# Is there a method to repair rotted door.



## Everend

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?


----------



## CCCo.

Your kiddin right?

Who uses band aids on doors anyway, just replace the darn thing and be done.

I can see clearly it wasn't maintained, point in case - thats why its like it is.


It needed paint a few years back, and probably a new seal, now its toast.

Use a bandaid if you want, but imo its like putting lipstick on a pig.


Sorry I just feel like being honest tonight.


----------



## superseal

I have no clue how to fix rotten wood :whistling

http://www.contractortalk.com/f33/hurd-window-job-99692/


----------



## dakzaag

superseal said:


> I have no clue how to fix rotten wood :whistling
> 
> http://www.contractortalk.com/f33/hurd-window-job-99692/


ya, and I have no clue what a cmu is...:whistling

I need some input on replacing a jam. My front door is in bad shape. I have been looking over the hurd job to learn a thing or two.:thumbup:


----------



## Sir Mixalot

Couldn't resist.


----------



## detroit687

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?


It looks like a inexpensive door but if its worth your time are cut half the bottom rail at least all the rot glue and clamp a new rail with a loose tennon sand paint and add a kickplate. I payed 1500 for just the slab for my front door so i Could see why some one would try to get a few more years


----------



## Paulie

Prehung Exterior Steel Door P-8 36 in. x 80 in. Left Swing
Details
Prehung Exterior Steel Door P-8 36 in. x 80 in. Left Swing
Full-Lite Primed White
Nominal Size: 36"W x 80"H - LH
Sku: 4142205
Model: P8_Stl_Ph_Dr_Loe_Gls_36X80_Lh
Online Price
$259.00

I think this one has the built in blind. 

I might want to address the problem of why it rotted like that to begin with. Must have a water source to make it that way.


----------



## superseal

Truth is...some doors are inexpensive and you gotta draw a line between the economics of restoration vs. replacement.

Looks like it's a full view door which might have racked a bit and squeezed the jamb and door together - check that door for square and trash if it's out.

Cheap new construction doors...I replace in a heartbeat; Complicated, expensive doors, I'll entertain restoration methods.

Pic doesn't really tell the story...who knows, it might be a T-Astragal with a monster transom attached.

Doubt it ...but could be :laughing:


----------



## Everend

Yes this is a serious question  Yes it is a <$250 builder grade door. Steel clad wood. The rot only goes an inch or two into the door, so I suspect that we could cut back into the door behind the rot and glue in a small piece. Since the face of the door is steel, I think we could hid the patch so that it is only visible as a line 4-6" up along the end of the door.

This client is a rental property manager so they are not really interested in spending $500-750 to do the job right. Replace the door, jamb, exterior trim, interior trim and 4 colors of paint (int/ext trim/wall). I see this all the time, even with non-rental homes. 

Because this is a managed property they can spend up to $250 before they need to get approval from the actual owner. So I'd like to have a method for repairing this type of door rot for under $250. This way I can give the customer's a choice between a budget job and a brand new front door. Having this repair method allows us to compete with guys who will do the work for nothing.


----------



## Everend

As for the cause...
These are 100k-150k homes that are about 10-15 years old. They used inexpensive materials. There is rarely any eve over the door, if so it's the standard 18" eve that goes around the rest of the house. The rotted doors we see are usually north facing back doors so they don't get any direct sun to dry. Most of the time the concrete patio is poured to within 3" of the threshold so water runs off the roof (no gutters) onto the patio and splashes up the back door. Because the jambs are interior grade pine and the cut ends were probably not primed/painted or set into caulk, water wicks up into the end grain and rots them out. These houses usually have Hardie siding so customers can get away with not repainting the exterior, yea it may look a bit faded but the siding isn't visibly deteriorating due to paint problems, except for this one spot where the builder used untreated wood, outside. PS we also see a lot of untreated 1x4 as window trim in these neighborhoods. These are also rotted on the mitered corners.


----------



## Mud Master

Are you sure you WANT to compete with those type of guys in the first place???


----------



## Pete'sfeets

find a good used building goods store,could be my city but there seems to be a few to choose from, located in the dirty part of town, just be sure to charge extra for shopping.


----------



## Aaron Berk

How do you fix a rotted door?

Very carefully :thumbsup:


----------



## summithomeinc

Everend said:


> Yes this is a serious question  Yes it is a <$250 builder grade door. Steel clad wood. The rot only goes an inch or two into the door, so I suspect that we could cut back into the door behind the rot and glue in a small piece. Since the face of the door is steel, I think we could hid the patch so that it is only visible as a line 4-6" up along the end of the door.
> 
> This client is a rental property manager so they are not really interested in spending $500-750 to do the job right. Replace the door, jamb, exterior trim, interior trim and 4 colors of paint (int/ext trim/wall). I see this all the time, even with non-rental homes.
> 
> Because this is a managed property they can spend up to $250 before they need to get approval from the actual owner. So I'd like to have a method for repairing this type of door rot for under $250. This way I can give the customer's a choice between a budget job and a brand new front door. Having this repair method allows us to compete with guys who will do the work for nothing.


I work for management companies also so I understand your price issue. Here it has to be under 300.00. I also understand how the rest of it works when you work for companies like this. Once you touch it you own it. If you half ass it now they will be really happy and tell you how great you are. When in 6-8 months the pice of wood you put in falls out, or the bondo you used to fix the metal cracks they will have you there for free repairing it again. Then they will tell you how you should have fixed it right to start with so now why can't you replace the door like you should have to start with. Oh and they allready paid you once to fix it so the second time is all on you. It's really not worth it to not do it right. Explain it to the Property Manager and have them to get the approval you need to do it right.


----------



## Splinter hands

I would charge more than 250 to go and dink around trying to repair a rotten door anyway. Tell the cheap slumloard the door was originally a POS product and it needs to be replaced. Let him know that you don't like to Jimmy things together because you end up with a shoddy end result and you like to do things right so there are no future recurring problems in the future and in the long run it will save him money. Slumloards love hearing SAVE and MONEY in the same sentence.:laughing:


----------



## Splinter hands

I was typing the same time you were summit. I see we are on the same page with this one:thumbsup:.


----------



## Tinstaafl

I think some of you guys poking fun are missing the point. Sure, it's a maintenance issue. So the maintenance wasn't done. I'll share a secret: I get a lot of work from people who didn't do proper maintenance. :thumbsup:

But yes, I'll agree; while there are ways to restore a slab in that condition, in most cases it will cost a significant percentage, or even more than the price of a new one--mostly in labor. A casual reality check usually results in a new slab being ordered.


----------



## Everend

There is one other aspect to this question, my desire to find a repair solution. I don't like waste. 95% of the door is still good. When I replace the door, I'll post the old one for free on craigslist and about half the time it's picked up, I assume to be reused by someone who's less discriminating. The other half of the time it goes to the landfill. The re-hab (used material) store won't take it and I don't know of anyone recycling these around here.


----------



## KennMacMoragh

Did you try scraping, Bondo, sand, then paint?


----------



## Everend

I haven't tried anything yet and probably won't for this customer since I bid it my normal rate for complete replacement. I'm a bit surprised that nobody else is thinking along the repair lines.


----------



## greg24k

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?


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.


----------



## RaleighPainter

do they care if it is a full view door? you can pick up a standard exterior metal door for like $100.00 in lowes.. i wouldnt think they would care being it's a rental property?


----------



## BC Carpenter

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.


----------



## TimNJ

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.


----------



## KAP

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^)


----------



## aptpupil

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.


----------



## KAP

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.


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...


----------



## Dan019

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


----------



## jb4211

I haven't read every thread, but I'd replace the door also.


----------



## TheSider

Yes Bondo


----------



## KAP

So what did you do?... :smile:


----------



## summithomeinc

KAP said:


> So what did you do?... :smile:


I was wondering the same thing...


----------



## Everend

I bid the job as a door replacement. The property manager forward the bid to the owner. No word from the owner yet.


----------



## TheSidingGuy

$100 bucks and Bondo it!


----------



## Youngin'

TheSidingGuy said:


> $100 bucks and Bondo it!


Dude. Check the date this was posted.


----------



## Everend

Ironically enough, I'm going a door bondo job today. I still don't like this method, so keep posting non-bondo responses. Thanks


----------



## TimNJ

Want to stop this issue?
Put up a storm door.


----------



## Railman

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.


----------



## mikecarsy

*Simple as*

1) Take door off. Chisel, Rockwell, saw the bad stuff out.

2) Stick some glued and screwed 2x2 in it.

3) Paint it 

4) Get your money.

p.s You may have to put a drip sill above the door.


----------



## mako1

Mud Master said:


> Are you sure you WANT to compete with those type of guys in the first place???


+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.


----------

