How to Repair Exterior Door Trim

Repair your exterior door trim to help restore the look of your doorways.

Exterior door trim, once installed, withstands heavy use and extreme elemental changes, but even well-built trim can become damaged over time. When damage occurs, the actual look of the door can change. It begins to appear worn and dirty regardless of the actual door condition. By repairing the splits, gouges and minor rot that occurs as soon as possible, you can restore the look of your door trim without the need of trim replacement.

Things You'll Need

• Nail set
• Hammer
• Exterior caulk
• Putty knife
• Masking tape
• Exterior paint
• Paint brush
• Wire brush
• PH-neutral cleaner
• Sponge
• Epoxy wood filler
• Sandpaper
• Rags
• Hand saw
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Solvent thinned epoxy
• Tape measurer
• Replacement trim
• Circular saw
• 2-inch finish nails

Instructions

Loose Trim

1. Check on the fit of the exterior trim against the door. Make certain it’s attached securely and that the nails that secure it in place do not stick up at any point.

2. Nail loose trim back into place using a nail set and hammer. Hammer in the loose nails until it is flush against the trim. Place the point of the nail set against the head of the nail and strike the end of the nail set with the hammer to drive the head of the nail below the surface of the trim.

3. Fill the holes above the nail with caulk, feathering out the caulk with a putty knife until the surface of the hole is even with the surrounding trim surface. Allow the caulk to dry completely, drying times vary according to manufacturer and weather conditions.

4. Place masking tape around the repair area and touch up the paint over the caulk so the repaired area is indistinguishable from the rest of the trim.

Cracks in Trim

1. Clean out the cracks in the wood using a wire brush to remove any dirt or debris. Wash the cracked wood with a pH-neutral cleanser, rinsing it thoroughly with clean water and patting it dry.

2. Fill the crack with epoxy wood filler, pressing the filler in place with the edge of a putty knife. Scrape the top edge of the putty with the knife-edge to make the putty even with the surface of the trim and wait for the filler to dry. Drying time is at least 30 minutes, with the filler being ready to work with when you cannot dent the filler with a fingernail.

3. Sand the surface of the filler with fine-grit sandpaper to smooth it out with the surrounding trim surface. Wipe the sanded patch with a cloth to remove sanding residue.

4. Mask off areas adjoining the patched trim and then paint the patched area the same color as the surrounding trim, to hide the patch.

Rotted Trim

1. Cut away the rotted section of the trim with a handsaw, taking care not to cut into the door or the wall of the home. Soak the trim adjoining the area with isopropyl alcohol. As the alcohol evaporates, it takes any moisture in the wood along with it. Wait two to three hours for the wood to dry completely.

2. Brush a layer of solvent-thinned epoxy over the trim at the damaged area to seal the surface of the wood. Allow the epoxy to dry before continuing, the drying time varies according to the weather conditions.

3. Measure the area left bare by the trim removal. Find a matching piece of trim and cut a piece from it the same length of the missing trim using a circular saw.

4. Fit the replacement trim to the door and nail it into place with 2-inch finish nails. Set the nails below the surface of the trim with the nail set, and fill the nail holes with caulk. Feather the caulk across the surface of the trim to blend the patched nail holes in with the surrounding trim surface. Allow the caulk to dry.

5. Use masking tape to isolate the trim from the rest of the door. Paint the patched area of the trim the same color as the rest of the trim to blend the patched areas in with the surrounding trim surface.

Tips & Warnings

• For a general update on the look of your trim, strip the existing paint with paint stripper, sand the surface smooth and then repaint with exterior house paint.

• Wear work gloves, safety goggles and a face mask during repair to keep skin, eyes and lungs safe.

References

• Hammerzone: Repairing a Split Door Jamb
• The Family Handyman: How to Use Epoxy on Wood for Repairs

Resources

• Old House Web: Wood Repair Products