How to Replace a Wooden Door Panel

Materials and Tools:

portable workbench (or sawhorses or a sturdy card table)
power miter saw
biscuit joiner
woodworking and grip clamps
power drill
circular saw
orbital sander
bar clamps
cargo straps
straightedge
hammer
pry bar
paintbrush
tongue depressor
tape measure
flathead screwdriver
sandpaper
tape
adjustable wrench
rubber gloves
safety glasses
epoxy
biscuits
dowel
pine boards

Steps:

1. Measure dimensions for the panel to be replaced, and remove door and take it to your workspace.

2. Measure and cut wood for the new pieces. For the pictured project, a replacement patch was designed using two vertical boards and three horizontal boards.

Figure B

3. Line up the cut boards and mark where you’ll need to cut the biscuit joints.

Cut the biscuit joints with the biscuit-joiner tool.

4. Mix the epoxy according to directions. Spread liberally over the surfaces to be joined and insert biscuits.

5. Bring the pieces together. Making sure everything is lined up properly, tap the pieces with a scrap 2-by-4 to firmly join them.

6. Clamp all the pieces tightly together and allow the epoxy to dry for at least four hours. Go over the patch with an orbital sander to remove excess epoxy. Fill any dents or holes with wood putty.

7. Cut off the damaged bottom section of your old door with a circular saw and a straightedge. Trim your new patch to the exact size of the damaged area you removed.

8. Join the patch to the bottom of the door using the biscuit method. For added strength, install dowels in the vertical edge boards. Use nylon cargo straps to hold the patch and the door together until the epoxy dries.