Waterproof Exterior Wood Garage Door Panels

[Hoosierpopi]

The sprinkler near the garage door keeps the bottom panel(s) wetter than otherwise in South Florida's semi-topical climate. It is time to replace the door panels once again. They are no longer made of the world's best lumber - style and rail affairs with a plyeood panel insert.

Last time I tried two coats of exterior primer and three oats of exterior latex flat and the job didn't last two years in places and I had to repair sections of the rails.

SO, I thought to check-in here and see if there were any trucks of the trade one or more of you might share to help me best protect the $130 replacement panels the need replacing now.

[Leon]

I think the simplest solution would be to correct the sprinkler problem. Is repairing the door every 2 years less trouble than correcting the sprinkler application in that spot?

[Dave In Texas]

BINGO, Leon! In the dozen or so years I was 'contracting' I couldn't estimate how much rotted siding or how many rotted windows or window sills we replaced/repaired account people's sprinkler systems were watering the house as much as the flower beds. Sometimes I think irrigation systems are just another status symbol, like lawn crews and a Beemer in the driveway.

Dave in Houston

[Sonny]

Agreed. Treat the disease, not a symptom of it. Otherwise, rebuild your garage door with composite material or metal.

Sonny

[Morris Dovey]

I agree with Leon on fixing the sprinkler setup.

I had a similar problem (with a 20-year cycle rather than 2-year) and applied the crowbar to buy the monsterous bit set from MLCS to cut new rails and stiles from Menards' best 2x4s, and sacrificed a sheet of their fine (well, maybe not so fine) 1/4" plywood and built a new panel.

I used dowels and Gorilla Glue and if I were doing it today, I'd use Titebond III and pocket screws.

I gave the panel three coats of polyurethane, sanded the top coat lightly, primed, and applied latex. It's been five years now, and the panel still looks like new.

I applied the savings from not buying a new weatherproof door toward a new B&D variable-speed router and a Jessum router table and lift to do the routing.

A new door would have been cheaper, but I've enjoyed the new router setup. :)

[Pat Barber]

[Lew Hodgett]

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1) Correct sprinkler spray pattern. 2) Replace rotted door with foam filled fiberglass door which meets hurricane design spec. 3) Correct sprinkler spray pattern. 4) Park truck to block spray, then replace truck when it rusts out. 5) Correct sprinkler spray pattern.

Lew