Wooden front door has splits in panels- repair or replace?

Question

I was at my new project at the right time of day yesterday to notice daylight coming through the front door. It is a four panel wood door and two of the panels have splits in the wood. Can this be solved with wood putty and paint, or am I looking at needing to replace it? B/C neighborhood, so it isn't about high-end aesthetics.

Bradley A. · Answer

@Amanda G.

Hard to know for sure without seeing the severity of the check, but I’d suggest automotive bondo and exterior paint to repair. We’ve used this method for many similar exterior repairs with success.

If the check (crack in the center of a board) is severe, though, you may want to replace the door rather than deal with additional problems down the road.

Bradley A. · Answer

@Amanda G. Can totally be fixed if the cracks are just in the panels. As mentioned by @Theresa Harris, just ensure the products used are rated for exterior use. If the door is unfinished on the outside, go with an oil based sealer/primer like Kilz and an oil-based semi-gloss or gloss exterior paint. If the door is finished, just be sure to give it a good cleaning and sanding before paint.

Lewis Myers · Answer

The correct wood putty would work fine. Some are very thick and would be difficult to spread (mostly used for filling in drill holes). You could also use acrylic caulk, sand then kiltz. There are various kits at the big box stores. Even JB-weld makes a wood epoxy kit. Here is a link with some general information https://www.lovelyetc.com/caulk-or-wood-filler-choose-the-right-one-for-every-project/ . Good luck!

Lewis

Amanda G. · Answer

The cracks are in the panels, not the frame part. I hadn't heard of automotive bondo- I'll check that out. Thanks, @Bradley A.

Theresa Harris · Answer

You can fix it.  Make sure you use the right material for an exterior surface and it can be painted.

Wooden front door has splits in panels- repair or replace?

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