Wooden Door

[wrigaj1]

Hi

My wooden front door is suffering a little with this bad weather. I have had to plane some of the edge so I can open/close the door however with the latest bout of bad weather it has gradually got worse.

Is there anything I can do as a short term measure to stop this happening or to dry the door out? I'm going to be replacing the door in the next 6-8 weeks.

Thanks

 

[JohnD]

If you have planed it you have taken off the protective film of paint or varnish, so the wood absorbs more water and swells more.

If you are replacing it soon it may not be worth the effort of repainting it. You can buy linseed oil in the DIY shops that will soak into the wood and make it water repellent.

There are other oils available like Teak oil or Danish oils as well but look and see if they are suitable for outdoor use.

If you get it on your clothes wash them after (it is very difficult to get out). White spirit will clean it up.

Do this on a day when it is not wet. You can apply it with a paintbrush or a rag. If the first coat soaks in quickly, apply another coat. Stop when it stays looking wet. It will soak in during the day. In warm dry weather you can apply a coat a day for a week to protect it well. It has a slight odour but not unpleasant.

The rags can self-ignite afterwards if they have oil on them, so, after use, wet them with water and seal in a polythene bag to throw away (this is not a joke).