• Please be sure to read the rules and adhere to them. Some banned members have complained that they are not spammers. But they spammed us. Some even tried to redirect our members to other forums. Duh. Be smart. Read the rules and adhere to them and we will all get along just fine. Cheers. :beer: Link to the rules: https://www.forumsforums.com/threads/forum-rules-info.2974/

Teak wood door panels shrunk out of the groove

Y

ymd

New member
We are building a new house in Tucson, AZ. I have got all doors and cabinets custom made in Indonesia using Teak wood. The doors are beautiful. Here is the front door.

The problem is, in Indonesia they don't have central air-conditioning. So, they don't know the importance of weather sealing the doors. Also, these doors were made in a humid country and Arizona is very dry which has, I think, led to shrinking of the panels leaving gaps where I can see the light through. I have tried to find carpenters who can fix the problem, but most of them don't want to touch these doors.

I am thinking to give it a try myself and see if I can seal the doors to meet my county's weatherization requirement. In the process, I don't want to ruin the doors. I am hoping you experts here can help.
1736962352553.png

Here is how the panels have seperated.
1736963116731.png

The door looks like this from the inside. You can see gaps in the top. Other gaps are not visible in the picture. What would be a good way to seal the gaps? Also, what kind of weather stripping would you recommend for this door?

I have no experience in wood work, but I am willing to learn. I will greatly appreciate your help and want to give it a try.

There are 19 other doors that are not carved, but "normal" doors. They too have the same problem of the panels that have shrunk. Also, the kitchen cabinet doors have similar issues.

I would like to try on one of the "normal" doors and if works, I might come back for help here.

I very much appreciate your help.
 
There are many companies that make all sorts of seals. Search for more companies and styles.
 
Can someone help me with the shrunk panels in the doors? Also, can someone recommend other online forums where I might get answers to my questions?
 
Try old wooden boat pages.

But I think you'll have to make the frames fit the doors. Once you've lost the moisture, and they normalize to your area's humidity, I'm pretty sure that's the size you'll be dealing with. I don't think there is a way to add moisture and then hold that moisture in.
That's why I was thinking seals to take up the gap.
But who knows?
 
waybomb said:
Try old wooden boat pages.

But I think you'll have to make the frames fit the doors. Once you've lost the moisture, and they normalize to your area's humidity, I'm pretty sure that's the size you'll be dealing with. I don't think there is a way to add moisture and then hold that moisture in.
That's why I was thinking seals to take up the gap.
But who knows?
Click to expand...
I guess you are right. As Arizona dry weather has pulled out all moisture from the panels, I am stuck with the size of the panels I have now. I just want to seal the gaps properly so that they are weather sealed and also look good. Hope someone will be able to guide me on how to achieve it.
 
The treatment method is as follows:
  1. If the door panel is not fixed by glue, you can try to adjust it slightly to return it to the middle position.
  2. Install sealing strips around the door frame to block light from the gap and improve the insulation effect.
  3. If the gap is obvious and cannot be adjusted, you can use backer rod + dyeable wood filler to fill the gap to maintain the appearance.
  4. Use high-quality wood sealant to seal the inside and outside of the door to reduce subsequent shrinkage or expansion.
  5. If the door panel is seriously loose, it is recommended to disassemble the door body and reassemble it in a "floating assembly" method to allow the wood board to expand and contract naturally.

It is recommended to start with low-intervention methods such as sealing and caulking, and avoid using nails or strong glue to avoid further damage to the door body.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top