My rear entrance door sill is rotted in an area about 6 inches by 4 inches.
I cleaned out the rotted area with a screw driver. Is there an easier way to repair
other than replacing to whole sill?
Will appreciate any help and suggestions.
Thanks
Replies
Make up a wood patch, mortice the area and glue in. Or quicker if painted use epoxy.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
If the sill is painted, you can use auto body putty -- "bondo". It is an epoxy-like product, which is easy to sand and shape. It is also impervious to water and bugs.
Thanks,
I like that idea.How thick can the bondo be put on.?
Some of the area is about an inch thick.
You'll probably have to do it a couple times to fill up that deep. The products harden quick but you shouldn't push it too fast, seems a bad bond is the result. Expect it to shrink a bit, take the directions on the can.........you probably can bump up the thickness a bit. Get it close and then a nice finish coat.........then sand. Probably wouldn't hurt to "key" the patch in a bit, as the wood will move at a different rate.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
As mentioned in the previous reply -- follow the directions on the can. I'm sure that you'll need to do it in more than one coat. But the really good news is that Bondo (and similar products) set up and cure VERY quickly.
The reason that you'll need to use two or more coats (and a really good indicator as to when you can do the next coat) is that two-part fillers generate some heat while setting up. Then, as the chemical reaction cools off, you have a finished plastic. But there is also a bit of contraction during the cooling. That's why you need to use multiple coats -- to avoid too much shrinkage, and to avoid too much heat buildup.
When the first coat is hard, and cool to the touch (probably about 15 minutes), you can mix and apply the next coat.
When doing the final coat, build it up above the board a bit -- maybe as much as 1/8". Wait till that is cured, then sand it flush. This stuff sands more easily than any other filler I've used, so it won't be a problem.
Then prime and paint.
Vast projects should not be founded on half vast ideas.
jimmy --try Minwax High Performance Wood Filler. Its similar to Bondo, but I think it works a little better. Use the liquid haredner before you fill the damaged area. It hardens (duh) the soft areas so the filler bonds better. I've used these products quite a bit and they work well.
Thanks Shep,
I'll go with the Minwax.Appreciate all your advice.
I'll echo Shep, go for the Minwax. I used to use a lot of Bondo, but I've shifted to Minwax, I think it lasts longer. I just repaired a window sill that was rotted on the top and side, by the time I had excavated the rot, there wasn't much from the casing out for about 8-10 inches. I built a dam under and on the side of the sill, and lined the wooden dam with wax paper. Mix and trowel it in, batch by batch. for the final coat, because the sill is at an angle, I trowelled in a batch, then screwed down another wax lined board to compress the epoxy and shape the sill. I used a RO disc sander to clean it up. After the primer, the HO thought I had replaced the sill.
I like the idea to to build a dam under the sill. I was wondering how to accomplish the flat bottom under the sill. Now I know.
Thanks again..... to all who responded.You have made the job easier.
what is the cause of the rot? why not just pull out the door and replace the sill or get a new door then you can install a door sill pan or flash it so it wont happen again