Doors and Windows - door keeps swelling
Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.View Full Version : door keeps swelling
keleng
10-10-03, 07:59 AM
My husband and I installed (for the first time) a pre-hung pine (stained) door that leads from the livingroom to the currently-under-remodel laundryroom that is not air conditioned (window is open for ventilation and the weather is ultra-ultra humid right now - central Texas).
We did an amazing job of installing the door - perfectly level and even and just as smooth as can be! Okay, next day it starts scraping, 2 days later it won't even close! So yesterday my husband planes the jamb side of the door until it closes smoothly again. Guess what, this morning it's scraping again not only along the jamb side but also on the bottom! UGH!!!!
What do we do? How much planing should we do? I'm afraid that if we keep messing with it, once the weather isn't so humid the door won't fit because we plained it too much. Would it help if we sealed the door with polyurethane to prevent it from swelling?
I'm at a loss!
Thanks for responses,
kelly
We did an amazing job of installing the door - perfectly level and even and just as smooth as can be! Okay, next day it starts scraping, 2 days later it won't even close! So yesterday my husband planes the jamb side of the door until it closes smoothly again. Guess what, this morning it's scraping again not only along the jamb side but also on the bottom! UGH!!!!
What do we do? How much planing should we do? I'm afraid that if we keep messing with it, once the weather isn't so humid the door won't fit because we plained it too much. Would it help if we sealed the door with polyurethane to prevent it from swelling?
I'm at a loss!
Thanks for responses,
kelly
chfite
10-10-03, 08:17 AM
Would it help if we sealed the door with polyurethane to prevent it from swelling?
It is important to paint or finish a door when installing it. Unprotected wood will absorb moisture.
Most commonly, people negelect to paint the bottom and top edge where the end grain is. The end grain readily absorbs moisture. In all this planing, are you sure that the jambs are not moving? Sometimes more shimming and fastening to the framing is valuable.
Hope this helps.
It is important to paint or finish a door when installing it. Unprotected wood will absorb moisture.
Most commonly, people negelect to paint the bottom and top edge where the end grain is. The end grain readily absorbs moisture. In all this planing, are you sure that the jambs are not moving? Sometimes more shimming and fastening to the framing is valuable.
Hope this helps.