I have read the articles in FH about epoxy repairs and I think I need to get some help. I have a customer who wants me to repair a rotted patio door because they are selling the home. It is a standard 6/0 patio swinger, one panel active, one fixed. The center post between the two panels is rotting on the bottom 8-10″ due to lack of a paint job. This center post is screwed to the fixed panel, so is not carrying the weight from the hinges all by itself. Is this a candidate for an epoxy repair, and if so any experience with certain brands and techniques? Thanks, Matt
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
To prevent moisture buildup and improve performance, install a continuous air barrier—such as drywall or specialized membranes—under tongue-and-groove boards or other interior wall paneling.
Featured Video
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Fine Homebuilding Magazine
Fine Home Building
Follow
-
Fine Homebuilding
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial Now -
GBA Prime
Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
Replies
Epoxy would probably work well for this, since it's not a "structural" part of the door set. You can get cans of epoxy wood filler at any home center - it's really easy to use. Just mix enough to work with before it starts to set.
Hope that helps
Andy
Sounds possible.
The keys to a successful epoxy repair are:
1) Remove all loose and damp material. Open up any deep checks or cracks with a small grinder bit or a rotozip. Basically, you want to make sure the epoxy will be absorbed to the greatest extent possible. It helps to drill small holes into the endgrain of the damaged area to encourage deep absorbtion. Ideally, these holes would extend through the damaged endgrain, and perhaps an inch into sound material.
2) Make sure the remaining wood is dry, dry, dry. If the wood is soaked with water, it will not absorb the epoxy. Use a moisture meter to be sure. If not dry, protect it from the weather, and come back another day. When folks say "I tried using epoxy and it failed", this is the probably part they missed! A heat gun can speed drying in a small area.
3) If you use boatbuilder's epoxy, you will add your own fillers to thicken it. Be sure to 'wet out' the area with thin epoxy first for good adhesion. A slow-setting epoxy will allow for more absorbtion time during 'wet out'. If you ever need to speed things up, you can always use a hairdryer or heatgun. With a vertical repair like yours, it can help to create a 'well' using tape (or whatever) at the bottom of the repair so that you can 'feed' the absorption process easily during wet out without making a big mess below.
I have used both Abatron and West System with good results. Abatron is 'pre-packaged' with a thin 'consolidant' and a thick 'filler' product for wood repair. West System is infinitely more flexible, but you have to pick your own filler and mix it yourself.
In the end, you get "better than new" results, since the epoxy-saturated wood is no longer absorbent of water.