Having problems opening or closing your wooden door? Most likely the wood on your door is warped. Warping can happen on almost any kind of door including solid doors, hollow doors or in raised-panel type doors.
Even new doors can suffer from warping. You can use the following tips on how to fix that irritating warped wooden door in no time.
Easy fixes for a warped wooden door
The first step in treating any warped wooden door or even furniture is to understand the actual wood species that was used to construct your door. If the door is pine then you might suffer from warping on a regular basis.
Pine is a conifer, a soft-grain wood. If not properly sealed, pine doors will expand and contract resulting in a permanent warp.
Things you will need
- Warped door you will work on
- 100-grit sandpaper
- Straightedge
- Chisel
- Screwdriver
- Wood Varnish
Instructions
1) Locate the warped area
Source: https://activerain.com/blogsview/4721300/exterior-door-is-warped
The warp appears in the middle of the door, with the top and bottom tapering away from the center. If you spot a large gap from where the door meets the jamb at the top of the door contacts the jamb without closing then you may have a severely warped door. It is impossible to completely remove the warping in a door but you can disguise it so you can open and close your door normally.
Remove the door from the jamb. Unscrew the hinges on the jamb side and remove the door. Place the door on two sawhorses, in a garage or outside. The warped side should be facing up.
2) Use pressure
Source: http://cabinetdoorskitchen.com/formica-cabinet-door-repair/
Put pressure on the warped side. Place as heavy objects on the warped side of the door until the warp is reversed as far as possible without damaging the door. Place the heavy objects at the center of the crown of the warp. Let the door remain this way.
Allow the door to remain on the sawhorses for at least 72 hours or longer. Remove the objects and check the warp by using a straightedge across the door parallel to the grain. After 72 hours, the warp is not likely to be completely gone, but will surely be smaller.
3) Sanding
If you placed weights on the warp on your door but still the damage remains then the next course of action is sanding. Use a 100-grit sanding belt on a belt sander. Make sure to wear a protective mask, goggles, and gloves for this procedure.
Place a straightedge on the door. A gap between the straightedge and the door indicates the direction of the warp. If the gap is on the ends of the straightedge, flip the door over to let the warp face down.
If the top of the door is bowed from the doorstop skip the sanding because this won’t work. Stand on the edge and begin sanding the edge of the door at the top where the door meets the doorstop.
Move the sander back and forth across the grain of the door from the top edge of the door to taper it down. Sanding is done on the top edge where the top of the door meets the doorstop. Check your progress by using a straightedge.
The center of the door should become smaller as you remove wood gradually from the top edge of the door. The warp might not be completely removed but at least y you will be able to fit your door on the doorway.
4) Jambs
Source: https://www.bunnings.co.nz/diy-advice/home-improvement/doors/how-to-fix-a-door-jamb
After sanding and still the door cannot fit or the warp is still too severe then you may want to move the doorstop on the jambs.
Pry the doorstop off the jamb with a chisel or screwdriver. Close the door and then reinstall the jambs to fit the warp. Some doorstop trim can be bent when installed. If this is too old or too worn then you may need to purchase a new one and install it on the jambs.
To make sure that the problem doesn’t reoccur, take time to sand the door and refinish it. If your door is still in good shape then it might mean that the top, bottom, and sides of the door are not sealed. Use a lacquer or varnish to seal your door. Lacquer works great for interior doors while polyurethane or a similar product is good for exterior use.
Conclusion
Warped doors can be remedied by using pressure, sanding or reinstalling the door jamb. Don’t give up on a warped door because this can still be fixed. Although warping is not entirely gone, you don’t need to spend money on a new door.
