3rd door in 10 years keeps rotting

Soak the darned thing - especially all the joints and end grain - in clear preserver first?

But, still, blimey. Wet rot? It's not unusual for hardwood doors to expand and contract, and have opening joints and even splitting panels - if they are not fully protected with a high quality outdoor 'woodstain' (a misnomer...), but to actually rot sounds unusual.

If it's in a position where it'll get regular wind and rain and extremes of temp, then I think the advice would always be to fit the door - and then remove it for full treatment before refitting.

What parts of the doors were suffering?

 

Build a porch.




I'll get my coat.

 

Why - you gonna build it for them?

 

is there a a sensible gap under the door to avoid capillary action and holding water??

 

Fit a plastic door. Ghost1 I'll join you.

 

Seriously though, what about considering a metal door that looks like wood.

 

Are there lots of trees, bushes etc nearby. They hold water after rain and it all gets blown about onto the woodwork. I find this happens a lot to windows, and they will more weathered than houses without trees nearby.

Also is it a cheap laminated type of door or a solid wooder?

 

Yo

u can get some good aluminum doors and windows with wood effect coatings. I visited a known manufacture in Canvey Island and they had loads on display. Aluminum will give you smaller profiles, also you won't see the weld on the joints as you get with upvc ones.

 

Talked to a customer the other day with similar story ....... got out my little torch and mirror to look at the bottom edge of the door. Still bare wood. It had never been painted despite the decorators swearing blind they had done it after the door was hung three years ago.

Painting the bottom edge of a door is a pain to do and often requires talking the door off its hinges several times to get the necessary build up of primer, undercoat, top etc. Easier for painter to say 'done that' knowing that no one will ever notice.

Leads to lots of water soaking in during the winter, wood expands, door starts sticking, paint on joints cracks off, more water gets in .... rot follows ..... just because it wasn't painted properly. Often the top edge is left bare too but generally not such a serious problem unless rain falls directly onto the door.