How to Straighten a Warped Wooden Door
Do you have a door that is no longer level? This often happens when the wood warps over time, and you would need to straighten it out. The good news is there are many ways to do this, but first, let’s talk about what causes a door to warp in the first place. One of the most common things that can cause your doors to get bent out of shape is moisture. When there is too much moisture in the air, it can cause the wood to swell and warp.
If your door frame has cracks in it, water can seep in and cause the wooden boards on either side of the frame to swell or shrink. This can also happen if the door is old or if the temperature changes. But don’t worry! There are solutions for how to straighten a warped wooden door. Just read this blog post to find out what they are.
5 Reasons That Causes Wrapped Wooden Door
1. Moisture:
Moisture is the main reason behind old wooden doors getting bent and out of shape. When moisture seeps in between the door and its frame, it starts swelling the wood around the door. This will cause your door to either swell or shrink, depending on whether the moisture level falls or rises. To make sure your door doesn’t suffer from this, you need to apply a coat of paint on your door once every two years. If you don’t want to paint the door yourself, you can hire a professional painter to do it for you.
This process will continue until the moisture can escape from the wood or until the wood is completely destroyed. The most affected parts of your door are the bottoms and the top sections, where water can seep in easily. If the wood is not protected properly, this can have a serious impact on your budget. Therefore, if you have a wooden door that is not protected against moisture, you should contact us as soon as possible to schedule a free estimate.
2. Age:
An old wooden door can also suffer from the same problem as it ages. With age, wood tends to contract or expand depending on moisture levels. As a result, they can warp and bend, thus affecting the shape of your door. This makes it difficult to open and close. To fix this, you can either make the wood more flexible or stiffer, depending on its current condition. Another solution to your door problem is to add a new layer of wood on top of the existing one. This will make it stronger and more resistant to wear and tear.
3. Temperature:
Temperature is another important factor that can cause wooden boards to get warped. When a room heats up and cools down, it causes the wooden boards in your door to bend and shrink or swell. This can result in gaps between the door frame and the wooden boards. It’s best to make sure that the room is kept at a consistent temperature to prevent warping.
4. Insects:
Insects such as termites are common culprits when it comes to wood warping along with doors frames. Some insects like wood wasps can cause wood to get warped over time, while others like carpet beetles do not harm the wood per see, but the larvae of these insects cause wood warping and unsightly stains on your carpet.
5. Damage:
Damage can also be the reason behind wooden doors getting bent or warped over time. The first place that gets affected is usually at the corners, where there are more stress points in your door. This is why you should do all you can to protect your door’s frame and corners from damage.
Rough weather conditions also contribute to the deterioration of your door. This includes high temperature and humidity, which is why you should think about a steel door for your home if you live in an area with extreme weather. Your wooden door will be affected by wetness and dryness.
Solutions: How to Straighten a Warped Wooden Door
There are many ways to fix a warped wooden door, and we will discuss them in detail below.
Sand the Door
The first thing you want to do is sand the door. You would do well to lightly attack those high areas and deep scratches with 100-grit sandpaper attached to a board or a moving electric sander. After you finish, with 220-grit sandpaper, go over it again so that everything is even and smooth. Fill in any deep scratches with a wood filler, putty, or wood putty, and your door should be good as new.
Make Your Own Straightening Jig
Another great way to straighten a warped door is to make your own wood straightening jig. This is pretty simple and inexpensive as well, as you only need a few items to make it. You will need thick cloth or carpeting for lining, 1 & 1/4″ screws, drill, screw-in eye hooks that are about 2″ long, liquid nails adhesive, and a level.
Repaint Warped Doors
There may be some warped doors that are beyond repair, but it would be too costly to replace them. For such cases, repainting the door is another option to straighten a warped wooden door. Again, it’s pretty simple as you just need to paint the door using a quality brush, rollers, and of course, your best paint.
Shape and Level Your Door
One of the best ways to straighten a warped wooden door is to level your door. If you choose this method, make sure that you have leveled the floor as well. The next step would be to use a hammer and shoe last to lift up high spots in both the frame and at the joints where it meets the ceiling, then smooth everything out with a plane and sandpaper.
After this step, you want to make sure that the door closes securely against the frame. Suppose it doesn’t, then use either clamps or wedges to hold it in place until it dries out. Once dry, remove whatever is holding up your warped wooden door, and you should have a straightened one.
Use a Screw Jack
Another way to fix warped doors is by inserting screw jacks into the door frame. The problem will be that you need two screw jacks, one placed near the top and another at the bottom of your door frame. You can use a large nail and hammer it in until it reaches about halfway into the wood and then screw in your screw jack (make sure it is level).
Then you want to do the same thing with the next one about two inches away from the first on both sides of the door near the frame. When you are done, then take a sledgehammer and pound the bottom bracket right into the floor until it’s flush or as close to flush as you can get it.
Straighten Warped Doors with a Heat Gun
Another great option to straighten a warped wooden door is by using heat from a heat gun. You will need an electric heat gun for this as it helps you to concentrate more of the heat exactly where you want it. Just set your heat gun at about 1300F and get it close to the wood while aiming it at the high points, then immediately pull it away.
Conclusion
This article is an easy guide on how to straighten a warped wooden door. It covers the materials needed, step-by-step instructions for fixing your door, as well as some helpful tips for future reference.
Suppose you’re looking for a way to straighten out your warped wooden door. Follow the step-by-step instructions mentioned in this post! As a result, we will see your bent door get straighten in no time! Let us know if you get stuck somewhere!
You may read also – How to Patch Drywall Around Door Frame
Angela Ervin
Angela is the executive editor of DIY quickly. She began her career as an interior designer before applying her strategic and creative passion to lifestyle and home. She has close to 15 years of experience in creative writing and online content strategy for housekeeping, home decorations as well as other niche efforts. She loves her job and has the privilege of working with an extraordinary team. She lives with her husband, two sons, and daughter in Petersburg. When she's not busy working she spent time with her family.
