Trouble with entry double doors- suggestions?

  We have old painted wood brownstone double doors for the front entry to our brownstone, pretty standard.  When it rains or gets really humid, the doors don’t close properly- they actually seem not even close to closing.  When dry, they close no problem.

  Any suggestion to solve the problem?  I noticed the edges of the door are not painted, just raw wood- would painting them help seal out the moisture from making them swell?  Does that make sense?  Will paint make enough of a difference or should we just shave a lot more off the sides of the doors?

Thanks for any suggestions!

yanks21

in Doors 13 years and 1 month ago

3

Please log in, in order to post replies!

3 replies

Newest Oldest

NeoGrec | 13 years and 1 month ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4852 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4879 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(4) "1741"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(7) "NeoGrec"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BOvBZSSoDDccMCffw1igzkiT0t5s1D."
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(7) "neogrec"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(21) "rparr@randomhouse.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(36) "http:///forums/users/grandarmyredux/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 13:46:16"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(7) "NeoGrec"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(1741)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

Whatever other repairs you make, when you’re ready to repaint I strongly recommend Fine Paints of Europe Hollandlac paint. It’s a heavy, oil-based paint, available in about 30 pre-mixed colors — or a gazillion custom colors. It requires a skilled painter to apply because it’s so thick but the finish is incredibly smooth, almost like lacquer. We have old (chestnut?) doors that, after stripping, needed alot of repairs and weren’t nice enough to stain and varnish. But with their new paint finish, they look great and I swear the paint is what’s holding them together. You can buy it at Janovic Plaza in LIC. Expensive but worth it. Remember to paint all surfaces!

Townie | 13 years and 1 month ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4853 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4854 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(5) "70723"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(6) "Townie"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BHD3oVuExLogAMJZwxq5xvDnzSzaSF/"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(6) "townie"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(20) "Tpietrzak@NYC.rr.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(21) "/forums/users/totoro/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:29:59"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(20) "5fO74Kcn6ROdoMTkPvYt"
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(6) "Townie"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(70723)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

Steve I know you restore doors.  When my neighbor stripped the paint off his front brick facade the contractor never bothered to protect my front doors from the pressure washer.  One door has warped or twisted so that the tops of both doors no longer meet up.  The doors are 24″ wide by 8′ tall with a 14” by 54” glass window.  Thought they would straighten out over time but no luck.  Is this something that will require the door to be taken apart to be fixed.

stevecym | 13 years and 1 month ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4857 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4851 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(5) "21525"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(8) "stevecym"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(8) "stevecym"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(24) "stevecymbalsky@yahoo.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(30) "/forums/users/thetinkerswagon/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:05:31"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(20) "xLyD4JX1CSeJzFu7zs4j"
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(8) "stevecym"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(21525)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

Painting them will not solve the problem as the moisture will eventually gravitate into the wood.   My suggestion would be to take the door off the hinges and plane 1/6″ (maybe a tad less) off the hinge side of the door.  then, prime the bare wood with an oil base exterior primer and then paint the door with an exterior oil paint. Steve

http://brownstoner.staging.wpengine.com/tinkerswagon