Hi everybody,
I’m a builder in Ipswich, MA who’s trying to wiggle out of a mistake. Yesterday I dove into installing a matched pair of pocket doors on a job. All was smooth during door preparation. I slotted for the guides, installed pull hardware, and drilled and mortised for hanger hardware. Put both doors on their track and, aaarghh, I’d not inspected the door slabs for true, straight, flat. One of ’em’s got a 1/4″ whoop in it (along its vertical, stile edge) that keeps it from meeting the other door cleanly when the two are shut together. In my haste, I’d used a door slab I should have returned to my supplier.
So, before eating the door and ordering another, I’ll journey to the realm of carpenter mythology… the place of the left-handed hammer and the board stretcher…
Today I’m going to try to warp the door back to true by leaving it on horses, concave face up, and hope the sun will dry (and shrink) the upside veneer and pull the surface back toward flat. Am I dreaming? Has anybody out there done this and had it work? Any other methods folks want to put to the test? The door is dry (phase 2 of my plan 1 might be to wet that concave face and try again on another sunny day) and unfinished. I may also try to intentionally whoop (by same solar method) the straight door to pull it into a matching bend… I’m open to all suggestions and will report back any success I may have. Thanks.
Replies
I would think you still have a chance to return the door even after it's got it's mounting holes. If it's truly warped and unuseable it'll be worthless to the mfg in any condition. I'd look into a replacemnt before going too much further on it.
Are you sure it's the door that's the issue and not the wall being out of plane?
Definately try and have them replace it. I would. It's common for defective doors, window sashes, etc to be returned after it's cut for hardware. However, if you wet it, try to straighten it out, they might think you warped it. Better to not try and fix it, just take it back.
And certainly do NOT try "Fixing" the other one to match. --------------------------------------------------------
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Try a straight edge (angl iron) if the door is out 1/4" use 1/2" spacers and clamp the door. This has worked for us in the past.
Tim
I think you are overly optimistic hoping to straighten a warped slab. I'd be at the supplier yesterday, with the bad unit, requesting a replacement ASAP. Make it clear how much time you have already wasted boring and cutting a door that you didn't realize was defective until you tried to mount it. You should not have to eat anything other than your labor.
Ditto!
No reason you should spend a minute of your valuable time trying to fix faulty merchandise. Return the door. --------------------------------------------------------
Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.netSee some of my work at AWorkOfWood.com
Welcome the world of the truly desperate. I will suggest that there is nothing you can do, short of replacing the door to make it come back to where you want it.
Bending the opposite way for an hour, day, week, or month does not work. If it did any warped door forced back into flat by a latch would lose its warp, but it never does. Damp and sun may do it, but it is likely only a temporary situation. Solid core flush, hollow core flush and frame and panel all behave somewhat differently with the damp and sun, but all usually go back to the place that started you on this journey.
If someone claims that the over bend does work, it is a false solution. What happens in these (rare) cases is that the door was subjected to a situation that warped it, and in time, will return to its correct and flat state. Coincidence made that occur while in the over bent state. This is how religions start - warped door, spilled chicken blood, full moon, door flattens...
Wood will warp (twist, bow, or 'whoop') when exposed to changing relative humidity. The stronger and quicker the change, the more pronounced the reaction.
I have tried all the fixes, and now rely on science. The full moon may have something to do with it, but I'm not telling just anyone that.
Dave S
http://www.acornwoodworks.com
This is how religions start - warped door, spilled chicken blood, full moon, door flattens...
ROFLMAO!!! :D--------------------------------------------------------
Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.netSee some of my work at AWorkOfWood.com
Is this a door you just bought? If you've had it on your jobsite a while it may be tough to to return it. They usually specify that you prime and install a door shortly after buying it. They may question whether you primed it, how you stored it, etc.
If it's new then I agree with the others, return it.
Billy
If you look in the residential construction performance guidelines book warping in excess of 1/4" is not acceptable but 1/4" is. Now is when you will see if your supplier is worth his weight.
"If you look in the residential construction performance guidelines book"....NAHB book?
yup
It is not unusual for doors to be warped to some degree. In fact, there may be an AIA standard deviation. Is it possible that both doors are warped in opposite directions? Our usual rule of thumb is to wait (1) heating season to see if they straighten themselves out- very often they will.
Unless you have had it a long time, the supplier should be able to take it back and replace it, or at least sell you at cost a new one.
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Can't imagine that you don't have a good enough relationship with your yard or box store that you can't return the door.
Hey Jay, you still here? Are we talking to ourselves?
If you don't take that door back, u a foo!
Jay?
Jay?
You're tryin ta fix it, ain't cha!--------------------------------------------------------
Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.netSee some of my work at AWorkOfWood.com
Hi Ted (et al in this thread),
Thanks for the good steer. I've been away from the forum for a few days here. (1st timer... unbelievable volume of sensible responses to my plight.) That door's a-goin' back whence it came. The supplier will replace any door, despite being bored, mortised or otherwise altered, that's got more than a 1/8" whoop in it.
Thanks to you and all others who shared their recommedations. Much obliged.
Jay E.
Yeah, this is a busy forum, and lots of good advice here. That's why they can't get rid of me. =]p
Glad you've decided to return it. There was a time when I would have been reluctant to return something after I've drilled or otherwise already installed it. I think mostly I was just embarrassed that I didn't notice the flaw, or maybe I just don't like to be a complainer. But after a few costly incidents, I've learned.
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Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.netSee some of my work at AWorkOfWood.com