How to fix swelled door panels?

[nuzuki]

Hi all,

I have a front door that seems to have absorbed some water and swelled around the bottom of the top two panels. Anyone know a way of fixing or at least making it slightly better. I've attached some pics...

Thanks for looking

 

[big-all]

that swelling is absolutely typical off mdf but wouldnt expect the panels to be mdf

 

[Deleted member 174758]

You can't really fix panels which have swelled like that. In some doors it is possible to remove the internal beads, replace the panels and rebead (some of the beads probably won't survive being removed). With most modern doors that simply isn't feasible as the beads are moulded integral with the rails and stiles and so cannot be removed easily. How thick is the door and what material is it made out of (i.e. hardwood or softwood)?

 

[nuzuki]

Thanks for the replies. It's a pine door I think. Probably 38mm wide at most. I wondered whether I could take a hot iron to it then brush it with rot hardener then repaint. I've tried hair drying it also on both sides but no difference.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Need a new external door, your door is an internal door.

Andy

 

[Deleted member 174758]

It's a pine door I think. Probably 38mm wide at most. I wondered whether I could take a hot iron to it then brush it with rot hardener then repaint. I've tried hair drying it also on both sides but no difference.

Andy has it.

Sorry, but it's an internal door at 35mm originally (if it is 38mm then the frame has swollen, too), so completely unsuitable for use outside, regardless of what you do to it.

A hot iron won't do any good - once wood has swollen that much it is higjly uncooperative returning to its' original thickness. As to "rot hardener" (actually "wood hardener") - that is used to stabilise timber fibres which have been subjected to rot and then cleaned up with a wire brush, the idea being to stop the ability of rot to spread any further in the future. Can't see it being much use here, especially as a can of it costs about half of what doors like that cost new and you'd neew to strip all the paint off to apply it.

Cut your losses and buy an external door for the building - it will most likely come at 44mm or 50mm thickness and will possibly require a proper replacement door frame too - what you have there looks much thinner and might be an internal door casing or just a cobbled up lining from bits of softwood

 

[nuzuki]

Thanks for the replies. I think I'm going to have to get a new door

 

[nuzuki]

Thought I'd just share another pic of the door. With that design surely it lends itself to being an exterior door? I think it came from wickes originally judging by the design. I got it off Ebay for 23quid and have had almost 3yrs use out of it so not too bad

 

[HERTS P&D]

Your door is too thin to be an exterior door, let alone not very secure.

Andy

 

[JohnD]

measure it again. External doors are 44mm thick.

Also, look at and photograph the top edge. Some doors are stamped with identifying marks.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

As @JohnD says - external doors are invariably 44mm (or 51mm) thick. You stated 38mm thick (leading me to think possibly 35mm interior and swollen, like the panels), is that correct? Regardless, the door is shot and needs to be replaced. I also find he top of the door frame a bit odd - I'd have thought that the frame would be finished with a 1/4 round bead profile, mitre jointed in the corners, like the glazed panel to the left. Something not right with that. Possibly a later replacement door where the head was altered?