warped door

Corkey123

Folks any direction would be apprecated

I have a number of solid pine doors that while in storage warped slightly - yes yes the weren't store flat. Any ideas how to reverse the warp? I had planned to store them flat with weights what do ye think eh?

ttm

Sounds a good idea to start with, might also have been that the storage was a bit damp. So you might like to see what they are like when dried out or might be best if you weight them while still damp then move them to somewhere drier. You could also clamp them back to back in pairs with opposing warps? But you might never get them perfect. I have old pine doors that have been stored at all angles in hay barn and there's not a warp in any of them so yours might have just moved into the position they are most happy naturally.

If the warp isn't too bad I'd check some of them against the frames they will be fitted in as theres always a chance you have an odd frame that is a bit out and a warped door will fit better then a straight one.

Anyway whats wrong with a bit of character

Corkey123

Thanks for the response ttm. Advice appreciated

S.L.F

I used to work with a company that paint stripped doors, the only solution to the warping of a door is to drill out the wedges take the door apart then and turn the rails around then plane away any difference if the stiles and rails don't meet.

Don't take all the doors apart together do them one at a time and mark them all with masking tape.

You should be able get at least 4 doors done in a day, when you are putting them back together make sure they are re assembled on a flat surface and you use sash cramps to tighten them up and make sure you use wedges in the joints.

The glue to use is Extramite (resin glue)

Corkey123

SLF,

Well that's a definite way of treating the door. I'll give it a go if I don't have any success with the clamping. In the meanwhile I'll attempt to see if I can identify the wedge you mentioned. I don't mind ruining one door if I get to solve the others.

Cheers
Martin

S.L.F

Where the joints are on the edges you'll find 2 bits of wood beside them they are the wedges which have been hammered in to wedge the joints tight if you drill them out the door should almost fall apart by itself.

JoeB-

One other option I've heard of for warped boards is to slightly mist the surface with a water spray.. supposedly this may cause that side to expand, thus correcting the warp.. so you'd be slightly misting the inside of the curve, hoping it will expand slightly and straighten up.


This technique may work for thin warped boards or doors, (possibly worktops)..it won't work too well on heavy pine doors.. to be honest there's not much that can be done with warped doors or wood, other than essentially re-making them as per SLFs advice..

ttm

S.L.F wrote: »

I used to work with a company that paint stripped doors, the only solution to the warping of a door is to drill out the wedges take the door apart then and turn the rails around then plane away any difference if the stiles and rails don't meet.

Don't take all the doors apart together do them one at a time and mark them all with masking tape.

You should be able get at least 4 doors done in a day, when you are putting them back together make sure they are re assembled on a flat surface and you use sash cramps to tighten them up and make sure you use wedges in the joints.

The glue to use is Extramite (resin glue)

I'd been thinking about your post for a couple of days as taking apart a new door just didn't sound right then on a reread I spotted the important bit of your post....

S.L.F wrote: »

I used to work with a company that paint stripped doors,....

When you dip strip doors you also remove most if not all the glue at the same time so of course taking out the wedges is **relatively** easy. While your advice is correct I'm not sure it will be that easy for the OP to take his doors apart?

S.L.F

ttm wrote: »

I'd been thinking about your post for a couple of days as taking apart a new door just didn't sound right then on a reread I spotted the important bit of your post....



When you dip strip doors you also remove most if not all the glue at the same time so of course taking out the wedges is **relatively** easy. While your advice is correct I'm not sure it will be that easy for the OP to take his doors apart?

ttm I'm going to make a friendship request of your good self.

The OP didn't say whether or not they were old or new doors I took it they were old because I have rarely seen new doors warp.

The glue used in old doors was animal glue which only has a certain life span so that is the reason they used wedges in doors.

Dipping a door does remove glue but it normally has lost it's effectiveness after a couple of decades

ttm

S.L.F wrote: »

ttm I'm going to make a friendship request of your good self.

The OP didn't say whether or not they were old or new doors I took it they were old because I have rarely seen new doors warp.

The glue used in old doors was animal glue which only has a certain life span so that is the reason they used wedges in doors.

Dipping a door does remove glue but it normally has lost it's effectiveness after a couple of decades

Thats the problem with so many posts, we all read them differently and often according to our own recent experience. You worked with old doors so posted accordingly and I have a freind who is buildng a new house atm and was I thinking about new doors, however reading the OP's post again there is nothing to indicate the age of the doors.

btw if these doors are not for a modern "what would the neighbors think type" house I'd be inclined to use them and "accomadate" the warp in the frame but now we not only need to know the age of the doors but also the degree of warp and their intended end use.

Corkey123

Guys

Thanks for the debate

The doors are new pine doors of the cheap and cheerful variety. The bottom of one of the door is warped by approx 3/4 of an inch. When fit it protrudes out by 3/4 of an inch and makes for an ugly close against the door stop

S.L.F

ttm wrote: »

Thats the problem with so many posts, we all read them differently and often according to our own recent experience. You worked with old doors so posted accordingly and I have a freind who is buildng a new house atm and was I thinking about new doors, however reading the OP's post again there is nothing to indicate the age of the doors.

btw if these doors are not for a modern "what would the neighbors think type" house I'd be inclined to use them and "accomadate" the warp in the frame but now we not only need to know the age of the doors but also the degree of warp and their intended end use.

You are correct but you have not thought it through, if the doors were new and recently warped then they should be able to re straighten whereas a door that is a 100 years old would not straighten as easily.

S.L.F

MartinCorcoran wrote: »

Guys

Thanks for the debate

The doors are new pine doors of the cheap and cheerful variety. The bottom of one of the door is warped by approx 3/4 of an inch. When fit it protrudes out by 3/4 of an inch and makes for an ugly close against the door stop

Since they are new you could try 1 other thing which has worked for me with new doors.

You'll enjoy this.

Ok get a skill saw and cut off half the stile and turn it upside down glue and screw it in place that will take the twist out of it but you will lose 3mm from the saw cut.

I don't need to tell you you'll need a straight edge for the skill saw to run against.

When you are screwing it back together drill a pilot hole through the piece you have cut off the same size as the screw, you will also need small blocks (small squares of 3/4" plywood) with a small hole throgh the centre of them.

Glue what needs doing then place the cut off piece against the remainder of the door place the screws into the plywood and screw them home into the holes you have drilled into the cut off piece.

24 hours later remove the screws and all you will have to fill is the small holes you have drilled.

ronboy

Can you not just adjust the frames to suit the twist in the door??
Are you painting the door?? Are the tennons showing through??
I used to work in conservation of old buildings and furniture restoration so I might be able to help you .;)

Corkey123

Thanks for the ideas folks. I'll give the less drastic option of clamping and misting a go. After that I'll attempt SLF's option. I'll let you know how I get on in a week or so, or you might just see doors in the Advert/For Sale/General section

Cheers to all
Martin

fifilarue

Hi All,
Have read all of the above posts with interest as have 3 doors about 100 years old, made from pine, which I want to re-use (am renovating old house). They were stored in a place where they got wet and they are still wet. My question is, how can I dry them out without warping them? They are not soaking wet, just heavily damp and there is a sort of black dust on them aswell. Am renovating on budget and really couldn't afford to throw them out.
Thanks in advance.

Corkey123

Just a quick up date on the doors. Still warped I'm afraid. Looks like the Bonfire will have extra kindeling this year

ronboy

Theres several ways they can be fixed martin so don't throw them out...

ronboy

fifilarue wrote: »

Hi All,
Have read all of the above posts with interest as have 3 doors about 100 years old, made from pine, which I want to re-use (am renovating old house). They were stored in a place where they got wet and they are still wet. My question is, how can I dry them out without warping them? They are not soaking wet, just heavily damp and there is a sort of black dust on them aswell. Am renovating on budget and really couldn't afford to throw them out.
Thanks in advance.

Put them flat on a floor(make sure the floor is level) with a bit of plastic under them and leave them there for a while....

ttm

ronboy wrote: »

Put them flat on a floor(make sure the floor is level) with a bit of plastic under them and leave them there for a while....

Only thing I'd add to that is don't rush it, better dried out slowly somewhere out of the wet rather than somewhere hot and dry. If you haven't already take all the door furniture off them - as you can't easily lay a door flat with knobs on.

fifilarue

Thanks ronboy and ttm-will give it a shot- might lay them on the floor of the house itself maybe? No heating atm. Am a bit nervous after seeing that the OP will be using his for the bonfire though!

ttm

fifilarue wrote: »

Thanks ronboy and ttm-will give it a shot- might lay them on the floor of the house itself maybe? No heating atm. Am a bit nervous after seeing that the OP will be using his for the bonfire though!

With no heat on you should be fine and I'll guess you'll be able to take a regular look at then to see how they are turning out?

I'd also add that you could stack all 3 on top of each other with some equal size laths between them (say 3 across top middle and bottom same under the bottom one on the floor). I'd include the plastic sheet on the floor as ronboy says (a very dry floor could suck moisture out too quickly just the same as a wet one could stop the drying) and also add a sheet of plywood covering the top (again over laths) so the top one doesn't dry out quickly on the top side only. If you can then check and restack once a week untill you are happy they are dry enough. If one starts to warp take it out of the stack so it doesn't effect the one on top of it, but the weight of the doors on top should help the lower ones stay flat.

fifilarue

Thanks a million ttm-will do as you say. Would it be worth putting some weight on top aswell i.e a few bales of briquettes or something?

ttm

Wouldn't harm should help but if they dry out quickly or unevenly I don't think any amount of weight will make a difference

fifilarue

ttm wrote: »

Wouldn't harm should help but if they dry out quickly or unevenly I don't think any amount of weight will make a difference

Thanks a million ttm-fingers crossed that this will work out. Appreciate all the advice.
F

Corkey123

Folks

Never thought of puttiing them under furiture. I'll try that , at least they are out of the way.

I'll come back with an up date

Cheers to all and good luck with your particular problem fifilarue

Martin