After all of the extra layers of paint I added to my doors and door frames it is no surprise that the doors can not close properly. The first door got stuck shut and we had to pry it open. The other door kept jamming at the top where we couldn't even close it! Shucks...and I thought everything was going so smoothly! Here is what the door looked like after we managed to unstick it:
The good news is I knew from looking at it where the problem spot was which made it easier to fix it! There is more than one way to do this but the following 2 are the easiest and prove to do the least amount of damage:
1. Use a planer. You don't need a super huge one - it is just a door for goodness sakes. I borrowed this one from my step dad, Jim, and although it is ancient I am sure it would work like a charm. You just glide it along the area that needs shaving down. It has a little dial so you can decide how much to take off but it is best to go with the lowest setting and do it multiple times so you don't over do it. After you are done you will most likely be left with bare wood which means you will have to prime AND paint again.
2. Use a 2x4. When I went to pick up the planer Jim asked me what I was doing. I explained the whole door sticking thing and he clued me into this brilliant little tip. Take a leftover scrap if 2x4 and put it against the door jamb like the picture then take your hammer, in my case a rubber mallet, and give it a few hefty taps. The force to the 2x4 is transferred to the door jamb and king of compresses the wood/paint. Brilliant! On both doors this worked like a charm. Oh - if you happen to crack your paint job or have a little chip come off during "hefty tap" time just go back and dab a little fresh paint on. I had to retouch a bit of the paint that cracked but it is much better than having to re-prime and paint the bare wood a planer would have left. Now my doors close perfectly and it didn't take but a minute. Here is the after minus the touch up paint:
Not the prettiest but at least it is closes and better yet, OPENS!!! That's it for my TOTD! Anyone else have a great tip they can share?? Please leave it below in the comment section.
Toodles!
Bianca
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| Bummer :( |
The good news is I knew from looking at it where the problem spot was which made it easier to fix it! There is more than one way to do this but the following 2 are the easiest and prove to do the least amount of damage:
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| Closed...sorry about the shadows! |
Not the prettiest but at least it is closes and better yet, OPENS!!! That's it for my TOTD! Anyone else have a great tip they can share?? Please leave it below in the comment section.
Toodles!
Bianca
