I have an old front door and even more ancient door frame, these move
about a bit in damp weather and get tight but free up when it gets drier
and warmer. This was an area that is currently bare wood (but it is old
oak).

Needed a spot of fettling today, took a light skim of the tight bit with
a little plane and manual coarse sandpaper, but it was still slightly
tight. Rather than faff about longer removing material, I thought I'd
try a spray of Mr Sheen which has transformed it from "needing a shove"
to "just kissing".

I know it's not ideal, in the better weather I will need to clean it up
properly and repaint, but I was surprised what a quick and easy fix this
was.

On 23/12/2020 14:10, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Wed, 23 Dec 2020 12:58:01 +0000, newshound
wrote:

I have an old front door and even more ancient door frame, these move
about a bit in damp weather and get tight but free up when it gets drier
and warmer. This was an area that is currently bare wood (but it is old
oak).

Needed a spot of fettling today, took a light skim of the tight bit with
a little plane and manual coarse sandpaper, but it was still slightly
tight. Rather than faff about longer removing material, I thought I'd
try a spray of Mr Sheen which has transformed it from "needing a shove"
to "just kissing".

I know it's not ideal, in the better weather I will need to clean it up
properly and repaint, but I was surprised what a quick and easy fix this
was.

Rubbing it over with a candle also helps. I've found that silicone
grease, well rubbed in, tends to stop the wood swelling in winter. I
used silicone because the bugs and beasties don't go for it like they
might with mineral grease.

Part of my rationale was that the silcone wax in such things might help
with "waterproofing".

It tends to be anaerobes that go for mineral oils, with the organic
sulphur impurities being the attraction. You don't get much mould
growing on the surface of grease in a tin!

On Wed, 23 Dec 2020 12:58:01 +0000, newshound wrote:

I have an old front door and even more ancient door frame, these move
about a bit in damp weather and get tight but free up when it gets drier
and warmer. This was an area that is currently bare wood (but it is old
oak).

Needed a spot of fettling today, took a light skim of the tight bit with
a little plane and manual coarse sandpaper, but it was still slightly
tight. Rather than faff about longer removing material, I thought I'd
try a spray of Mr Sheen which has transformed it from "needing a shove"
to "just kissing".

I know it's not ideal, in the better weather I will need to clean it up
properly and repaint, but I was surprised what a quick and easy fix this
was.

Mr sheen is also great on plastic curtain rails. Clears the dirt and
makes it slippy.



--
My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub
wish to copy them they can pay me £1 a message.
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

On 23/12/2020 14:10, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Wed, 23 Dec 2020 12:58:01 +0000, newshound
wrote:

I have an old front door and even more ancient door frame, these move
about a bit in damp weather and get tight but free up when it gets drier
and warmer. This was an area that is currently bare wood (but it is old
oak).

Needed a spot of fettling today, took a light skim of the tight bit with
a little plane and manual coarse sandpaper, but it was still slightly
tight. Rather than faff about longer removing material, I thought I'd
try a spray of Mr Sheen which has transformed it from "needing a shove"
to "just kissing".

I know it's not ideal, in the better weather I will need to clean it up
properly and repaint, but I was surprised what a quick and easy fix this
was.

Rubbing it over with a candle also helps.

IME beeswax is the best lubricant for wood on wood.

I've found that silicone
grease, well rubbed in, tends to stop the wood swelling in winter. I
used silicone because the bugs and beasties don't go for it like they
might with mineral grease.



--
Colin Bignell

On 23/12/2020 15:50, Bob Eager wrote:
On Wed, 23 Dec 2020 12:58:01 +0000, newshound wrote:

I have an old front door and even more ancient door frame, these move
about a bit in damp weather and get tight but free up when it gets drier
and warmer. This was an area that is currently bare wood (but it is old
oak).

Needed a spot of fettling today, took a light skim of the tight bit with
a little plane and manual coarse sandpaper, but it was still slightly
tight. Rather than faff about longer removing material, I thought I'd
try a spray of Mr Sheen which has transformed it from "needing a shove"
to "just kissing".

I know it's not ideal, in the better weather I will need to clean it up
properly and repaint, but I was surprised what a quick and easy fix this
was.

Mr sheen is also great on plastic curtain rails. Clears the dirt and
makes it slippy.



Indeed (although "straight" silicone sprays work too).

On 23/12/2020 12:58, newshound wrote:
I have an old front door and even more ancient door frame, these move
about a bit in damp weather and get tight but free up when it gets drier
and warmer. This was an area that is currently bare wood (but it is old
oak).

Needed a spot of fettling today, took a light skim of the tight bit with
a little plane and manual coarse sandpaper, but it was still slightly
tight. Rather than faff about longer removing material, I thought I'd
try a spray of Mr Sheen which has transformed it from "needing a shove"
to "just kissing".

I know it's not ideal, in the better weather I will need to clean it up
properly and repaint, but I was surprised what a quick and easy fix this
was.

Also, I just discovered why the door is giving problems. There's a
blocked hopper (probably moss washed off the roof) up at the second
story, which in peak rain is overflowing down the house walls and
flowing back along the doorway lintel reveal, into the door frame. Not
quite sure if my biggest ladder will reach that, may have to get the
tower out tomorrow :-(

On 23/12/2020 12:58, newshound wrote:
I have an old front door and even more ancient door frame, these move
about a bit in damp weather and get tight but free up when it gets drier
and warmer. This was an area that is currently bare wood (but it is old
oak).

Needed a spot of fettling today, took a light skim of the tight bit with
a little plane and manual coarse sandpaper, but it was still slightly
tight. Rather than faff about longer removing material, I thought I'd
try a spray of Mr Sheen which has transformed it from "needing a shove"
to "just kissing".

I know it's not ideal, in the better weather I will need to clean it up
properly and repaint, but I was surprised what a quick and easy fix this
was.

Mr Sheen is great for getting cables through tight holes.

Bill

On Wed, 23 Dec 2020 21:21:22 +0000, newshound
wrote:

On 23/12/2020 12:58, newshound wrote:
I have an old front door and even more ancient door frame, these move
about a bit in damp weather and get tight but free up when it gets drier
and warmer. This was an area that is currently bare wood (but it is old
oak).

Needed a spot of fettling today, took a light skim of the tight bit with
a little plane and manual coarse sandpaper, but it was still slightly
tight. Rather than faff about longer removing material, I thought I'd
try a spray of Mr Sheen which has transformed it from "needing a shove"
to "just kissing".

I know it's not ideal, in the better weather I will need to clean it up
properly and repaint, but I was surprised what a quick and easy fix this
was.

Also, I just discovered why the door is giving problems. There's a
blocked hopper (probably moss washed off the roof) up at the second
story, which in peak rain is overflowing down the house walls and
flowing back along the doorway lintel reveal, into the door frame. Not
quite sure if my biggest ladder will reach that, may have to get the
tower out tomorrow :-(
What's the lintel made of? Could you cut a shallow grove along it's
length, about 5mm back from the face, to form a drip bar and stop the
water from running into the door frame? Or attached (glue) a piece of
semi round beading near the front edge.

On 24/12/2020 11:22, Davidm wrote:
On Wed, 23 Dec 2020 21:21:22 +0000, newshound
wrote:

On 23/12/2020 12:58, newshound wrote:
I have an old front door and even more ancient door frame, these move
about a bit in damp weather and get tight but free up when it gets drier
and warmer. This was an area that is currently bare wood (but it is old
oak).

Needed a spot of fettling today, took a light skim of the tight bit with
a little plane and manual coarse sandpaper, but it was still slightly
tight. Rather than faff about longer removing material, I thought I'd
try a spray of Mr Sheen which has transformed it from "needing a shove"
to "just kissing".

I know it's not ideal, in the better weather I will need to clean it up
properly and repaint, but I was surprised what a quick and easy fix this
was.

Also, I just discovered why the door is giving problems. There's a
blocked hopper (probably moss washed off the roof) up at the second
story, which in peak rain is overflowing down the house walls and
flowing back along the doorway lintel reveal, into the door frame. Not
quite sure if my biggest ladder will reach that, may have to get the
tower out tomorrow :-(
What's the lintel made of? Could you cut a shallow grove along it's
length, about 5mm back from the face, to form a drip bar and stop the
water from running into the door frame? Or attached (glue) a piece of
semi round beading near the front edge.

Oh, I thought of that but I needed to solve the primary problem with
literally a cascade of water running down the outer face of a rubble
stone wall pointed with proper lime mortar, in any heavy rain.

Anyway it just turned out to be a blocked cast iron hopper (I was
worried that it might have been cracked and needing replacement, which
would have been a scaffold tower job). In the event I was able to clear
it from a ladder.

In message ,
newshound writes
On 24/12/2020 11:22, Davidm wrote:
On Wed, 23 Dec 2020 21:21:22 +0000, newshound
wrote:

On 23/12/2020 12:58, newshound wrote:
I have an old front door and even more ancient door frame, these move
about a bit in damp weather and get tight but free up when it gets drier
and warmer. This was an area that is currently bare wood (but it is old
oak).

Needed a spot of fettling today, took a light skim of the tight bit with
a little plane and manual coarse sandpaper, but it was still slightly
tight. Rather than faff about longer removing material, I thought I'd
try a spray of Mr Sheen which has transformed it from "needing a shove"
to "just kissing".

I know it's not ideal, in the better weather I will need to clean it up
properly and repaint, but I was surprised what a quick and easy fix this
was.

Also, I just discovered why the door is giving problems. There's a
blocked hopper (probably moss washed off the roof) up at the second
story, which in peak rain is overflowing down the house walls and
flowing back along the doorway lintel reveal, into the door frame. Not
quite sure if my biggest ladder will reach that, may have to get the
tower out tomorrow :-(
What's the lintel made of? Could you cut a shallow grove along it's
length, about 5mm back from the face, to form a drip bar and stop the
water from running into the door frame? Or attached (glue) a piece of
semi round beading near the front edge.

Oh, I thought of that but I needed to solve the primary problem with
literally a cascade of water running down the outer face of a rubble
stone wall pointed with proper lime mortar, in any heavy rain.

Anyway it just turned out to be a blocked cast iron hopper (I was
worried that it might have been cracked and needing replacement, which
would have been a scaffold tower job). In the event I was able to clear
it from a ladder.

A possible alternative would have been to feed a garden hose up from the
bottom.

--
Tim Lamb

On 24/12/2020 11:56, Tim Lamb wrote:
In message ,
newshound writes
On 24/12/2020 11:22, Davidm wrote:
On Wed, 23 Dec 2020 21:21:22 +0000, newshound
wrote:

On 23/12/2020 12:58, newshound wrote:
I have an old front door and even more ancient door frame, these move
about a bit in damp weather and get tight but free up when it gets
drier
and warmer. This was an area that is currently bare wood (but it is
old
oak).

Needed a spot of fettling today, took a light skim of the tight bit
with
a little plane and manual coarse sandpaper, but it was still slightly
tight. Rather than faff about longer removing material, I thought I'd
try a spray of Mr Sheen which has transformed it from "needing a
shove"
to "just kissing".

I know it's not ideal, in the better weather I will need to clean
it up
properly and repaint, but I was surprised what a quick and easy fix
this
was.

Also, I just discovered why the door is giving problems. There's a
blocked hopper (probably moss washed off the roof) up at the second
story, which in peak rain is overflowing down the house walls and
flowing back along the doorway lintel reveal, into the door frame. Not
quite sure if my biggest ladder will reach that, may have to get the
tower out tomorrow :-(
What's the lintel made of? Could you cut a shallow grove along it's
length, about 5mm back from the face, to form a drip bar and stop the
water from running into the door frame? Or attached (glue) a piece of
semi round beading near the front edge.

Oh, I thought of that but I needed to solve the primary problem with
literally a cascade of water running down the outer face of a rubble
stone wall pointed with proper lime mortar, in any heavy rain.

Anyway it just turned out to be a blocked cast iron hopper (I was
worried that it might have been cracked and needing replacement, which
would have been a scaffold tower job). In the event I was able to
clear it from a ladder.

A possible alternative would have been to feed a garden hose up from the
bottom.

Yes with a more normal layout, but in this case the hopper and downpipe
deliver to a gutter on the two story part of the house. And that means
you don't have access "upwards" without at least unclipping and bending
aside that gutter, and even then it is not good because it is a cast
iron downpipe and spout which don't come apart.

On Thursday, December 24, 2020 at 11:22:26 AM UTC, Davidm wrote:
On Wed, 23 Dec 2020 21:21:22 +0000, newshound
wrote:

On 23/12/2020 12:58, newshound wrote:
I have an old front door and even more ancient door frame, these move
about a bit in damp weather and get tight but free up when it gets drier
and warmer. This was an area that is currently bare wood (but it is old
oak).

Needed a spot of fettling today, took a light skim of the tight bit with
a little plane and manual coarse sandpaper, but it was still slightly
tight. Rather than faff about longer removing material, I thought I'd
try a spray of Mr Sheen which has transformed it from "needing a shove"
to "just kissing".

I know it's not ideal, in the better weather I will need to clean it up
properly and repaint, but I was surprised what a quick and easy fix this
was.

Also, I just discovered why the door is giving problems. There's a
blocked hopper (probably moss washed off the roof) up at the second
story, which in peak rain is overflowing down the house walls and
flowing back along the doorway lintel reveal, into the door frame. Not
quite sure if my biggest ladder will reach that, may have to get the
tower out tomorrow :-(
What's the lintel made of? Could you cut a shallow grove along it's
length, about 5mm back from the face, to form a drip bar and stop the
water from running into the door frame? Or attached (glue) a piece of
semi round beading near the front edge.

Many years ago a local handyman fitted a new door for an aunt of mine. as there was no step outside the door he feared water pooling and water entering beneath. With a stroke of genius he set a piece of 1" x 1" angle in the ope so that the door closed against it. Unfortunately the door was closing from the inside and the result was the rain ran down the outside face of the door, inside the angle iron, and straight on to the floor. A saddle would have solved the problem.