Hi can anybody guide me please, I have sliding patio doors and have lived in my house for about 12 years so they could be 15/20 years old or more. They have a wooden frame which looks like mahogany to me.
The problem is that the wooden uprights both sides are rotten for the first 40mm, so rotten I could poke my finger into it and scoop rotten wood out. I suspect they have been like that quite a while because I pulled out all the rotten wood as much as possible and something came out both sides that looked like a rusty pin about 4" long. I would guess that they were 4" screws at one time and have rotted down to what they are now.
It is still quite wet in there but I have done my best to get all the rotten stuff out. Amazingly although it is a very big hole (the frame is about 30mm wide on the facing side) it has not gone through. There is a wooden cill on the outside made of the same reddish wood and it must be a long way into that but still not through. Although I suppose to some extent it is through because I can now see the top of the brick it rests on.
Firstly what is causing this, my guess is that the track is holding water and letting it come out at the ends onto the wood frame, (as it is not a solid aluminium frame but sections) so I am tempted to clean and silicon at the ends of the aluminium frame. The front part of the track has one of those holes to let water out but then there is a center bar which the door wheel rides on, and which I think is preventing any water on the back of the track going anywhere except to the ends of the tracks onto the wood. I think that because I cant think what else it could be and the tracks are not soaking wet but they are wet to touch. I think if they were any wetter to touch then you would start to see water(bare in mind its raining quite a lot at the moment. Not sure how much worse if any that has made it). Anyway that is my theory but I would appreciate anybody elses experience or ideas on this.
Secondly what can I do about the wood to fix and dry out. The holes are now about the size of a hoover hose to give you some idea and they are still very damp inside. Is there any stuff I could put into the hole that would dry it out. As I say if I silicon the track ends I hope it wont get wet any more. I was wondering about putting foam in there to fill the void and just wood filling the surface, or is there a better way? What about filling it with silicon, although it would take tones of the stuff?
I really want to dry it out but don't know how, especially if the wood is so sodden, it may take ages what ever I do.
Any ideas or help would be appreciated.
The problem is that the wooden uprights both sides are rotten for the first 40mm, so rotten I could poke my finger into it and scoop rotten wood out. I suspect they have been like that quite a while because I pulled out all the rotten wood as much as possible and something came out both sides that looked like a rusty pin about 4" long. I would guess that they were 4" screws at one time and have rotted down to what they are now.
It is still quite wet in there but I have done my best to get all the rotten stuff out. Amazingly although it is a very big hole (the frame is about 30mm wide on the facing side) it has not gone through. There is a wooden cill on the outside made of the same reddish wood and it must be a long way into that but still not through. Although I suppose to some extent it is through because I can now see the top of the brick it rests on.
Firstly what is causing this, my guess is that the track is holding water and letting it come out at the ends onto the wood frame, (as it is not a solid aluminium frame but sections) so I am tempted to clean and silicon at the ends of the aluminium frame. The front part of the track has one of those holes to let water out but then there is a center bar which the door wheel rides on, and which I think is preventing any water on the back of the track going anywhere except to the ends of the tracks onto the wood. I think that because I cant think what else it could be and the tracks are not soaking wet but they are wet to touch. I think if they were any wetter to touch then you would start to see water(bare in mind its raining quite a lot at the moment. Not sure how much worse if any that has made it). Anyway that is my theory but I would appreciate anybody elses experience or ideas on this.
Secondly what can I do about the wood to fix and dry out. The holes are now about the size of a hoover hose to give you some idea and they are still very damp inside. Is there any stuff I could put into the hole that would dry it out. As I say if I silicon the track ends I hope it wont get wet any more. I was wondering about putting foam in there to fill the void and just wood filling the surface, or is there a better way? What about filling it with silicon, although it would take tones of the stuff?
I really want to dry it out but don't know how, especially if the wood is so sodden, it may take ages what ever I do.
Any ideas or help would be appreciated.
