My brother has recently let a house to some rather pernickety folk.
The front door, 6 panel hardwood, has hairline cracks through two of the
panels. The cracks are dead straight and obviously where the glue joint
between the two boards has failed when the timber shrank.
Cracks are less than 1mm in width. No way to fit a sliver of wood in the
gap.
New tenants are moaning about this and want a new door. This to me seems way
ott.
I was thinking of mixing up some fine sandings (of similar colour) with pva
and possibly water then applying this to the cracks. Clean off and allow to
dry. Then lightly sand as reqd and apply matching finish.

Do you think this is a goer or have any alternative suggestion?

Thanks,
Nick.

"Nick" wrote in message
...
My brother has recently let a house to some rather pernickety folk.
The front door, 6 panel hardwood, has hairline cracks through two of the
panels. The cracks are dead straight and obviously where the glue joint
between the two boards has failed when the timber shrank.
Cracks are less than 1mm in width. No way to fit a sliver of wood in the
gap.
New tenants are moaning about this and want a new door. This to me seems
way ott.
I was thinking of mixing up some fine sandings (of similar colour) with
pva and possibly water then applying this to the cracks. Clean off and
allow to dry. Then lightly sand as reqd and apply matching finish.

Do you think this is a goer or have any alternative suggestion?

Tell the tennants that they took the house on with the door as it was, and
tell them they can get a new one fitted provided it meets your
specifications.

If you are intending filling it, just buy some mahogany / oak / whatever
coloured wood filler and fill it, sand it and give it a coat of whatever
it's stained with now

"Nick" wrote in message
...
My brother has recently let a house to some rather pernickety folk.
The front door, 6 panel hardwood, has hairline cracks through two of the panels. The
cracks are dead straight and obviously where the glue joint between the two boards has
failed when the timber shrank.

Panels in panelled doors are supposed to be a loose fit - they fit
into grooves to allow for shrinkage and expansion. So that when the
wood shrinks the only problem should be a strip of unstained or unpainted
wood which may appear at the side.

This is also something to take into account when painting panel
doors. Don't paint over the joins if this will hinder movement
in the panels.

If you don't believe me check it out on the web.


michael adams

....

Nick scribbled


My brother has recently let a house to some rather pernickety folk.
The front door, 6 panel hardwood, has hairline cracks through two of the
panels. The cracks are dead straight and obviously where the glue joint
between the two boards has failed when the timber shrank.
Cracks are less than 1mm in width. No way to fit a sliver of wood in the
gap.
New tenants are moaning about this and want a new door. This to me seems way
ott.
I was thinking of mixing up some fine sandings (of similar colour) with pva
and possibly water then applying this to the cracks. Clean off and allow to
dry. Then lightly sand as reqd and apply matching finish.

Do you think this is a goer or have any alternative suggestion?

Thanks,
Nick.


Tell 'em to **** off.

On 30/04/15 20:03, Nick wrote:
My brother has recently let a house to some rather pernickety folk.
The front door, 6 panel hardwood, has hairline cracks through two of the
panels. The cracks are dead straight and obviously where the glue joint
between the two boards has failed when the timber shrank.
Cracks are less than 1mm in width. No way to fit a sliver of wood in the
gap.
New tenants are moaning about this and want a new door. This to me seems way
ott.
I was thinking of mixing up some fine sandings (of similar colour) with pva
and possibly water then applying this to the cracks. Clean off and allow to
dry. Then lightly sand as reqd and apply matching finish.

Do you think this is a goer or have any alternative suggestion?

Thanks,
Nick.



I'd inject some sealant - not silicone, but something flexible.

And tell the tenants to shut up. Wood moves. If the gap is filled its
fine. Sigh. Some people....

"Jonno" wrote in message
ldhosting.com...
Nick scribbled


My brother has recently let a house to some rather pernickety folk.
The front door, 6 panel hardwood, has hairline cracks through two of the
panels. The cracks are dead straight and obviously where the glue joint
between the two boards has failed when the timber shrank.
Cracks are less than 1mm in width. No way to fit a sliver of wood in the
gap.
New tenants are moaning about this and want a new door. This to me seems
way
ott.
I was thinking of mixing up some fine sandings (of similar colour) with
pva
and possibly water then applying this to the cracks. Clean off and allow
to
dry. Then lightly sand as reqd and apply matching finish.

Do you think this is a goer or have any alternative suggestion?

Thanks,
Nick.


Tell 'em to **** off.

If it does not let the rain in or the wind in, and is not a security risk,
then yes, tell them to **** off.
If you don't, they will be looking at hairline cracks in the ceiling next.

On Thu, 30 Apr 2015 20:03:29 +0100, "Nick"
wrote:

My brother has recently let a house to some rather pernickety folk.
The front door, 6 panel hardwood, has hairline cracks through two of the
panels. The cracks are dead straight and obviously where the glue joint
between the two boards has failed when the timber shrank.
Cracks are less than 1mm in width. No way to fit a sliver of wood in the
gap.
New tenants are moaning about this and want a new door. This to me seems way
ott.
I was thinking of mixing up some fine sandings (of similar colour) with pva
and possibly water then applying this to the cracks. Clean off and allow to
dry. Then lightly sand as reqd and apply matching finish.

Do you think this is a goer or have any alternative suggestion?

Speaking as someone who regularly fits slivers of wood in 1mm cracks
if he can't persuade the two faces to butt up, the technique involves
planing a long, tapered shaving of wood from a matching or similar
piece, straightening out the curl and teasing it, thin edge first,
into the gap. That's not the way I'd fix a door, though.

But I agree with the others on he those pernickety folk can leave
as soon as their agreement expires if they don't like it. Unless there
is a clause about door-cracks in the contract. Or unless this is one
of those thousand-pounds-a-week-type luxury lets where everything
ought to be totally impeccable and they are within their rights to
complain.

Nick

In article ,
"michael adams" writes:

"Nick" wrote in message
...
My brother has recently let a house to some rather pernickety folk.
The front door, 6 panel hardwood, has hairline cracks through two of the panels. The
cracks are dead straight and obviously where the glue joint between the two boards has
failed when the timber shrank.

Panels in panelled doors are supposed to be a loose fit - they fit
into grooves to allow for shrinkage and expansion. So that when the
wood shrinks the only problem should be a strip of unstained or unpainted
wood which may appear at the side.

.... is the right answer.
They expand and contract every time humidity and temperature changes
the moisture content in the timber. Paint or varnish at the panel
edges will stop the panels working as they were intended to.

This is also something to take into account when painting panel
doors. Don't paint over the joins if this will hinder movement
in the panels.

If you want to paint a panelled door, buy a molded one rather than
a real one. Likewise, don't varnish them, but stain or wax instead,
so the timber can continue to move.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Nick wrote:
My brother has recently let a house to some rather pernickety folk.
The front door, 6 panel hardwood, has hairline cracks through two of the
panels. The cracks are dead straight and obviously where the glue joint
between the two boards has failed when the timber shrank.
Cracks are less than 1mm in width. No way to fit a sliver of wood in the
gap.
New tenants are moaning about this and want a new door. This to me seems way
ott.
I was thinking of mixing up some fine sandings (of similar colour) with pva
and possibly water then applying this to the cracks. Clean off and allow to
dry. Then lightly sand as reqd and apply matching finish.

Do you think this is a goer or have any alternative suggestion?

Thanks,
Nick.



Duck tape!

On 30/04/2015 23:03, Capitol wrote:
Nick wrote:
My brother has recently let a house to some rather pernickety folk.
The front door, 6 panel hardwood, has hairline cracks through two of the
panels. The cracks are dead straight and obviously where the glue joint
between the two boards has failed when the timber shrank.
Cracks are less than 1mm in width. No way to fit a sliver of wood in the
gap.
New tenants are moaning about this and want a new door. This to me
seems way
ott.
I was thinking of mixing up some fine sandings (of similar colour)
with pva
and possibly water then applying this to the cracks. Clean off and
allow to
dry. Then lightly sand as reqd and apply matching finish.

Do you think this is a goer or have any alternative suggestion?

Thanks,
Nick.



Duck tape!

Stand your ground if it aint causing issues (leaks etc) You will fix
problems but not aesthetics, if they want to replace the door (their
expense) then it will be inspected after installation and if it does not
come up to standard they will pay for a replacement.

That depends on how long you want it to last and whether its exposed to sun
and frost.
I notice on my old door this and other things like split paint around the
edges of the beading keep on happening after about a year or so of this
temperature cycling. the door is fine otherwise of course.
Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Nick" wrote in message
...
My brother has recently let a house to some rather pernickety folk.
The front door, 6 panel hardwood, has hairline cracks through two of the
panels. The cracks are dead straight and obviously where the glue joint
between the two boards has failed when the timber shrank.
Cracks are less than 1mm in width. No way to fit a sliver of wood in the
gap.
New tenants are moaning about this and want a new door. This to me seems
way ott.
I was thinking of mixing up some fine sandings (of similar colour) with
pva and possibly water then applying this to the cracks. Clean off and
allow to dry. Then lightly sand as reqd and apply matching finish.

Do you think this is a goer or have any alternative suggestion?

Thanks,
Nick.

In article , Andrew Gabriel
writes
In article ,
"michael adams" writes:

Panels in panelled doors are supposed to be a loose fit - they fit
into grooves to allow for shrinkage and expansion. So that when the
wood shrinks the only problem should be a strip of unstained or unpainted
wood which may appear at the side.

... is the right answer.

They expand and contract every time humidity and temperature changes
the moisture content in the timber. Paint or varnish at the panel
edges will stop the panels working as they were intended to.

How would that work with an external door subject to driving rain? I
don't think it would.

Treating the panels like panes of glass and bedding them in silicone
might.

--
fred
it's a ba-na-na . . . .

On 01/05/15 09:23, fred wrote:
In article , Andrew Gabriel
writes
In article ,
"michael adams" writes:

Panels in panelled doors are supposed to be a loose fit - they fit
into grooves to allow for shrinkage and expansion. So that when the
wood shrinks the only problem should be a strip of unstained or
unpainted
wood which may appear at the side.

... is the right answer.

They expand and contract every time humidity and temperature changes
the moisture content in the timber. Paint or varnish at the panel
edges will stop the panels working as they were intended to.

How would that work with an external door subject to driving rain? I
don't think it would.

It does.



Treating the panels like panes of glass and bedding them in silicone might.


get a mastic frame sealer that is dark brown

--
Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the
rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. €“ Erwin Knoll

On 01/05/2015 08:06, Brian Gaff wrote:
That depends on how long you want it to last and whether its exposed to sun
and frost.
I notice on my old door this and other things like split paint around the
edges of the beading keep on happening after about a year or so of this
temperature cycling. the door is fine otherwise of course.
Brian


The filler suggested by the OP doesn't work visually. Same wood, so it
should, but actually it will stand out like a sore thumb.

The best filler IME is

http://www.restexpress.co.uk/acatalo...uX8aAq6U8P8HAQ

partly because it's easy to get an exact colour match, plus you can
quickly trim flush with a sharp chisel

In article , The Natural Philosopher
writes
On 01/05/15 09:23, fred wrote:
In article , Andrew Gabriel
writes
In article ,
"michael adams" writes:

Panels in panelled doors are supposed to be a loose fit - they fit
into grooves to allow for shrinkage and expansion. So that when the
wood shrinks the only problem should be a strip of unstained or
unpainted
wood which may appear at the side.

... is the right answer.

They expand and contract every time humidity and temperature changes
the moisture content in the timber. Paint or varnish at the panel
edges will stop the panels working as they were intended to.

How would that work with an external door subject to driving rain? I
don't think it would.

It does.

The recommendation was for a loose fit which clearly would not.

Treating the panels like panes of glass and bedding them in silicone might.

get a mastic frame sealer that is dark brown

That is a different solution from a loose fit and was basically what I
was advocating.
--
fred
it's a ba-na-na . . . .

On Fri, 1 May 2015 09:23:03 +0100, fred wrote:

They expand and contract every time humidity and temperature
changes
the moisture content in the timber. Paint or varnish at the panel
edges will stop the panels working as they were intended to.

How would that work with an external door subject to driving rain? I
don't think it would.

Panels are still a snug fit and not otherwise fixed. If the wood
wants to move it WILL move. A little bit of paint or varnish ain't
going to stop it. See Mr Gaff's post.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 01/05/15 11:40, fred wrote:
In article , The Natural Philosopher
writes
On 01/05/15 09:23, fred wrote:
In article , Andrew Gabriel
writes
In article ,
"michael adams" writes:

Panels in panelled doors are supposed to be a loose fit - they fit
into grooves to allow for shrinkage and expansion. So that when the
wood shrinks the only problem should be a strip of unstained or
unpainted
wood which may appear at the side.

... is the right answer.

They expand and contract every time humidity and temperature changes
the moisture content in the timber. Paint or varnish at the panel
edges will stop the panels working as they were intended to.

How would that work with an external door subject to driving rain? I
don't think it would.

It does.

The recommendation was for a loose fit which clearly would not.

your statement is entirely false.

First of all the ability of water to penetrate is down to the path
length and width and the wind velocity. If these are in fact beyond some
lints the water never gets to te other side,.

Secondly a sliding fit is not a loose fit. Its just not tight enough to
split the wood.

I have 3 solid oak doors that are made with T&G panels with no glue
involved and no water gets through.



Treating the panels like panes of glass and bedding them in silicone
might.

get a mastic frame sealer that is dark brown

That is a different solution from a loose fit and was basically what I
was advocating.


--
Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the
rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. €“ Erwin Knoll