cracks on front door

[ando]

after painting a front door some areas that were cracked before which were filled are starting to recrack a bit. the door was rubbed down undercoated filled then re undercoated then top coated.is this because it is an old door or movement.the filler used was 2pack decorfill,any idea why this is happening and what to do about it

 

[JohnD]

what sort of door is it? Is it a 4 or 6 panel door? has it got a mortice lock?

are the cracks round the panels, or where?

is 2pack decorfill a flexible filler for outdoor joinery?

what colour did you paint it? Is it in the sun? How dry was it before you started?

post some pics if you can
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=129539

 

[ando]

what sort of door is it? Is it a 4 or 6 panel door? has it got a mortice lock?
4 panel yes to mortice lock
are the cracks round the panels, or where?
no wher the rails meet the stiles
is 2pack decorfill a flexible filler for outdoor joinery?
its a wood filler with hardener dont think its flexible
what colour did you paint it? Is it in the sun? How dry was it before you started?
green in the sun alittle not all the time
sorry cant get any pictures
post some pics if you can
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=129539[/QUOTE]

 

[JohnD]

then it is probably drying-out shrinkage. the wood will swell or shrink depending on weather and especially humidity, and the joints will open and close.

have a look at the ends of the tenons in case they are loose (in which case the door will never stop moving) they might have wedges hammered into them but this is a Joinery (woodworking) question, not painting.

the filler sounds like a hard one, I think I might try scraping it out from the cracked joints and refilling with a flexible decorators caulk (which will take gloss paint) and giving a single coat of gloss to cover the caulk only (no undercoat on the caulk) using a fine "artists" brush. It does no harm to scrape out the cracking joint and leave the caulk slightly recessed in a narrow and regular groove. You will probably never be able to stop it moving but this method will make it look deliberate.

p.s. painting the door in a dark colour will make it crack more as it will get hotter in the sun

 

[ando]

thanks for the advice i'll give that a go