How to repair a damaged timber door

Take the door off its hinges and put it on some sturdy stools in a clear area to make it easier to work with.

Started by cleaning the door with Resene Heavy Duty Paint Prep and Oil Remover. 

It’s a biodegradable detergent designed to clean painted surfaces prior to repainting.  

Wear safety gear and decant it into a plastic spray bottle. Spray it on and scrub to clean the door, then rinse with water. Give your door a good wipe down and wait for it to dry.

As the timber on the bottom of Chris’ door is so damaged, it’s being replaced with a new timber board which needs to be prepped properly.

If you are replacing any boards on your door, the first step is to apply Resene TimberLock. This is a multifunctional timber treatment designed to increase the water, fungal and UV resistance of the wood surface, improving the performance of subsequently applied finishes. 

Place your drop cloth down, give the Resene TimberLock a stir and apply it over every surface using a paintbrush.

Once the Resene TimberLock is dry, prime the replacement board with Resene Wood Primer and wait for it to dry. 

The final part of this prep process is to apply Resene Enamel Undercoat to the board. Remember to wear gloves because these three products are all oil-based.

While the replacement board dries, form a rebate on the bottom of the door where it will be inserted. 

Remove the old timber at the base of the door, then measure a rebate onto the new timber. Aim for a 5mm rebate, which should mean that the new timber fits like a glove.

To repair the old wood and fill in the gaps, use Repair Care Super Finish 2-in-1. Use a scraper to flatten it out one way and then scoop it up the other way to fold it together and work it into the right consistency. 

Apply where needed and wait 30 minutes for it to dry. 

If you spot any more rot while you’re working, scrape it out.

Apply Repair Care Dry Fix to the area where the new timber will be attached. This will maximise adhesion when it is combined with Repair Care Dry Flex, which can also be used to fill in any other holes or gaps in the door that you may have missed. 

Slot the board into place and clamp it, where it will need four hours to dry.

Once the adhesive has dried, give the whole door a good sand – start with a 120 grit sanding disc and finish with a 180 grit sanding disc. This will allow the new paint to key into the old paint. 

Brush away the dust and gently scrape away any remnants of glue, then wipe the door down with a damp cloth.

Decant Resene Quick Dry into a paint pot, the prime the bare bare timber with before applying a full coat to the entire door.

For the topcoat, Chris is using Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel, which is a great choice for doors. He’s chosen the classic colour Resene Black White. 

Apply two coats, leaving enough dry time in between.

Once dry, rehang the door and admire your handiwork!