Door swelled from moisture won't close

[BoscoXavier]

I have an exterior door which is wood (with a glass window in the middle). It was unstained wood when it was installed so I stained it with a stain/waterproofing product. I think, unfortunately, I forgot to stain the bottom of the door.

Over the last couple weeks it has gotten harder and harder to open. Now it won't close. I checked the hinges and they're all still tight. I can see the marks from the door jam on the door where its rubbing. Should I use my electric sander or planer and sand down those places until it closes? Then should I stain and waterproof (or laquer it) or will that trap the moisture inside? Also, if I sand it down, won't it shrink back to normal size in the summer, leaving me with gaps? I assume the reason for the swelling of the door is the rain we've received in San Francisco in the last few weeks.

Thanks!

[ransley]

Sand it till it works, it will expand contract even sealed in paint, its the house that is also moving, all you can do it give it the clearance it needs it wont open visable gaps later.

[BoscoXavier]

I was just looking at it again and the deadbolt is almost flush with the edge of the door. So I won't be able to sand much off of the door before the deadbolt will stick out. What about sanding down the side of the door jam?

Thanks

[Don Phillipson]

Standard practice to reduce the width of a door appears to be to (remove and) plane the hinge edge of the door. This may be inconvenient in wet or cold weather.

[Red Green]

"Don Phillipson" wrote in news:gjuenu$6c5$1 @theodyn.ncf.ca:

@r10g2000prf.googlegroups.com...

LOL, what a PR man!

Red Green version: It'll be a pain in the ass and you'll freeze your balls off in shit weather.

[ransley]

Standard for maybe a carpenter charging by the hour who is out of work, Ive adjusted maybe 50 doors, redone hundreds, never did, never will remove it if the locking side sticks, you remove the hinge side if hinge side was improperly installed.

[BoscoXavier]

Thanks for the advice.

Ransley, since its the locking side that's sticking, how do you suggest sanding it down when the deadbolt is almost flush with the edge of the door?

[Joe]

Might be a real cheap door badly installed. IMO, things like these are perpetual problems. You will surely futz with it for months, maybe years, and finally in exasperation, have it done over to a higher standard. If you don't have the patience to tolerate the problem, have it corrected now. Install a fiberglass door that won't be affected by the climate, takes a decent finish and then go on to other things.Good luck.

Joe

[Phisherman]

Yes, yes and yes. The door is wood. Wood (even when dead) changes dimensions with moisture changes. More changes occur across the grain than with the grain, and some kinds of wood are more stable than others. Most doors are constructed in a way to minimize expansion/contraction, but obviously, the larger the cross grain, the more movement you will get. Trim the door just enough to allow it to close--that will minimize the gap during a dry spell. Allow the door to fully dry before applying finish. Water is wood's enemy, so maintaining a finish will greatly help extend the life of the door. Storm doors will protect too.

[Twayne]

Sooo, what would you do?

What, three minutes to gather tools, mark the interference point, pop the pins, lay the door on its edge? Ten minutes to plain? 5 minutes to check fit? Say 5 more to replane? 5 to reinstall?

Toss a thin coat of primer on the bottom & plained side, others if needed, & put the door back. Wait for dry weather to properly paint.

Maybe it's only sticking because the top hinge screws have loosened? Middle hinge?

If it's not sticking so bad it can barely be opened, I'll often just rub parafin, a candle, or even soap on it until better weather comes so I can fiddle with it. Actually I have storm doors so it's not a huge problem unless it's zero type weather.

When finishing a door, don't forget the bottom lip. A properly finished, paint, varnish, whatever, will prevent humidity problems by sealing the door against it. If there isn't a storm door, there should be. Protects the entrance door from weather & adds a little insulation to the door.

[hank]

I would recommend against sanding the jamb as you mentioned. Putting a long straight edge against the jamb on both sides are there any gaps, trying to see if door frame is installed properly.

[mkirsch1]

Are you this stupid normally or did you stay at a Holiday Inn last night?

Remove the deadbolt and lockset. Plane down the edge of the door until it fits. Cut the recesses for the deadbolt and lockset deeper if you need to. Reinstall.

[Phisherman]

I agree. Reshaping a jamb is asking for trouble down the road. The jamb should be plumb and the top absolutely level else you might curse it everytime you use it, or try to use it.

[David maijala]

replying to BoscoXavier, David maijala wrote: Basically by now the door is not important, particularly if you are sitting there and still awaiting an answer after 8 years. If you are, please get help - not for the door, but yourself.