Mr. Mojo risin . . . Mr. Mojo risin . . .

As far as we know Jim Morrison has not been seen skulking around ReSOURCE. Old doors, however, have been seen around the ReSOURCE and are a large part of the inventory. The ReSOURCE has many types of doors, but I thought I’d discuss panel doors since they are the most abundant and common style at the ReSOURCE.

Hello I love you . . .

Panel doors have a long history. The Pantheon in Rome, the world’s oldest building still in use, reportedly has its original panel doors dating to Hadrian’s Rome (~125AD). The design is ingenious, versatile and economical. Panel doors consist of a frame of stiles (vertical pieces) and rails (the cross pieces). The rails and stiles start off the same, the inside profile being cut by one cutter. The ends of the rails (where they join the stiles) are then cut with a complementary cutter so that they fit like a hand in a glove. A square groove inside the stiles and rails allows a panel or a window (light) to be slid in. Mortise and tenon or doweled joints hold it together strongly. This design can be used to make a myriad of styles, 5-panel vertical, 5-panel mixed, 4-panel, 6-panel, etc . . .

Panel doors were not invented just to enable various styles and decoration. They’re a good way to stretch a bit of wood a long way. The panels are thinner than the rails and stiles; this saves wood. Having thick rails and stiles and thinner panels also makes the door lighter and less prone to warping, swelling and shrinking. I expect the esthetic appeal of panels with molded edges, miter joints and raised centers is a happy result of early doorbuilders’ frugality and common sense.

Break on through to the other side . . .

Modern made, solid-wood panel doors are available, but ReSOURCE panel doors are generally made of old growth wood. “So what?” you say? Well, old growth wood is harder, denser, and more resistant to rot – and prettier. Old growth wood came from 200+ year-old trees with a more compacted cellular structure. Additionally the seemingly inexhaustible old growth forests yielded cheap and generous sized pieces of clear (knot-free) wood, so you can now find a 2″ thick door with ¼” panels. Try to find that today! Unfortunately the old growth forests are now confined to tiny parcels of forgotten land and are available by appointment only, such as the Dr. Victor Reinstein Woods in Cheektowaga, so besides superior wood, re-used doors prolong the working life of old growth wood and take pressure off our living forests.

Love me two times, babe . . .

Ask someone to quickly doodle a door and they will almost always draw a four-paneled door. They are timeless and homey. Modern metal, plastic, and engineered wood doors are often stamped or molded to look like they have panels. Some are given a phony wood grain to increase their hominess. In my high school this sort of artificiality was called “posing”; the person being a “poser”. Real doors are a like a friendly doorman welcoming guests, and they just beg to be decorated with Christmas wreaths and such. If you are interested in old panel doors here are some bits of advice.

Sizing
Larger doors can be trimmed to fit smaller openings or crooked frames. Use a good circular saw with a new, sharp blade and work in a well ventilated area because of sawdust and possible lead paint dust. Wear appropriate protective goggles and masks and practice good shop safety. Measure the exact width of the door opening from one jamb to the other (Do it three times! No “do-overs” allowed!). Determine the total amount of door to remove. Divide that number by 2 (to remove from each side) and add 1/8”. For example; a door 2” too wide needs to have 1 and 1/8 inch taken off each side; the 1/8” for the edge of the door.

I have also noticed doors in my house are subtly beveled 10^o inward towards the opening. I surmise this prevents binds, so I do this to all doors I cut. Simply set the saw to a 10^o angle. WARNING! Make sure the bevels angle inward when cutting. Cut one side of the door from top to bottom and the other bottom to top to insure this.

Set the door on sawhorses and mark off a cut line with a straightedge. Then measure the distance from the saw blade to the edge of the saw’s shoe. That distance in from your first line and draw a second parallel line – for the edge of the saw to follow. Some saws have nice guides, mine doesn’t so I use a cheap alternative. Clamp or screw down a long straight piece of wood directly along the second line. A 2” strip of edge from an 8’ sheet of plywood makes a nice jig. Make sure the motor of the saw clears the clamps and saw smoothly without forcing it. The wood is dense so let the saw do the work The same can be done for the top and bottom. I usually cut them so there is a ¾” gap at the bottom.

Repairs
Doors can also be repaired and refinished. If you’re replacing the mortise lock with modern knobs you will need to fill the mortise. (You can also buy old mortise locks and other door hardware at the ReSOURCE). Cut a piece of wood the same dimensions as the old lock. Slather the piece of wood and the mortise with glue and gently tap it snugly into the mortise. Fill the knob hole and keyholes (and former lock area) with wood putty and sand when dry. A new lock set can be installed in this area.

If there is a deadbolt hole (commonly 2 and 7/8 inches diameter) use the same size hole saw to cut a piece of wood (same thickness as the door) to fit back in the hole. Glue the circle into the hole, clamp it with pieces of wood on each side, and let dry. Fill the edges with wood putty and sand until seamless with the door.

Refinishing
Many clear-finished doors at the ReSOURCE are finished with shellac. Shellac can easily be removed with denatured alcohol (see Schuele paint). In fact before stripping varnish make sure it is varnish and not shellac. You’ll save yourself lots of time if it is shellac. Test by swabbing a small part of the finish with an alcohol-moistened rag; if the finish dissolves, it’s shellac; if not, it’s either lacquer or varnish (more likely). To remove shellac, simply rub it away with an alcohol-moistened rag and a little elbow grease. Afterwards sand the door with progressively finer sandpaper until satisfied.

If you have a painted or varnished door, you can repaint it or strip the paint off and start over with paint or a clear finish. If you decide to repaint, just sand the existing finish (taking precautions as detailed below), fill holes, sand the surface flat, prime and paint. Make sure to paint the bottom surface of the door; moisture can enter the wood there and swell the door.

Most painted doors have lead paint on them and as such precautions should be taken to avoid exposing your lungs to the dust. When using denatured alcohol or chemical strippers work in a ventilated area (no smoking!) and wear goggles, gloves, boots and long clothing. When using heat guns be aware they can generate 1100^o F and can start fires and cause lead fume out-gassing. Keep the temperature under 1100^o to avoid lead paint fumes. Infra-red and steam-based strippers (not as sexy as they sound) are also available and can be researched. Alternatively I’ve previously suggested using a professional furniture stripper such as Buffalo Refinishing.

I prefer the heat gun. Angle the gun to the surface and when the paint just starts to bubble push forward with a scraping knife. Collect the paint in a bucket to cool. Dispose in a triple bag in the household garbage. Sand the door with progressively finer sandpaper (I start at 80-100 grit depending on the condition) until you are satisfied.

I suggest asking our friends at Schuele Paint Co. on Summer Street about the best strippers for this task. Slather one side of the door with stripper and cover it tightly with plastic (e.g. a plastic trash bag) to slow evaporation and increase effective stripping time. After 30 minutes or more remove the plastic and remove paint with a scraper knife and smaller tools for the detail. If necessary repeat until the door is to your liking. Afterwards wash it with mineral spirits, dry, and sand with progressively lighter sandpaper until you are satisfied. Always use personal protective equipment when sanding!

If you have other questions there are always lots of people around the ReSource who can answer your questions, offer advice and refer you to experts.

So if you love an old door a second time send us pictures of its new life.

This is the end, My only friend the end . . .