straightening a warped door

[mod600]

So I bought 2 Solid Core Mastercraft doors from Menards to use as closet doors in my office. I built a closet with a 64" opening and planned to do a "French Door" style set-up on it (two 32" doors). I framed up the jamb, but the problem is, I didn't get to hanging the doors right away and they sat in storage for a year and I messed up and they were laying on horizontally instead of upright. The doors have a bow in them and of course they are in opposite directions. it looks like they bowed horizontally just above were the center hinge is. One is bowed in and the other is out, so the fit up/gap between them look like hell. I was thinking of taking the doors off and putting them on some blocks and try to clamp them down to my bench and try to straighten them, let them sit for a week, month, etc to see if it'd straighten the bow out...They're a solid core MDF style door with the cheap wallpaper wood grain finish on them. I didn't know they were quite made like that, I figured they were a veneer wood finish on them, too late to return them. So I thought I'd try to make them straighter if possible...but thought I'd ask if anyone has tried to straight one out...If I can't, then I might have to just buy another set of doors and use these for work bench tops....
Thanks!
mod600

 

[pop pop]

I'd vote for new doors and better ones at that.

 

[Xicaque]

I second ^^^^


But if you have time, can you flip the door the other way so it can bend the other way and correct itself?

 

[PugetDude]

Might try setting one up on two blocks (paint cans or HD bucket work well) on diagonal corners, and then add weight to the two opposing corners to overbend them a bit. (think full gallon paint cans...) Let them sit for a week and then remove the weights and see if they have straightened out. I did that on a badly warped wooden door a few years ago and it worked for me.

You could also clamp them to a straight stud wall with 2x4 spacers on the diagonal corners. Anything to overbend them a bit, leave them bent long enough that they take a set.

Then, prime the top and bottom, that is how moisture gets in and warps the door in the first place.

If they're cheap doors it may not be worth the effort.

Good luck.

 

[77thor]

Typical of the wood products at Menards.

Most of their lumber is warped and twisted.

 

[Morrison]

Park a truck on the doors with the bow facing up. Or buy new doors.

 

[kingchevy]

I have never seen a bow taken out of a door for more than a short period of time. If it's warped, it will stay warped.

 

[rsanter]

Lost cause.....

Bob

 

[DIC]

Use the bowed doors for skateboard ramps and buy some new ones for the office

 

[mod600]

Thanks for the info...I think I'll pull one of them down and lay it on my bench to see which way it's bowed. I'll probably put it up on blocks and add some weight to it and let it sit...just to see what happens...I've got the time...if it doesn't work, I can use them for bench tops and order new doors...it's just a closet so they're nothing fancy.
Thanks!

 

[Jim in Wis]

I had an old closet door that was warped bad. I tried getting it out by setting it on blocks, then parking a car on the high point and letting it sit for a couple of weeks. It seemed to get better, so I painted it nice and installed it. Now it's just as bad as it was. I think it's hopeless.

 

[mhm993]

Cut them into shelving.

 

[mod600]

I ended up buying new doors...the old one will be turned into bench tops at some point..

 

[Xicaque]

Smart move!

 

[James-W]

I agree, buying new doors was the best move to make. Sometimes it just doesn't pay to screw around.

 

[lilredex]

If it is just one corner sticking out, you can sometimes fix a door by running a spring rod across the (back) diagonal. My junk box has lots of 1 X 3/8" bar stock, so that is what I have used. Screw down one end tightly then install a longer screw (loosely) on the end at the offending corner. Putting wedges under the bar closer to the good corner will put some spring into the bar and allow the corner sticking out to be pulled in with that longer screw*. Does take some fidlin' but I have pulled in shed doors that twist after being exposed to the elements, with that method.

Little late for the OP, but someone out there may have a shed door that needs to be pulled back into line.

* a hanger bolt/wing nut combo works well here.

 

[Norcal]

Doors need to be painted on all six sides ASAP, what happened to the OP is the result of not doing so.

With the low quality of today's wood products there is no guarantee that sealing a door will stop warping, but it's the only way one can try to stop it.

 

[vision8]

Try stacking the doors together with the bows opposite each other and clamp them together ; will always look like a sore thumb when ever you look at them !