Problem: The molding around your front door has cracked and become unsightly due to water damage.
Solution: Repair the damaged areas of your entrance door molding. Then install a cant strip, which is an angled piece of wood that will divert water away from your wood molding to prevent future damage.
Materials:
cant strip
handsaw
exterior primer and paint
paint brush
utility knife
scraper
hammer
caulk gun with adhesive caulk
exterior wood filler
measuring tape
sanding block with coarse sandpaper
drill with bit
tenpenny finishing nails
nail set
chisel
putty knife
safety glasses
- First scrape off any loose or flaking paint, and use a chisel to shave down any raised surface areas.
- Pry out the old caulking compound from behind the molding (figure A).
- Sand any cracks and fill the area with high-quality exterior wood filler. When the filler is dry, sand the patched areas smooth.
- Caulk any gaps between moldings, and caulk the gap behind your molding along the surface of the house for added protection.
- Prime the entire surface with exterior primer.
- After your molding is repaired and primed, measure the width at the top of your door molding. Cut a cant strip to length with a handsaw, sand any rough edges, and prime the strip with exterior primer.
- Apply adhesive caulk where the cant strip will meet the surface of your house and on top of the molding where the cant strip will rest (figure B).
- Press the cant strip firmly against the wall and down on the molding. Pre-drill holes along the strip for tenpenny finishing nails (figure C).
- Drive the nails through the strip into the molding, leaving about 1/8" of the heads exposed; use a nail set to drive the nails beneath the surface of the wood. Cover the nail heads with caulk, and wipe off the excess.
- Run a bead of caulk along both edges of the cant strip to seal it. Remember to wipe off any excess caulk.
- Allow the caulk to dry; then repaint the molding and the cant strip.
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