'weeping doors'

[Mojos47]

Hi. I am a DIY disaster area. About 20 years ago we took all our internal doors to be dipped to get rid of a hundred years of stain and varnish. They actually came out very well except I let them dry before rehanging so they are warped. Ever since then we have had some small occasional 'leakage' from the doors which we have just wiped clear. However, this week we have had virtually every door leaking a grotty stain which drops onto the carpets and contaminates clothes which brush up against them. Any idea why this is happening and what can be done about it? All thoughts welcomed.

 

[Jacob]

Caustic soda dipping old joinery is very often highly destructive - ruins it and shortens its life by many years. You just have to live with the results or replace them. It's possible you might be able to remove some of the hygroscopic salts causing your weeping, by soaking the doors in water for some time, refreshing it a few times, with a last soak in vinegar, but I wouldn't rate the outcome!

 

[Mojos47]

Thanks Jacob. Sadly, that's what I was afraid of.

 

[monkeybiter]

I hope it's not as bad as this

http://www.proj3ctm4yh3m.com/urbex/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The-Cambridge-Military-Hospital-10.jpg

 

[rafezetter]

I hope it's not as bad as this

http://www.proj3ctm4yh3m.com/urbex/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The-Cambridge-Military-Hospital-10.jpg

Woah, that's a horror show, what on earth happened there?

 

[monkeybiter]

Woah, that's a horror show, what on earth happened there?

Abandonment and the passage of time.

 

[blackrodd]

The caustic soda usually attacks the animal glue used in the door's construction, but, as most of the joinery then was scots pine or pitch pine which was an "oily" timber with magnificent smell and good for exterior work. the knots can "leak" I don't know why this has taken 20 years to show. Regarding the warping, After the doors were stripped and washed, they would take about 6 weeks to get down to the 10% or 12% internal moisture content they would have expanded, so more than likely not closed or jammed, i imagine they were left against a wall, instead of being stacked flat with drying strips for a time. I, personally would get some turps and get what i would think was resin pockets cleaned out. if the doors are painted, use an "oil"(not acrylic) primer and undercoat. regards Rodders

 

[Eric The Viking]

Ours were ruined by the previous idio... er, owners, DIY dip-stripping them (probably 20 years ago) and then not neutralizing the caustic. I've estimated them at >£500 each to replace, so we haven't, yet. This time of year is worst, as the RH shoots up. The caustic is hygroscopic and liquefies.

And yes it ruins anything it comes into contact with.

I'd have minded less if they looked good, but they're ruined by scraper marks and rough, unmatched panels never intended to be seen.

I'd be amazed if you can recover them now. Bonfire, probably. When I've made some new ones that's what I'll be doing with our originals. Think of it as a funeral pyre - you won't get stock that good nowadays.

E.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

In the pub , my friend speaking - Well, that's that lot over! What lot? says I. I've just finished stripping the pine in my house, all of it - skirtings, architraves, doors, the lot. That's odd, says I, I've just finished glossing mine back white after some *** stripped it all. As Eric said quite correctly, It is for the most part rough and ready joinery that was not designed to be seen.

 

[John Brown]

Our house is circa 1894. and all the interior doors have been dipped/stripped. Most of them are twisted to propellor shapes, and the guilty party has removed and replanted the door stops to match, which looks totally ridiculous. Over a century's worth of filler, patching, re-hinging etc. and the nailed-on mouldings around the panels are all visible, added to which, they've all been smeared with Bri-wax or similar, so that repainting the one or two relatively straight doors is a chore. I'd like to find the person who did all this and dip them in a big tank of caustic soda.

The really strange thing is that friends come to our house and actually compliment us on the doors. Worse still, they assume that I am responsible for this vandalism!

 

[Eric The Viking]

added to which, they've all been smeared with Bri-wax or similar, so that repainting the one or two relatively straight doors is a chore. I'd like to find the person who did all this and dip them in a big tank of caustic soda.

The really strange thing is that friends come to our house and actually compliment us on the doors. Worse still, they assume that I am responsible for this vandalism!

You won't be able to paint them successfully, even if you do get the Briwax off. The caustic has soaked into the wood by now, and, whilst it is sealed-in by the wax, it's still there.

I agree - it's a crime, not least because it is so hard to make replacements, because of the poor quality of modern deal available. I've recently used up some old stuff from the house - felled around 110 years ago, most probably. There are around 25 growth rings per inch. It finishes really nicely, with a honey glow (sanding sealer), but I have very little of it, and what I do have has many nail and screw holes.

I can't imagine where I'd find anything similar now, unless reclaimed.

E.

 

[Jacob]

A cheap alternative to Bri-wax is old chip fat.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

John - they've probably been sprayed with a silicone polish as well. Filthy stuff.

 

[John Brown]

John - they've probably been sprayed with a silicone polish as well. Filthy stuff.

I have written them all off anyway. I occasionally search eBay for replacements, but it seems that a lot of reclaimed doors are sold stripped, and our doors are larger than most. I know a woman who owns an architectural salvage business - she has hundreds of doors, and she refuses to sell them un-stripped, I have no idea why. I do have one I bought for £25, that I will get round to fitting one day, but I need to plant a strip on one edge as the seller wasn't too accurate with the measuring tape.

 

[Eric The Viking]

she has hundreds of doors, and she refuses to sell them un-stripped

I don't think she's allowed to: they'll have lead-based paint.

Blame our delightful EU regulations. They've also banned lead in solder* which is why so many more bits of electronic equipment fail now than previously. See my rant in the General topics section...

E.

 

[Jacob]

she has hundreds of doors, and she refuses to sell them un-stripped

I don't think she's allowed to: they'll have lead-based paint.

I doubt it very much. More likely she thinks stripping adds value with more profit for herself.

Blame our delightful EU regulations. They've also banned lead in solder* which is why so many more bits of electronic equipment fail now than previously. ...
E.

No they haven't except for plumbing, because it can be very toxic. It's still OK on plumbing where no likelihood of consumption would be involved such as central heating circuits.

 

[Racers]

I think you need to read the post more slowly Jacob.

Its banned in ELECTRONICS like Eric said.

Pete

 

[Eric The Viking]

We're both right, Jacob: still available for non-potable plumbing, and military and aviation applications (and, I think automotive too). Banned in consumer electrical/electronics applications and in potable water applications in plumbing.

I meant to put that in the asterisked comment but forgot all about it as the phone went when I was typing it.

E.