We just put our home on the market and we noticed that the casing around the front door is rotted. There's quite a hole in part of it that I could probably fill and repaint. I'm assuming this would be picked up by an inspector so we should deal with it now. I'm trying to minimize out of pocket expenses now so other than ripping the entire casing out and replacing it, which I do not have the skill to do, is there an alternative?
Thanks,
Cindy
why did it rot? thats as important as making it look presentable
you might consider getting your home inspected by you. then fix the stuff cheap.
buyers will demand pro fixes with receipts, that can cost thousands
It was on its way to rotting when I purchased the home 6 years ago. My inspector at the time said because the front yard is a downward slope to the home, moisture near the front door would be a problem. Other than the door frame, which sits 2 feet above ground (we have a full basement), there have been no other moisture issues.
Thanks,
Cindy
A bunch of things spring to mind:
1) leave it.2) leave it and disclose it.
3) fill, paint and disclose.4) replace.
The thing is that it rotted for a reason -- without knowing what caused it, it's hard to know how to advise you.
Except that it is a very small world and I can assure you that what goes around, comes around. Often, faster and with much larger teeth than we ever imagined. DAMHIKT
Ken
If the door frame is 2' above the ground then the downward slope is NOT the problem unless you get over 2' of standing water on a regular basis. Is the door exposed to rain on a regular basis and out of the sunlight? If so, it gets wet and doesn't dry out quickly and is causing it to rot. Is the rot limited to the casing or does it expand into the door jam also? The casing is easy to replace. The door jam is not. If it is the door jam also, get a whole new door and hire someone to replace it. The local Lowe's has contractors who will replace it for about $200 plus the cost of the door.
Mike D.
Hi Mike,
The door jamb is in perfect condition. It's only the casing that has a problem. I'm in the Northeast and we get a decent amount of rain and there's no storm door and no gutters.
Cindy
Min-Wax makes a hardener and a filler which I have used several times with very good results. You must first clen out the most rotted material before adding the hardener. Then, a two part epoxy filler is used.
By casing I'm understanding that you mean the trim around the sides and top, and *not* the doorsill, aka threshold (the horizontal piece which you step on as you enter). The above repair will be best on the threshold but if the trim is deteriorated to the edges it will be just as easy and not expensive to replace.
Thanks for the info. It's not rotten on the doorsill, just in the center of one of the trim pieces on the front of the house next to the door jamb. Can the Min-Wax product be painted? Is it clear or colored?
Thanks,
Cindy
These guys have some great products for this sort of thing:
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