skip to main content

do doors shrink?

5 years ago

Just has a guy come and fit our oak doors. The doors barely open and close as he didn’t make them short enough. He has said he has left it like that because the doors shrink.

Is this normal?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

Sonia
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Hi, wood does expand and contract with the temperature, most noticeable with wooden front doors. Now I’m not an expert, but it sounds like he needs to shave a bit off the bottom. Hopefully some of the excellent builder savvy Houzzers can advise you better than I can!
Tani H-S
5 years ago
Yeah they shrink and contract as Forza mentioned. First time I’ve been able to fully close our lounge door as that’s solid wood! LOL.

So bearing that in mind - if the doors shrink then swell again, they really need to be able to open/close at their worst ie shave some off but not too much.
Related Discussions
What door style do you like best out of our new Composite door range?
Q
Comments (2)
I think the traditional look of the Winchester door is fantastic, the light/duck egg blue (pictured) is a lovely colour for an entrance.
...See More
Where do we add in door to the garage if converting to a bedroom?
Q
Comments (3)
I have absolutely no idea on what to do Or what I’m doing for that fact. We want to knock through the 3 rooms at the back and then extend out making one big kitchen living and dining area, there is a 1.7m approx alley next to the kitchen giving back access to the garage so thought we could utilise the space and build up right next to the boundary giving us more room to try and accomodate a toilet downstairs too. We’ve not exchanged or anything yet so don’t want to pay out for plans until it’s secured as we are limited on funds but just would like to know if this is possible. I’ve only ever changed tiles and kitchen worktops and a bit of painting so a big renovation project like this is very scary
...See More
How do I fix my door frame?
Q
Comments (5)
I think redecoration still has to be done if you replace the frame so I say don’t replace just redecorate. Firstly I would wash it all with a cream cleaner- then I would sand all the rough pieces of filler and chipped paint until it was smooth. Vacuum and wipe the dust away and then paint with a primer then eggshell paint. Use masking tape and newspapers to keep the paint off the floor. The prep should take only 30 minutes- the primer will take about 30 minutes to paint and then four hours later you can apply eggshell paint. You might get away with one coat of eggshell but it will likely need two. You need to check the tin for drying time but it’s probably 8 hours.
...See More
how do i undo a flag hinge to take a kitchen door down and then replac
Q
Comments (8)
It is UPVC door. Is it possible to open the flag hinge and slide the door of its hinge but leave the parts attached to the door and to the frame ? Do I start with the little screw on the inner part of the hinge, then take the plastic top off the hinge. then undo the flag part and then what will I find I have to do next just push the hinge up an d out? Will the door be free when I repeat with the second flag hinge. Never having done this before I am unsure as to what to expect/ I have heard that there are quite a few screws so it is not as simple as just unscrew it but thanks anyway Daisy
...See More
PRO
MBH Carpentry and Joinery Ltd.
5 years ago
Doors do shrink and move as said above however you should have not been left with a door that doesn’t function properly.
It sounds like you need some more trimming off the bottom if that’s where the door is catching. The only reason I can see leaving the door like that would be if it were for a new build or conversion and then in that instance I would leave handles off etc to allow the doors to dry out with the building works and then sort them at the very end.
Juby R
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks everyone for your help. It’s not a new build so I think it does need a bit trimming off the end as it keeps catching on the bottom.
PRO
User
5 years ago
Are the doors solid oak, or oak veneered? Are they painted, stained, or exposed wood? Are they internal doors or external?

If they're veneered (very common for internal and external doors), then they shouldn't shrink or expand.

In solid oak (and other wood) it's moisture content rather than temperature which causes movement - although the temperature can also change the moisture content...!

If the doors are internal, they should ideally be left in the house for a couple of weeks to stabilise before the final fitting, and shouldn't really move much after that point.

If the doors are external, then they'll expand and contract with the seasons, which is one of the reasons that solid wood external doors are unusual these days!

The bottom line is that at the point of installation they should work perfectly and shouldn't catch.

Sponsored

More Discussions

Glass room or conservatory?

42

Herringbone flooring against curved stair finish?

6

paint colour for max curb appeal

11

(Side return) extension inspo

9

roof lantern location

4

United Kingdom

Tailor my experience with cookies

Houzz uses cookies and similar technologies to personalise my experience, serve me relevant content, and improve Houzz products and services. By clicking ‘Accept’ I agree to this, as further described in the Houzz Cookie Policy. I can reject non-essential cookies by clicking ‘Manage Preferences’.