Repair a wooden door.

Repairing a high-quality wooden door is often more cost-effective and environmentally friendly than a full replacement. Whether it is a Victorian front door requiring restoration or an internal door that no longer latches, professional repair ensures your home remains secure and draught-free.

What Does the Work Involve?

• Initial Assessment: Inspecting the door, frame, and threshold for signs of "wet rot," "dry rot," or structural warping.
• Hardware Check: Testing hinges, locks, and handles to ensure they are aligned and functioning correctly.
• Timber Treatment: Removing soft, rotten wood and applying wood hardener or high-performance resin fillers.
• Resizing and Planing: Trimming the edges of doors that have swollen or dropped to ensure a smooth swing and tight seal.
• Sanding and Refinishing: Stripping back old paint or varnish to provide a smooth surface for new protective coatings.
• Weatherproofing: Replacing worn draught excluders and checking the "drip bar" to prevent water ingress.

Typical Costs

Total costs are heavily influenced by the type of wood; hardwood doors (like Oak or Mahogany) require more expensive materials and specialist care than standard softwood. Prices in London and the South East typically carry a 15-20% premium due to higher labour rates.

How Long Does It Take?

• Hinge adjustments or planing: 1–2 hours.
• Minor rot repairs and filling: 3–5 hours (including resin curing time).
• Complete door restoration: 1–3 days, depending on the number of coats of paint or varnish required.
• Frame repairs: 4–6 hours if the threshold or "jamb" needs partial replacement.

DIY or Professional?

Minor tasks like oiling hinges, light sanding, or applying a fresh coat of varnish are well within the reach of a confident DIYer. However, structural repairs or fixing "dropped" heavy external doors should be left to a professional joiner.

Warning: If you are repairing a fire door (common in flats or HMOs), any work must maintain its fire-rating integrity. Incorrectly planing a fire door or using the wrong seals can render it illegal and unsafe, potentially voiding your home insurance.

Choosing the Right Tradesperson

• Look for a qualified joiner or carpenter with experience in "timber restoration" rather than just general maintenance.
• Check for memberships in trade bodies such as the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) or Institute of Carpenters.
• Red Flags: Avoid tradespeople who suggest using standard "polyfilla" for external rot repairs; these will fail within months.
• Question 1: Do you use two-part resin fillers for rot, or are you splicing in new timber?
• Question 2: Will you be using dust extraction while sanding inside my home?
• Question 3: Can you provide a guarantee for the weatherproofing or finish applied?

UK Regulations

• Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Power): If you replace more than 50% of an external door, it may need to meet modern thermal efficiency standards.
• Part Q (Security): Repairs to main entrance doors should not compromise the security of the property; replacement locks should meet BS 3621.
• Listed Buildings: If your home is listed, you must get Listed Building Consent before changing the appearance, material, or colour of your external doors.

Common Problems

• Trapped Moisture: Painting over damp wood is the most common mistake, leading to the new finish peeling within weeks.
• Using Interior Materials: Using interior-grade fillers or glues on an external door will cause the repair to crumble during the first frost.
• Ignoring the Root Cause: Fixing a rotten bottom rail without clearing blocked gutters or improving drainage will lead to the rot returning.
• Over-Planing: Removing too much wood to stop a door sticking in winter can leave massive gaps and draughts when the wood shrinks in summer.

Frequently Asked Questions