Hot Topics: Door Finish Repair Turns Into Weatherstripping Project
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It's not uncommon to attempt work on a home improvement project, only to divert your efforts into a related issue. This DIYer initially wanted to refinish a door between his vestibule and living room. However, talk in the forum quickly went from lead paint to weatherstripping. Confused? Read on.
Original Post: How to save this door? Is it worth it?
Spunky 424 Member
So I have a French door by my front door vestibule. I was planning on repainting it white but realized the bottom portion is peeling/chipping a lot. How would I go about fixing this door and repainting it? Is it even worth it or should I just get another door?
Highlights From the Thread
Marskr Member
First how old is the door? While lead-based paints haven't been used in decades, if the underlying paint is lead - you don't want to sand into it.
As long as the door itself is solid it can be salvaged. Either use a chemical stripper and bring it down to raw (or near raw) wood and start over or sand it down enough to be acceptable, prime if needed and repaint.
Spunky 424 Member
The door I think is original to the house which was built in 1952. It's got quite a few coats of paint but not sure if it's lead. I've been scraping off all the loose paint chips. Only one side of the door is chipping. The other side has smooth paint. What kind of chemical stripper would be best? And is it safe to get it on the glass portion?
Marskr Member
I don't use strippers all that often so when I do need to strip something I usually ask the paint rep at the store which product would be best for the job at hand. Chemical strippers won't harm glass but will harm plexiglass.
There is a good chance that the original paint on the door is lead-based although the only way to know is to have it tested. Lead paint is dangerous when the dust from sanding is inhaled or paint chips ingested. While the odds are that a one-time exposure to lead won't hurt you, care should be used to contain/clean up the debris including dust - and wear a mask while sanding.
Is this an exterior door? If so ... a new door would seal better and be more energy-efficient.
Spunky 424 Member
This is an interior door that separates the vestibule from my living room. There is a heavier exterior door with a storm door on the other side of the vestibule. I initially removed this door but I'm starting to feel a cold draft and realize that this door was there to help contain that draft. The part chipping was facing into the vestibule where I assume the cold dry weather aided in cracking the paint glass portion?
Marskr Member
It sounds like you might benefit from replacing the door with a good exterior prehung door. Between the weatherstripping and the threshold, it should stop all drafts. I assume the vestibule is unheated. Could it have originally been a porch?
Spunky 424 Member
The vestibule was heated at one point but the steam radiator was removed and capped. Don't think it was ever a porch...so you recommend just replacing the front exterior door and leaving no door between the vestibule and the living room? If that were the case what options do I have for cleaning up the doorway that's currently there since right now there's no door in that doorway?
Marskr Member
Unless you heat the vestibule, keep a door there. I was thinking if the vestibule isn't insulated well and the old door leaks much air, it might be wiser to replace that door with a new unit. Adding weatherstripping might be enough. If you decide to heat that space and do away with the door there are ways to dress up the opening so it looks good. Does it have any type of threshold? Does the door hit the stop evenly along the length or is there a gap?
Spunky 424 Member
The air is coming from both the left bottom and right bottom corners. I've taken some pics to show what I'm referring to. There is about 1/4" gap from the bottom of the door to the threshold.
