Rotten Door Jambs?
Entrance doors come in many shapes and sizes and can be make such a difference in the architectural appearance of your home. Unfortunately for years even the best-made doors had wood jambs and moldings on the exterior that turned a positive architectural feature into a negative one real quick. If you have had any kind of entry door with wood jambs for more than a few years chances are the lower portions of the jambs are a bit unsightly and on their way to causing you some problems.
Warning Signs:
- Pealing Paint
- Worn Paint
- Exposed Raw Wood
- Jamb has changed shape
- Jamb appears sunken
How can I Avoid This on my Remodeling or New Home Project?
When replacing an entry door there are many things to consider, type of door, style, colors, hardware, etc. But for the purposes of this article we are focusing on the jambs and exterior trim of the door. Many manufactures now offer a Frame Saver option and a composite frame and trim option for your entry doors. You can also add a factory applied aluminum cladding in the color of your choice. A continuous sill is also an important feature to seek. Do your homework and make sure you know what you are purchasing or in just a few short years you will be very frustrated with your new door unit.
Visit Milliken Millwork brochures section to view more about entry door systems.
http://www.millikenmillwork.com/door-resources
Can This be Repaired?
Yes, depending upon the level of damage to the door trim and jambs.
- Scrape out loose wood and replace with a two-part epoxy found at your local hardware store. Build up the epoxy, sand smooth and repaint. Be sure all areas are caulked and painted well. Some epoxies and wood fillers do accept stains, although a perfect match is very difficult to achieve.
- Cut out portions of wood jamb and replace with new wood or composite material. Place epoxy or wood filler in the seams, sand smooth and paint. Be sure all areas are caulked and painted well. Some epoxies and wood fillers do accept stains, although a perfect match is very difficult to achieve.
- Replace brick mould or exterior casing. Sometimes the jambs are in decent shape and all that is needed replacement trim.
- Add aluminum cladding to doorjamb and moulding. Repair the damaged wood with one of the above methods but skip the painting or staining step and add a complimentary aluminum cladding to the doorjamb and face mouldings. The aluminum will hold up to the weather much better than the wood. It’s important to caulk all the joints with a clear silicone so the water does not penetrate below the cladding. This method requires some skill and an aluminum brake.
Doesn’t sound like a do it yourself project you can handle?
Call us we would be glad to refer you to a Handyman.
