sanding and repainting ext. door

[Doug]

Looks like my exterior door into my garage has taken on some moisture. See door pics here....

Perhaps I should wait a while till it gets hotter (dryer) but is it feasible to sand and repaint? This is a somewhat heavy wood door. I guess there is no way to prevent moisture from getting to the door every so many years??? It only appears that the moisture got to the very bottom and doesn't appear too bad yet but don't want it too so I'm considering how to fix this while it's not too bad.

[trader4]

It's a bit weird looking. And the door appears to have a high gap at the bottom and is positioned high over grade so that water should not be wicking up into it from the bottom. It may not have been painted on the bottom edge? That would make it easier for moisture to get in. In any case, scraping, sanding etc to get what's there off is the first step. Then you can proceed based on what you find underneath. May require some exterior grade wood filler, sanding, priming, painting. And check that bottom edge.

[Norminn]

It is typical (or common) for doors and trim not to be sealed on the end of grain. Door bottoms so often begin to warp, expand and split. Indoor or outdoor, it takes just the continual moisture from dew or condensation running down the door and wicking into the end grain. Sanding, priming and painting the damaged area and the bottom of the door should take care of it. If it is too heavy to take down, just open the door, lay down a tarp, and use a small foam roller to paint bottom of the door...may not be up to standards but surely would do. I make such adjustments when something is too heavy for me to move :o) Just make sure the door has dried out before painting.

[RonB]

As Oren said, pull it off and do the work on sawhorses it will be easier and more effective. What I have done before is prime and paint the bottoms well as you do the entire door. Then, before you remount spread a skin of silicon caulk or RTV clear on the bottom surface and up the sides 1/2 " or so. Takes a little extra time but you won't have to do it again. You will have to put the silicon on after you paint because paint won't adhere to the silicon.

I had a garage door that was too close to a lawn sprinkler head at a previous residence and it ate the lower frame too. I did the above to all of the frame edge parts as I rebuilt it.

RonB