Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Jan 28, 2000 05:16am | #1

   *
   Jeff,

   In addition to what Fred offers, check to see if the tops and bottom of the doors were sealed. If not, they will often times lose enough moisture in the door to cause the panels to show a little no paint. As to the base, even when you "spring" them in, if the house is dry, some shrinkage will occur. It is also possible that the warehouse storage of the trim and doors was not "conditioned". Getting satisfaction from them is next to non-existent. Ideally it's probably a good idea to check the moisture content before installation, not that I ever have done that. Flooring is regularly checked before install for the same (shrinkage) possible problem. Best of luck.

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   Guest_ | Jan 28, 2000 11:30pm | #2

   *Thanks Fred & Calvin, I will definately pass this on to homeowner.

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   Guest_ | Jan 29, 2000 09:18am | #3

   *Jeff , Don't know what part of the country your from ,but here in Massachusetts I tell my customers simply that wood is a dense sponge. The best we can do to keep fom moving is to seal all sides , alot of work , maybe not on doors but who backprimes all moldings before they go up? I agree with both Calvin and Fred but somethings are out of our control. Around here summer brings humidity and winter brings heated houses , henceforth dryness especially forced hot air. Summer time you dont have much of a choice, but in winter its best to bring all finish work and doors into heated area to shrink before cut or painted. Swelling some times makes things look better if to a minimum!I also live near the ocean which compounds the problem with moisture. Hollow or solid core doors might be a solution!, They always look good when painted! Yes, I know every one wants wood! good luck! Steve

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   Guest_ | Jan 30, 2000 10:53pm | #4

   *Jeff,>Again, here in Mass. the changes in humidity are a great challenge to stable wood expectations. A six panel door is designed to be able to handle shrinkage because of the many pieces involved. The panels are not glued into the frame in order to allow swelling and shrinkage. The pieces are small enough so that the coefficient of change of that material in that sized piece does not blow out the joints in the stiles and rails. This is most important when the grains of the wood expand in a direction which would force a joint apart. There is almost always a time on a newly painted door where you will see fresh wood exposed. You can return to paint those little lines later when they show up. If you look at an old panel door you will see the disturbance to the paint at the edges of the panels where the painter tried to cover the moving edges.Use some latex caulk on the trim joint and paint it. Wood will always move to some degree.Frank

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   Guest_ | Jan 31, 2000 08:25am | #5

   *Frank, I agree totally with you on the construction of six panel or any # of panel doors made of wood ! The problem is , the door will shrink and leave exposed unpainted wood , you paint again, caulk, looks great , then summer comes henceforth, humidity and door swells again and paint and caulking break seal again and crinkle ! Its a constant maintenance thing basically you learn to live with it or stain them , wait till they shrink , stain exposed and then let them do their thing! Now if this was an antique house we'd love that look , we'd call it character! The doors will always move and groove! Paint all six sides and under hinges and inside lockset bore, this is only way to seal them! still there's no gaurantee! This is why I promote hollow core! They will always look great painted but even they shrink and swell and need hinge set screw adjustment!

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   Guest_ | Jan 31, 2000 09:13am | #6

   *6-panel door if put in when its a moist time of the year will shrink when the heating season starts-- And you will see the results.. They will look crappy & you will get the blame sometimes... Best to reduce the humidity before you paint then it doesn't show so bad when the heating season comes. L. Siders

3. 
   Guest_ | Jan 31, 2000 08:17pm | #7

   *Guys and Gals,I think we have heard the right answer from Steve. Stain the doors as was done in the olden days. Paint works best on flush doors. I would like to offer an optional solution to the flush door. I have found the pressed panel door made of masonite type material is hollow and light and looks like a panel door when painted. It doesn't feel like a real solid door but it looks like one and serves as a good compromise.Frank

4. 
   Guest_ | Jan 31, 2000 08:44pm | #8

   *Jeff L,

   One of life's biggest challenges is NOT to install any wood work in the summer. The basic problem beings when the materials are delivered to the job site. In the case of your doors, they had probably absorbed plenty of moisture sitting wherever they were before they got to you.

   If you installed them in a home that was under construction. . . or an existing home that was not "conditioned" (HVAC controlled), the problem just gets worse. By not giving these doors a chance to "dry out", no matter what you do, they will shrink when the heat goes on in the Fall & Winter.

   Its imperative to allow any mill work time to acclimate to it's environment before you seal or paint it. No manner of precaution will help if the windows are left open in the hot summer months and the heat is on in the winter months. The best chance your mill work has is to be in a home that is climatically controlled year round.

   P.S. If its wood. . . it moves, period! Unless it's petrified. ;-}

   Joseph FuscoView Image© 1999"The first step towards vice is to shroud innocent actions in mystery, and whoever likes to conceal something sooner or later has reason to conceal it." Aristotle