Damp internal doors - staining carpet

[TheVictorian]

Those doors are without doubt the right way up. The bottom rail is always bigger. The layout of the panels, while curious, is deliberate.

If they arent drying then I'd give the wet areas a rub with a rag soaked in white vinegar, this helps speed the process and I have done it on mine.

 

[Gerrydelasel]

Why does it have a finger plate beneath the rimlock? You can't even push it from that side!

 

[geraldthehamster]

Those doors are without doubt the right way up. The bottom rail is always bigger. The layout of the panels, while curious, is deliberate.

You could be right. Key question is whether the doors are original. If they are, and the hinge rebates in door and frame haven't been buggered about with, they're the right way up. If they're not original, they could have been trimmed so the size of the rails may not be indicative.

It's certainly true that some 1920s door makers were on drugs when it came to proportions.

Cheers
Richard

 

[SSW83]

I've tried the white spirit vinegar, so will see how that goes. Fingers crossed it does the trick.

I'm not sure if the doors are original. I've had a look at the hinges and the rebate in the door frame extends about an inch higher than the actual hinge. I guess they were either lowered, or the hinge has been changed for one shorter in height. Are there any other clues/indicators to determine if the doors are original? Also, the foot rail is much larger than the top rail.

 

[TheVictorian]

Check your neighbours house if they are the same design..

 

[geraldthehamster]

Maybe the original hinges weren't re-used for some reason when the doors were re-hung after being stripped. In the absence of further evidence, it would be more usual for doors to be stripped and put back in the same house, than a complete set of doors replaced with matching reclaimed doors (though I did exactly that!). Are all the doors identical? Do the rebates in the frames look as if they've been messed about with at all, and are they also an inch taller than the hinges (photos?)? How old is your house?

 

[geraldthehamster]

Check your neighbours house if they are the same design..

Do that too. First, in fact

 

[SSW83]

The house is approximately 100 years old. The doors do look to be in very good condition. Would they still look in such good nick after dipping if they were 100 years old? There are 8 internal doors in the house, 5 of which look like the photo I posted. The other 3 are a glazed 2nd entrance door (no paint or varnish), and doors to the box room and bathroom door (both of which appear to be varnished pine, of a different style). It's probably worth noting that the back end of the house, where the box room and bathroom are, may have been built at a later date to the rest of the house. The ceilings are not as high, and this part of the house is served by a separate loft-space. Oh, and yes, the hinge rebates are ~ 1" higher than the hinges themselves. Once we've got a bit friendlier with the neighbours we'll have a nosey at their internal doors.

 

[TheVictorian]

Mine are 140 years old and looked great after a dip.

 

[geraldthehamster]

You could also ask the previous occupants what happened to the doors