Repairing A Broken Door Panel

Wooden panels were typically fitted into grooves plowed in the door rails and stiles and left to float so they could expand and contract without binding and splitting for a primer on making wooden panels see my last post however varnish wax and dirt can build up over the years and stick the panel in place so it isn t able to expand.

Repairing a broken door panel.

Putting in a new panel. Remove the loose screw and drive a no. If you have to remove a panel or replace it completely try prying off the moldings that surround it and hold it in place. Removing the old panels.

If a panel in a colonial style door is cracked or split you may be able to reglue it without removing it from the rest of the door. Doors that won t shut or latch properly are annoying but once you diagnose the problem the fix is usually easy. It can easily be done by one person. Unscrew the damaged panels to remove.

How to fix cracks in door panels without taking the door apart wooden doors will develop cracks over time especially if the panels aren t free to expand and contract. Repairing them without compromising their integrity required patience and an understanding of their mortise and tenon joinery. After some 200 years of hard knocks and spotty maintenance in the harsh climate of coastal maine our federal period home s frame and panel doors exhibited a range of problems from gaps and loose joints to outright rot. A common problem with older wood doors is split panels.

Most of the time years of paint or caulking the seams around the panels will cause the wood to stick and not allow the panel to expand and contract with the weather. Once this is done you can then slide your damaged panel out. Clean up any excess glue before it dries but leave the clamp in place for 24 hours. If the damaged panel is not on top you will also need to remove the panel on top by sliding it up.

Even if your door has been binding for years we ll show you how to identify the problem and repair it quickly and inexpensively. Dribble wood glue into the crack and set a clamp against the blocks to pull the crack closed.