Timber has an incredible charm. No two pieces of timber are the same, no two timber doors are the same. However, there are times when we notice that such doors are past their glory years. How do you repair a damaged timber door?
Check the level of deterioration and assess whether it can be restored. How should a timber door be repaired to achieve a satisfactory result? Is it possible to do it yourself or is it necessary to hire a professional? Let's find out.
Take a look at the timber doors available at Aikon distribution:
Timber door repairs
Preparing to repair a timber door must start with a thorough visual inspection of the leaf and frame. This is necessary to assess whether they are repairable and to check what finishes they have been given (paints, oils, etc.). It is also important to prepare the space where the work will take place - a place where noise, dust and the smell of chemicals will not disturb you. It would be a good idea to have a place where there will be regular ventilation. Don't forget to unscrew and clean the components attached to the door - handles, locks, hardware, etc., as well as possibly removing or taping the glass so that it doesn't get damaged.
Timber door repairs - step by step
Timber doors are usually, despite the passage of years, preserved in good condition, which allows the repair to be carried out successfully. For this, you need to prepare the right tools - these are not many and are not sophisticated equipment. You should get a roller or brush, a paint tray and a sander. Sandpaper and suitable paint will also be necessary. After this preparation, you can approach the repair of the timber door, which consists of the following steps.
Preparing to repair a timber door
Mechanical cleaning
Repairing a timber door first of all requires the removal of paint or varnish. The most common way to do this is with a heat gun, whereby warm air acts on the paint, which becomes easier to remove from the timber. The still warm paint is gently scraped off with a spatula. The second method is to use special chemicals to remove the paint, which are applied with a brush and then scrape off the softened paint with a spatula after the manufacturer's specified time. Subsequently, the old paint coating is carefully removed with sandpaper or a sander. In doing so, use sandpaper with a grain size of 120-320, depending on the condition of the sash, the thickness of the coating to be removed and the desired effect. When doing so, even out any scratches or damage. The final step in removing the previous paint coating and preparing the door for further work is to matt the surface, i.e. to sand it down with fine sandpaper. The surface should be sanded along the grain, never across - to smooth out the timber and get rid of any burrs. Next, the door is dusted off and degreased.
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Repairing defects
Once a timber door is completely dry, it is possible to repair any defects in the door that could not be removed during sanding or were caused by sanding. The defects should be repaired with a putty dedicated to timber; it is better than universal and, after drying, allows a much better visual effect.
Painting timber doors
Once the filler has dried, you can paint the timber door. This is done with the appropriate tools by applying a thin and even coat of the respective agents. Once the paint has dried, the surface should be lightly sanded and dusted off and another coat applied and the painting process repeated on the other side of the leaf.
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Timber door repairs - by yourself or with a professional?
Renovating a timber door is not particularly difficult, but it does require diligence, a bit of spare time and a few accessories and tools. As a result, not only are you saving a fair amount of money that would have been spent on a new timber door, but the level of satisfaction from having done the work yourself for your own home rises very high.
If you are interested in purchasing timber doors, please contact our sales team.
