...

Suggest getting another one and save wasted money and resources for both of you...
 
#28 ·
This appears to be a steel clad door. I do alot of rot repair on doors such as this and have actually written an article on it.
http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/2011/03/25/foam-rot-repair/

It's not structural, so all you needto do is clean the rot and back fill the cavity. The damage looks minimal in the picture so you probably don'tneed to replace any wood. Just fill the cavity with foam and use epoxy for the final 1/2" or so. Read the article for a more in depth answer.

Hope this helps,
Dan019
 
#38 ·
The biggest problem with Bondo is that house paint don't stick to it very well. I found that a coat of Minwax "Wood Hardener" does the trick as a primer. It's thin like water, & dries in a few minutes.
I live in a '88 built English Tudor with Masonite stuccato sheathing, & have had a lot of practice at Bondo repairs. I've got them down pat to the point of permanent invisible fixes.
 
#40 ·
Mud Master said:
Are you sure you WANT to compete with those type of guys in the first place???
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+1 That's the way I roll these days.Lost to much money in the old days trying to compete with this chit.Do a job,big or small.do it right or don't do it at all.

As to the OP.How long do you think it would take a man to get the old wood out and replace with new?Without bending up the skin.They are very thin.Fill,sand ,prime and paint.What are you paying him?What if the customer gets pissed when it does not last a year or so and starts thinking you do crap work.Not worth it in my book.
 
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Everend
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