Lengthening a hardwood front door...

Can any of you carpentry experts advise the best way to lengthen a hardwood front door? (I just acquired a nice 2nd-hand one which is the right width but about 60mm / 2.5" too short.

I'm not sure what the wood is, as the door is painted, and I probably wouldn't know what it was if it was unpainted - but it's heavy as hell and is obviously hardwood. Should I use waterproof glue? If so, can a small amount be bought cheaply? Any tips or essential guidelines I should observe for best results? Since clamping will be near-impossible, should I screw the extra piece in place when the glue is still wet? Or will nails suffice? Should the extra piece be of hardwood too?

There is a wooden rain run-off moulding at the bottom. I'm thinking that if I add the extra piece on the bottom, I can then reposition the moulding to hide the join (hide it from the outside, at least). But then, I guess if the join is done properly, it won't need hiding, will it? The door will be painted after the operation, anyway.

Any tips on how to plane the joined so that it ends up flush on all faces would be appreciated.

You can probably tell, I've never done this before!

Thank you for any tips...

Rick J H

Reply to
Rick J H
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Might it not be easier/look better if you just adapted the horizontal of the door frame? Perhaps add a second horizontal 2.5" lower than the present one.

Reply to
Harry Bloomfield

I would use a polyurethane glue and screws deeply and tightly set (so it's still possible to plane the end that you extend). The joining faces should be bare wood. Polyurethane glue foams as it sets,so requires good clamping pressure, but the joint will be strong and waterproof. The squeeze-out forms a fairly soft foam that is easy to clean away once set.

Planing is an art that is best taught by somebody standing over you. As with everything, practice on scrap material first.

Reply to
dom

You need to plane the bottom edge of the door to be as straight and square as you can posibly get it. Then get your new bit of wood and plane/sand it to be exactly the same thickness as the door. Drill and countersink the new wood to take screws. Apply Gripfill to the bottom of the door. This is both an adhesive and will fill any slight imperfections in the event that you didn't get the bottom of the door quite straight.

Offer up the new wood but don't screw it yet. Use a strip of flat wood (e.g.

5" x 1" planed) either side of the door to cover the join, and lightly clamp it with G-clamps to provide alignment. Then insert and tighten the screws, and remove the G-clamps/strips of wood. Clean up any Gripfill which has oozed out before it sets. When the gripfill has set, sand the front and back surfaces to get a smooth finish over the joint.
Reply to
Roger Mills

Thanks to you and dom for the helpful guidlines; just what I was hoping for.

Would you say it is essential to use hardwood for the extra piece? Any thoughts on whether it would be best to add the extra piece to the top or the bottom of the door?

Rick J H

Reply to
Rick J H

I'd add it to the top. Easier to mask it with a weather bar at the bottom, but it will be more vulnerable to rot, however careful you are with adhesive etc. Softwood would be ok if you're painting it. If not, you'll have to track down a matching hardwood, which may not be easy (or cheap).

Reply to
Stuart Noble

Thank you! I have to confess that this solution didn't occur to me. Perhaps it was just too obvious! It certainly seems like the easy answer - particularly since I can do it with offcuts of softwood I have lying around. I'll go and envisage the look of a lowered frame and then decide.

Rick J H

Reply to
Rick J H

That's very helpful - thanks. I don't really need the door to last forever, as I'm selling the place soon, but I still like to do a reasonable job. From what you say, it sounds like softwood will be adequate for this job, if used at the top.

Thank you,

Rick J H

Reply to
Rick J H

An easier alternative might be to reduce the size of the door frame.

Robert

Reply to
RobertL

That's going to look 'orrible!

Reply to
Roger Mills

Take the advice of the other posters, but also take a look at where the hinges will need to be. If they exactly the same, then OK. If not are you going to move then in the door frame, or the door itself. The screws for the new hinge might get too close to the old hole and break into them. Also, does the door latch/lock match the door frame catch plate? Something to weigh up, as I think this will determine the position of the lengthening piece.

Dave

Reply to
Dave

Good advice - thanks. As it happens, the position of the hinges and the lock were so wildly differnt from the old door that it made no difference. I just hung the door in the low position, and tomorrow will decide whether to reduce the size of the frame or increase the height of the door. I think probably the latter, since a bigger door is seems slightly better, in some circumstances, than a smaller one. And it'll look a bit more convincing too, as it avoids altering the original 100-year old frame design.

Rick

Rick

Reply to
Rick J H

Whatever you do is a bodge there's no way round it. Basically nail/ glue on a 2.5inch piece of wood and plane/sand etc until it's an invisible mend.

cheers Jacob

Reply to
normanwisdom

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