Help with split door please

[bexupnorth]

Hi All,

Our front door has 2 wooden panels on the bottom, one of which has split vertically to about 3/8" wide showing daylight through and providing a little more ventilation than we need. I've previously filled it using epoxy filler, which seems to last about a winter, but this falls out come spring. I'm thinking of planing down two pieces of wood into long thin wedges and feeding them in from either side of the door and gluing in place. Does this seem like a sensible solution or is there a better way.

Many thanks,

Ade.

 

[Racers]

Hi, Ade

The problem is caused be the panel being glued or stuck in to the rebates, so when the wood dries and contracts in summer it split, and will carry on moving depending on how damp it is.
The only way to fix it is to strip the door down and make a new panel and make sure it if free to move when you glue it back up.
You might be able to cut the back rebate off and get the panel out replace it and glue some battens back in to the door only, you would have to protect the panel from the glue or you would be back to square one.

Pete

 

[bexupnorth]

Thanks Pete, There's a lot of old paint on the door so I suspect this is the culprit. Question from a point of ignorance, is there really that much movement in a door panel? or is it just likely that the panel has split, become stuck in the extreme position and the two halves are now held as far apart as posible?

Ade.

 

[Jacob]

There's another better way!
If it is trad construction the panel should be floating in the slots. So the first thing is to paint strip, remove filler, and get the panels loose. Then get them to close up together and glue the joint. You need some G clamps or deeper types of clamp on to one half of the panel and you can then force it towards the other to close the joint. When the glue has set make sure the panel is still loose in the slots and just make sure it stays that way by being careful about painting around the edges

 

[AndyT]

You'll find a good description of the trad door panel construction and how to mend a split in this old joinery book, available to read on line for free: http://www.archive.org/stream/cassellscarpentr00hasl#page/340/mode/2up

(Lots more good stuff there too.)

 

[bexupnorth]

Thanks guys,

It's a trad construction and a lovely old door, spoiled by a bit of age and neglect. I've got a million other things on at the moment, so will do my annual bodge for this winter then take the door off and do it properly next year.

Jacob, just to confirm the type of clamp you describe. This is a deep throated design so that I can get some purchase on the bits of panel that need to move. Is that correct?

Regards,

Ade.

 

[Racers]

Hi, Ade

The best way is to scrape or sand off the paint each side of the split and glue a length of wood on with paper in-between so you can remove it later, then you can just use some G cramps to pull it together.


Pete