Wooden Door Repair

Tools:

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

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

2. Measure and cut wood for the new pieces (figure A). In this case, Harrison designed a replacement patch using two vertical boards and three horizontal boards.

3. Once all the pieces are cut, line up boards and mark where you'll need to cut the biscuit joints (figure B). Cut the biscuit joints using the biscuit joiner tool (figure C).

5. Once all the biscuits are in, bring the pieces together (figure E). Make sure everything is lined up properly. Tap the pieces with a scrap 2x4 to firmly join.

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

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