How to Repair Dry Cracks in an Antique Door

Antique wood doors can crack over time.

Antique doors are typically constructed from thick slabs of wood and are installed in both interior and exterior door openings. After repeated exposure to temperature fluctuations and humidity, the wood can develop cracks, which are technically called checks. These cracks will continue to increase in size if you don’t repair them immediately. Repairing dry cracks in an antique door requires that you press a putty-like material into them and then refinish the exterior of the door to disguise the repair.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Hammer
• Saw horses
• Clear penetrating epoxy sealer
• Epoxy filler
• Putty knife
• Fine-grit sandpaper
• Sanding block
• Paint scraper
• Wood stain or paint
• Paint brush

Instructions

1. Close the antique door fully, if it is still installed in the door jamb. Locate the hinges on the side that hold it in place and insert a screwdriver into the bottom of one hinge. Tap the bottom of the screwdriver with a hammer to dislodge the pin from the hinge. Set the hinge pin in a safe location and repeat the process to remove the pin from each remaining hinge.

2. Open the antique door and lift it gently from the jamb. Place the door on top of two sawhorses with the cracked side facing upward.

3. Open a bottle of clear penetrating epoxy sealer and place the tip directly into the end of the crack. Squeeze a 1/4-inch bead of sealant along the entire length of the crack. Wait until the sealant soaks into the surrounding wood and dries completely before proceeding.

4. Open a bottle or tub of epoxy filler and scoop up 1 to 2 teaspoons using a putty knife. Start at one end of the crack and press the filler into the crack to fill it completely. Once the crack is filled, run the blade of the putty knife across it to remove excess filler.

5. Wait until the filler dries completely, then install a fine-grit sandpaper onto a sanding block. Sand the surface of the crack lightly until you can no longer feel a difference between the surface of it and the surrounding wood.

6. Scrape off all the stain or paint from the door using a paint scraper in preparation for painting. Apply a coat of paint or wood stain to the surface of the antique door using a paint brush to disguise the repair.

References

• This Old House: Fixing a Cracked Door Panel
• Smith and Company: Wood Door Restoration, Repair and Refinishing