Internal door rot repair

[anxious_ant]

I've noticed that the doors for my ensuite toilet and bathroom have, what appears to me as dry rot. I don't notice any fungus, looks like some of the wood "burst out". Perhaps from all the excessive steam from those long, hot baths/showers the missus and daughter likes to take... but I digress.

Is this something that can be repaired using medium grit sandpaper, some wood hardener and a lick of paint?
I believe the hardener will seal the rot, but will not shape it. Do I also need some wood filler here?

Realise it won't look as good as new, but would it be something a novice like me could repair?
Or is it time for new doors?

TIA for all the friendly advice

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Djtemeka said:

It’s an mdf door. They will all do that in a bathroom. £20 for a new door

Understood I didn't realise its an MDF door, thought it wood but hey, live and let learn!

£20 not too bad. Time to get shopping.

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t400ble said:

Yeah cheap as chips

Glad to hear that as have 2-3 doors to swap. Also have to saw off bottom edge as I have raised flooring but that should be easier with MDF.

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WyrleyD said:

My bathroom door did that due to excessive team I believe. I removed the door and repaired with wood filler as it was very much worse than yours, it's an odd size and couldn't find anything close in size and cutting would exceed the advised trimming limits. I've no idea where the previous owner sourced the doors as every one in the house is a different size!

Yes, my door is an odd size as well.
I’ve had a look at MDF doors and it looks like I would have to cut them down to size and also create the holes for the handles.

Can MDF doors be repaired?
I am thinking of repairing them without removing as most of the damage can be repaired without removing.

I believe it’s just cosmetic as definitely doesn’t look like rot to me.

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jamm13dodger said:

You might also want to investigate your bathroom ventilation - if the door is doing that, what's happening to the walls, ceiling, floors, etc?

The walls on the en-suite does get a bit damp in the en-suite.
I’ve used a damp resistant paint which does the job fighting occasional mold, just have to reapply every 5 years of so.

I’ve already changed the extractor to a centrifugal one which helped, but without drilling a larger hole (not ideal) I don’t think we can totally eliminate the excess steam.

I also have same issue downstairs toilet (not as bad). No steam there so perhaps from the occasional splash. I am bit OCD in cleaning so would use wet sponge on the door, perhaps I should stop that

There is no ventilation in the bathroom, but there is a window.

The doors are about 10 years old though, so maybe wear and tear?

I am wondering if I can repair using wood hardener or filler, and perhaps use a better paint?

Other option is to get tradesmen to do it, as this is beyond my skill level

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Joey Deacon said:

ro250 said:

It's just what MDF does when it gets wet - it blows out as it's so absorbent.

Yes, the frustration is that whilst the door is cheap, hanging them is a skill. Might be inclined to get a 'proper' wooden door for the bathroom and it'll last longer.

Exactly what I would do, those egg box doors are rubbish

Yes, as above the other option is to get a tradesmen to do it.
I’ve measured and the doors are not standard size so will definitely need some cutting. Also need to trim the bottom off due to flooring, and then cut holes for the handles/locks.

Good news is damage is not rot
Wonder why the builders installed MDF doors in bathrooms and en-suite knowing this but it is what it is.

I think if I repair it will just happen again plus it won’t look good, so might as well get new doors.

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C Lee Farquar said:

And should you get dry rot elsewhere in the future, trying to kill it with wood filler is unlikely to end well.

Got wet rot on bottom of the the garage side door. This is a simple flat wooden door, no patterns etc.
Chiselled out as much rotted wood as I could, and filled it in with...epoxy No wood filler at hand that time, and wanted to make hay whilst sun shone (mini heatwave).

It wasn't perfect finish as still a bit of a crater but at least no more rot. Finished off with few layers of waterproof paint. Looks ok but wanting to hang a proper door with frosted glass panels to get some light in the garage when funds allows. Those doors are 300-400 quid so not cheap.

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Sorry for thread revival

I have found decent enough 4 panel internal MDF doors at around £35 from Wickes which closely matches what we have.
I've asked around for chippy for cost to hang 5 doors, and cheapest quote I got was £70 per door. I have about 5 doors to hang so this is a bit costly.

So I am thinking of trying to the doors myself. I have seen a few YouTube videos to learn about hanging doors.
Looks like I would need decent set of chisel, planer and correct diameter drill bits for the handle and locks. I am planning of using the original hinges and locks.

Can anyone offer any tips and advice or perhaps any other tools that might help?

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milkround said:

5 mdf doors. And he wants £350 to fit them... Did he have a tracker around his ankle so the police can monitor him? If he is a real chippy it's a really easy half a days work.

I'm not a chippy but have done lots of doors. So I'll give you one little tip and then shut up. Use the old doors as a guide to know where to put the hinges in.

And if you know someone with a track saw you will probably get away without using a planer. If you don't know someone with a tracksaw you can make a guide for a cicular saw easily enough.

Yes, I am a bit surprised by the quote. One even quoted £100 per door!
I will be reusing hinges and locks.

I have a jigsaw to trim the bottom but no issues buying a planer as they are not that expensive.

My concerns at the moment is chiselling the door lock recess. The current locks (bathroom door) have rounded edges and might require some skill with the chisels.

I have stumbled across jigs that uses trim routers which may make the job of chiselling hinge recess much easier.
Never used a router before and had a quick browse. I would prefer wired ones so I don't have to buy the battery + charger.
Big brands are very pricey, so wondering if these will do the job?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-Handheld-Compact...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-Trimmer-Laminato...

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Multi quote fail

Thanks everyone for the tips. I have found a door with very close match in terms for height and width at Wickes. (at least on paper).
Might need to trim a bit off the bottom due to laminate flooring (current doors have bottom trimmed off).

As I have the old door to hand, which I can use as a template to ensure a good fit.

Just watching loads of YT videos now, and doing research on what tools to get. At £35 for one door I can afford a practice run

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So here's my shopping list for tools. Appreciate any feedback!

• 3 piece Magnusson bevelled chisel ( https://www.screwfix.com/p/magnusson-bevel-edge-wo...)

• 900W Planer as I might be hanging solid wood doors in the future ( https://www.screwfix.com/p/mac-allister-mshp900-3m...)

• 510W Trim router ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-Trimmer-Laminato...)

• Router cutter set ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/flintronic%C2%AE-Tungsten...)

Not too sure if I need a jig if I am careful, but open to recommendations,

Regarding the inflatable thingamabobs, are they for holding the door in place while I measure the fit?

Edited by anxious_ant on Thursday 9th December 18:59

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miroku1 said:

I’m astounded that anyone on here would admit to possessing mdf doors , I thought every single person had some incredibly expensive solid oak doors sourced from one of Nelsons ships etc ?!!

Nothing wrong with MDF doors
We would've replaced some with wooden doors but the plan is to move out next year.

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LocoBlade said:

I've adjusted doors before but I'm hanging new ones into existing frames for the first time at the moment, I've got 6 to do.

A cheap 1/4" router is a boon, even if you don't want to invest in a jig to go with it is still far easier/more consistent getting 90% of the hinge/latch cuts done freehand with that then trimming up the edges with a sharp chisel than doing it entirely by hand. The inflatable bags are also great for lifting the door into position when hanging, and unless you're taking off 5mm+ off each edge and the frames are dead square then you really need a planer.

A few tips I can give is if doing a few, start on the most inconspicuous door first as you probably will make mistakes even if they're minor and barely noticeable, so best hidden away in the far reaches of the house if possible!

Also if wanting to match up existing hinge cutouts, get a length of batten or similar and hold that along the existing door and mark the hinges to transfer to the new door. If using the same hinges then the door can be the same size as the old one (assuming that fits well) but you're using new hinges be aware some have a 3mm gap when closed whereas others have much less so the door width needs to be adjusted to suit

One other good tip I picked up from a YouTube video to avoid cutting hinge holes too big. When marking out the hinge cutouts on the door use a sharp pencil obviously but don't just draw round it in one go, mark along one edge then before marking the opposite edge move the hinge slightly so it just covers up the line you've just drawn, then mark the other edge. Then if you chisel to the lines it should be a snug fit that may need the hinge lightly tapping to seat but ensures no gaps.

Edited by LocoBlade on Thursday 9th December 19:07

Cheers! I will start with the downstairs loo which is tucked away in a corner

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neth27 said:

I am a chippy, and it isn’t half a days easy work to hang 5 doors in a occupied house. On a building site it’s half a days easy work.
You also don’t use your old door for anything to help fit your new doors. You don’t draw around it, take hinge measurements of it etc..
A track saw is pretty useless too unless your door linings are perfectly straight, they usually aren’t. They only usually come in handy to cut the top and bottom of the door.

Edited by neth27 on Thursday 9th December 19:16

Thanks for the advice. I will definitely need to trim some off the bottom hence why I am looking at planers.
I suppose I can use a jigsaw if I am careful.

Regarding the old door, it's just as a sense check. I will of course fit and measure the new door properly.
Agree that it would be a bit challenging hanging doors in a occupied house. I am just a little shocked at how much it costs to hang one MDF door.

[anxious_ant]

Cheers, might have a think to see if I should get a chippy in.

Regarding the comment about occupied house, I can wait until we move out (renting current place) and still quoted at £70-£100 per door. One door is £35 so for 5 doors I am looking at at least £550.

To me that’s considerable amount, especially if we are moving house next year. If I can limit my tool spend to under £150 I think it’s worth a punt.

I am struggling on the router. Makita cordless is nice but blew budget, and I will still need to buy a battery + charger.

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wolfracesonic said:

You absolutely do not need a router OP, a chippy house bashing does, you don’t, just a claw hammer, sharp chisel and a bit of patience which you’ll need anyway for recessing the latch and cleaning up the mortise.

Yes, there are a few YT videos demonstrating chiselling techniques.
I've stumbled across jigs and routers from links watching those videos. Major advantage of a router for me is that you'd never get the depth wrong.
I suppose I can always practise on a spare piece of wood first

This is the lock to my toilet door which I am planning on reusing. The curved ends might be tad challenging.

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Mave said:

If you get a 1/2" router (you can pick up cheap mains ones from £50), you can use it to trim the bottom off the door as well. You can even use the old door as a guide if you offset it and clamp it to the new one...

Yes, I plan to use the old door as rough guide

Never though about using the router to trim the bottom, should be more accurate than a jigsaw depending on how much I need taking off.

Do you have any recommendation of said routers?

I've browsed Wickes, Screwfix and Amazon and so far this is what I am coming up with :

Amazon link 1/2

Amazon link 1/4

edit : fixed link

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KTMsm said:

£70 / door is ok for one door but he'll do 5 in probably 1/2 a day so you'd be better asking for a job price, and explain they are cheap doors (not veneered) I'd think you should be able to get them done easily for £200

However looking at the first pic I'd repair and repaint that - if you use oil based paint it shouldn't re occur

I did consider repair job with wood filler, but as the MDF "burst" outwards I will have to sand it down and it will not look right, especially around the panels.
There are also similar damage around the bottom edge, hence why I believe changing the door would be the best option, especially a close match availabe for £35.

OFFTOPIC:
Trade prices seems to be on the rise now. I have also got a quote for a 7m x 3m conservatory and it is coming out at nearly £50k. Fair enough as materials are expensive, but most of that cost is for labour.

This is why I think it would be beneficial to start learning to do some DIY stuff

I was really crap at plumbing but after some practice have managed change taps and a blocked isolator valve (the nuts seized so it was really painful job, considering how tight the space was!)

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Mave said:

anxious_ant said:

Mave said:

If you get a 1/2" router (you can pick up cheap mains ones from £50), you can use it to trim the bottom off the door as well. You can even use the old door as a guide if you offset it and clamp it to the new one...

Yes, I plan to use the old door as rough guide

Never though about using the router to trim the bottom, should be more accurate than a jigsaw depending on how much I need taking off.

Do you have any recommendation of said routers?

I've browsed Wickes, Screwfix and Amazon and so far this is what I am coming up with :

Amazon link 1/2

Amazon link 1/4

edit : fixed link

If you're trimming the bottom of the door, go 1/2" then you can use a worktop cutting bit. That amazon one looks OK, B&q do one for about £50, mine is a Wicks branded one, cost about £60 IIRC

Excellent, many thanks!
I might use my jugsaw to trim bottom of the door.
The 1/2" routers looks a bit big for trimming hinge recess / mortises so might go for 1/4" ones.
Might also have a go at removing/fitting kitchen units (!) so router might come in handy.

Edited by anxious_ant on Monday 13th December 08:34

Edited by anxious_ant on Monday 13th December 08:36

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LocoBlade said:

anxious_ant said:

Major advantage of a router for me is that you'd never get the depth wrong.

Yep, you don't need a router but chiselling accurately to a consistent depth is a skill most of us DIY'ers probably don't do enough of to become particularly good or speedy at, so why not use a router to make life easier.

Agreed, I think a router would make cutting the curved recess much easier too.