Rotten Door Repair

nick349058223 · 27 Sep 2023

I was just looking for some advice regarding repairing or replacing my front door.

I was about to repaint it when I noticed the mullion/rail corners looked a bit soft. After poking around and excavating with a screwdriver I found that the rot goes about 3/4 of the way through in at least 2 of them

The door is an original 1997 developer door with no porch and it's South facing. It's quite gappy at the joints so I can understand how water got in. Is it worth repairing with a wood hardener and something like Dry Flex and then adding frame sealant around the floating panels. Would that stop further deterioration? Or would it be better off to just buy a new door which should last for the next 20 years (about £250 for the same sort of thing from LDP Doors say).

foxhole · 27 Sep 2023

If you change door add a porch to improve weather protection or use a composite door.

JohnD · 27 Sep 2023

nick349058223 said:
Is it worth repairing

No.

opps · 27 Sep 2023

I would repair it, but I am a decorator...

You may get a new door for £250 but you will have to factor in the cost of fitting and painting.

Dry Flex in a single caulking gun sized tube is £40-50. It would be advisable to seal any gaps around the panels with an MS polymer such as CT1 (approx £15).

JohnD · 27 Sep 2023

Have a look at a door canopy, will keep off much of the rain unless it faces driving winds.

Wider than the door looks best.

^woody^ · 27 Sep 2023

Repair it as you propose and you'll get several more years out of it yet. Do a thorough job on the rot.

The important thing would be to then keep it well maintained and bring forward the repainting cycle. Don't bother with a canopy unless it's in your dreams and you've always wanted one.

Odds · 28 Sep 2023

I had a deep rot problem at the base of our front door several years ago. Dug out the dead wood, evicted a platoon of wood lice, then got to work with Ronseal wood filler. Smoothed it, painted it with a weather proof coat and it's still going strong.

nick349058223 · 30 Sep 2023

Thanks for the advice. I have started chopping the rot out and repairing with Dry Flex. Hopefully it will hold up for a few years!