Doors have been made out of wood for thousands of years, and this traditional material still retains a natural beauty and classic elegance. One issue with wooden doors, though, is that if they are not properly cared for, they can warp. While prevention is the best treatment, there are steps a homeowner can take to fix a warped door.
Fix A Warped Door
What Causes Warp?Â
Warping usually occurs because of water damage. If a piece of wood becomes warped, it is often because one side of the wood dried out and the other side remained moist, forcing the wood to expand and contract unevenly. Doors can become warped because of heavy rains, high humidity, or even flooding, and they may not fit property in their frames if they are warped. While there are ways to improve warped wood, in some cases it may be impossible to completely straighten it out, and you may want to consider buying a new wood door or looking for a comparable alternative.
Fix A Warped Door
Water and TimeÂ
You have a few options for straightening out warped wood. Once choice is to use moisture to reverse the effects of the warp. Determine where the crown—the highest point of the warp—is, mark it, and flip the wood over so that the crown is on the ground. Fill the depression in the warp with a small pool of water, and allow it to remain there for at least 15 minutes before wiping it away.
Next, place a number of sawhorses end-to-end so that they form a line, or find a worktable of similar length to the door. Place a two-by-four block on top, and position the door so that the mark indicating the crown is directly over it. Use clamps to secure the wood, and tighten them until the door bends at least ¾ of an inch in the opposite direction of the warp. (This will allow it to spring back into normal shape later on.) Allow the board to dry in this position for at least 72 hours, and repeat until the door is sufficiently straight and dry.
Fix A Warped DoorÂ
Using a JointerÂ
If the water and clamps don’t work, then another option is to use a jointer. Set the jointer to remove 1/16 of an inch of wood, and lay the door on the jointer with the crown facing up. Turn on the jointer and slowly push the wood across it, applying slight pressure to the top—but not enough to bend the wood. Continue until the underside is flat. Then flip the door over and repeat for the other side. While this sometimes works, however, it will ruin any detailing or finish that you had on the door.
Fix A Warped Door
By knowing how to fix a warped door, you can possibly save yourself tons of money on door replacement. Plus, it is especially beneficial if you have antique doors or doorways that are custom-sized. However, if your wood warps and the above methods do not work, then you may want to consider purchasing a new door altogether.
Fix A Warped Door
