The wood around our French doors is rotting. How do we fix it?
A: When you're trying to fix rotten wood, wherever it is, there are basically two options: Fill it with epoxy or replace it.
Filling with epoxy — a process that also involves treating the remaining wood to prevent future rot and to stiffen soft areas — makes sense if the rot isn't extensive and the wood has an intricate shape or is located where removing and replacing it would be difficult. If you have round porch columns that are rotted at the bottom, for example, patching would be much easier than making a new column and shoring up the porch roof while you swap the old column with the new one. If the bottom of the door itself were rotten, that, too, might be a good candidate for patching with epoxy.
In your case, the picture you sent shows damage confined to a short section at the bottom of the door jamb. The door itself and even the trim over the edge of the jamb don't show damage. The jamb, though, has only a little white paint still on it. Enough has peeled off that you can see that it isn't a single piece of wood; instead, it's a piece glued up from short segments that have interlocking, 'finger-jointed' ends. That's pretty clear evidence that the door was sold as a pre-hung unit made by a company that was cutting costs by shipping jambs that were only pre-primed, not painted. White primer paint, when new, looks about the same as white exterior paint. But primer is designed to stick well and make a good surface for paint. It isn't designed to stand up to wet weather over the long term. Even if your puppy hadn't been so intent on gnawing the wood, there's a good chance you'd be seeing rot by now anyway if the jamb wasn't painted.
This problem is so common that several companies have come up with kits designed so homeowners with only a few tools can fix the damage. Crescent Door Works sells what it calls the Boss-Rx Door Frame Rot Repair Kit. It's made of PVC, a plastic that doesn't rot and can be painted. KS Hardware makes a similar repair kit, but the parts are pre-primed wood. The two types differ in height (8 inches for the Boss; 12 inches for the KS Hardware), and the shape of the top edge. The Boss accommodates a lap joint with the part of the jamb you are keeping, which helps ensure a watertight installation even if you don't cut as precisely as you should. The KS Hardware design uses a butt joint, which is easier to make. The Boss has a narrow vertical groove for weather-stripping, important if your existing jamb has that; you could fill the groove with caulk if you don't need it. The KS Hardware pieces don't have this feature. Both companies offer kits for jambs 4 9/16 inches wide and 6 9/16 inches wide.
Instead of buying a kit, you or someone you hire — maybe a home repair service because it's probably too small a job to interest most contractors — could replicate a replacement piece from wood. Look at the websites for the kits to see what's involved.
To install a kit piece or a custom-made patch, you need an oscillating multi-tool, such as the DeWalt cordless MAX XR fitted with a plunge-cutting saw blade, and a two-part paste epoxy, such as JB Weld or PC-7. If you want a lap joint at the top, you also need a sharp chisel.
To install a patch, start by removing the door. Tap up on the hinge pins with a nail so you can lift the door out without removing the hardware. It helps to have an assistant. Also take off any weather-stripping on the damaged jamb, and carefully pry off the exterior trim along that edge.
To accommodate the lap joint, the Boss instructions say to make a horizontal cut with the oscillating tool 6¾ inches up from the bottom. Cut or remove any nails or screws and wiggle out the damaged piece. Then make another parallel cut 1¼ inch higher — but only ½-inch deep. Make a few parallel cuts ½-inch deep below that to make it easier to chisel out enough wood to create a recess ½-inch deep. The patch should fit right in, but you can fine-tune the fit, if needed, by using the chisel to pare back excess wood on the jamb. If you're using a patch that has a butt joint on top, just draw a line at the appropriate height and cut across it with the oscillating tool.
Spread painter's tape along the top outside edge of both the jamb and the replacement piece, to prevent smearing epoxy over the face of the jamb. Mix and apply the two-part paste epoxy. Add a screw or two if the fit isn't snug enough to keep the patch in place on its own. Let the epoxy set as long as the manufacturer recommends. Sand the jamb above the patch to remove all of the loose paint and gray wood fibers. Apply primer, then paint.
If cutting out the bottom of the jamb sounds too scary, or complicated, the other way to repair the damage is by hardening the soft wood and preventing additional damage with a consolidant, and filling the missing space with epoxy. Get a product such as Abatron's Wood Restoration Kit, which contains parts A and B of LiquidWood, the consolidant, and parts A and B of WoodEpox, the patch material. Read the full instructions on the label or the technical data sheet (you can find this online).
The materials need to be applied to clean, dry wood. As you prepare the damaged area for the repair, also prep for eventually painting the whole jamb. Sand off flaking primer and most of the gray, weathered wood on areas that are otherwise sound, and wash the jamb with water to clean out any grit or bits of moss or lichen. When the wood has dried, mix the two parts of consolidant and brush it on to the damaged area. Repeat until the wood is saturated. While the consolidant is still tacky, mix the two parts of patch material. Apply it with a putty knife or a gloved hand, and smooth the surface as best you can. Once it dries, usually in an hour or two, sand the surface smooth. Apply primer and then paint to the whole jamb, including the patch.
Have a problem in your home? Send questions to localliving@washpost.com. Put 'How To' in the subject line, tell us where you live and try to include a photo.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Woman Says 'Toxic' Future Mother-in-Law 'Needs' to Talk 'Every Single Day,' Expects to Be Included in Big Life Decisions
Now, she writes, "it's gotten to the point where my fiancé is debating whether we should even go 'home' for Christmas" NEED TO KNOW One woman says her fiancé's mother is going off the deep end since the two moved out of the country In a post on Reddit, she explains that her future mother-in-law has to speak to her son every single day, no exceptions Now, she writes, "it's gotten to the point where my fiancé is debating whether we should even go 'home' for Christmas" A woman says her future mother-in-law is an "unaware toxic boy mom" who has to talk to her fiancé "every single day." Now, she says he's debating whether the couple should even go home for Christmas, as her behavior is getting more intense. In a post shared to Reddit, the woman writes that she long thought of her fiancé's mom as "a sweet woman," but since the two moved to a different country together, "signs are showing." "It's a combination of a typical emotionally immature boy mom, with devouring mom syndrome and empty nest syndrome. And of course, her husband (fiance's dad) is emotionally distant," she writes. She adds that her future mother-in-law recently decided "she needs to talk" to her fiancé "every single day (calls or texts) and wants to know literally every detail about his life." Her future in-laws recently took a week-long trip to visit, but the poster says her fiancé's mom "whined" about her son being so "distant" the whole time because he is "not wrapped around her finger anymore." "After the trip she straight-up sulked because he didn't make some huge gesture like buying her gifts or taking her to a fancy restaurant," she adds. Now that her fiancé is cutting back on the constant calls and texts to focus on the couple's engagement and future, his mom is accusing him of 'abandoning' them and "only caring about himself." "She's also upset that he 'doesn't depend on them anymore' for advice or opinions on his life decisions. God forbid he act like an adult," the Redditor adds. She notes that "it's gotten to the point where my fiancé is debating whether we should even go 'home' for Christmas. I know it's an important holiday. But honestly, it doesn't feel like a healthy environment for either of us right now." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Others on Reddit offered advice in the comments, with one writing, "[Your] partner needs to tell his parents what the problem is otherwise nothing can be done to fix it. It's possible that she's not even aware of how unhinged she's becoming. Obviously crazy people don't know that they're crazy." Another adds, "It's his job to be the go-between with his family, and it's your job to be the go-between with your family. If he's not sure he wants to go see his family for Christmas, follow his lead. It sounds like he is aware of his spine, and is in the process of shining it up." Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Weaponized incompetence is back, and it's driving modern women out of their marriages
Mila had been dating her boyfriend for a year when she got pregnant. They had been keen to have a child together, but shifting into "nesting mode" gave Mila fresh eyes. Her boyfriend would constantly dodge basic tasks like grocery shopping, she said, telling her he didn't know "how to do it," even if she gave him an itemized list. She said she shouldered the cooking and cleaning, even as intense pregnancy symptoms left her sick and depressed. "You know everything, inside and out, about your favorite car. All the things that you truly care about, you know all the details," Mila recalled thinking about him. "But when it comes to basic necessities like getting groceries, buying stuff for our child, remembering things about us, you act as if you're incompetent." Mila's ex-boyfriend didn't return a request for comment from Business Insider. Her surname has been withheld to protect her family's privacy. Already feeling like a single mom, Mila left her boyfriend when she was about three months pregnant. About one year after welcoming her daughter, while scrolling on her phone, she came across the term "weaponized incompetence," and the unsettled feeling in her gut crystallized. "I'm like, that's what I've been dealing with for so long," she said. "It was so nice to put a name to it." The term "weaponized incompetence" emerged in the mid-2000s. Two decades later, it reenters viral discourse every few months. Stories like Mila's are littered across Reddit and TikTok, usually pertaining to heteronormative relationships. People — mostly women — vent about the people in their lives — mostly men — who seem to excel at the office, at school, or in their fantasy football draft, but regularly drop the ball at home. Despite measurable advances in gender equality, the workload is not shifting at home, the Pew Research Center found in a 2023 report. Dennis Vetrano, a divorce and family attorney in New York, said he's been hearing a familiar complaint from female clients increasingly over the past five years, "and that is the failure of their husband to be a true partner in their relationship." "In fact," Vetrano added of weaponized incompetence, "that's become one of the core issues or one of the leading reasons for divorce these days." Matt Lundquist, psychotherapist and founder of Tribeca Therapy, echoed Vetrano's observation and timeline. "I see this in my work with female patients, I see this in my work with straight couples," he said, noting that the pandemic reignited tension over the division of housework. The widespread lockdowns, which confined many working couples to their homes, raised questions of whose paid work is "more valuable" and deserving of undivided attention — such that a whining toddler or the chimes of a dryer in its final cycle will go unheard, or worse, ignored. "The sum of all of this was, for many couples, regressive. The default party responsible for domestic labor again became women," Lundquist said. Even now, with return-to-office mandates in full swing, the psychological ripples remain. "It feels like we've gone backward a couple of steps." Incompetence becomes 'weaponized' when 'I don't know' really means 'I don't want to' Feminists have been studying weaponized incompetence for decades. In her 1989 book, "The Second Shift," Arlie Hochschild describes how women tend to assume the unpaid labor of cooking, cleaning, caregiving, and emotional maintenance, even after returning home from their paid jobs. The concept went mainstream in the aughts, when The Wall Street Journal's Jared Sandberg coined the phrase "strategic incompetence," as a useful way to "deflect work one doesn't want to do — without ever having to admit it." I see men offering counterpoints in the comment sections of women's viral TikTok videos, arguing that women are simply observing genuine, harmless ineptitude. When I polled a group of my straight, male friends about this buzzword, the majority said they'd never heard of it. One said he hadn't considered how it plays out in the dating world; he added that between mothers and sons, it's "100% a thing." Only one friend could define the term in his own words: "It's like intentionally playing dumb, right?" He sometimes tells his fiancée that he doesn't "know how to make a salad," he said, because he knows she'll do it anyway — but he also insisted that she makes salad more delicious than he ever could. It's true that some people are not natural cooks or don't know how to change a diaper, and find it difficult to learn the right technique. For a man, it's possible that he was raised not to know these things and struggles to break out of that mindset. This incompetence becomes weaponized when he doesn't take the time to learn, improve, or understand how his role as a partner can broaden beyond the patriarchal archetype of "breadwinner" or "provider." "It's the continuous presentation as if, 'I don't know how, this is hard for me,' when in terms of your capacity and capability, you are actually equipped to learn and do it," Bukky Kolawole, a couples therapist and founder of Relationship HQ, told Business Insider. Jordan, who asked for her surname to be withheld for privacy, said that preparing to coparent with her ex-boyfriend illuminated a labor divide that already existed in their relationship. "I was like, I know you know how to clean a bathroom. I know you know how to flush a toilet. I know you know where the laundry goes, or what the bed looks like in the morning," Jordan said. "It was like I was already hanging out with an infant." Colette Nataf, a 35-year-old marketing executive, said she filed for divorce three years ago because she was fed up with "managing another adult" on top of her own life, job, and kids. Her ex-husband declined a request for comment from Business Insider. Nataf said she was married for years before she came to grips with the dirty plates stacked next to the empty dishwasher, or the fruitless pleas to share chores because, paraphrasing her ex-husband, "it's too hard to remember everything." Some men have been coming to terms with the ubiquity of this dynamic. In a 2023 essay for GQ, Sammi Gale described his slow, somewhat agonized epiphany after seeing the hashtag #weaponizedincompetence take off online: "For all my feminist talk, pub probity and pussy hat marches, I realize now I'm not so different to the men getting called out on TikTok." Women are tired of working two jobs without help In her current work as a divorce coach, Nataf said she hears the same from female clients all the time: They aren't reeling from betrayal, falling out of love, or yearning to pursue someone new. They're just tired. "You don't need your husband to financially support you anymore. You're still doing all of the household labor. So now you just have basically an additional child you're taking care of, and that is exhausting," she said. Data shows the average woman is outpacing the average man. As single women continue to gain power and prominence in society — earning more bachelor's degrees, buying more homes, dominating healthy sectors of the workforce, and even living longer than their married counterparts — pushback has manifested in the form of "trad wives" and "manosphere" influencers, most of whom label themselves as anti-feminists and boast about their return to "traditional" gender roles. This kind of content romanticizes and fortifies the conservative ideals that a woman's domain is the home, while men are responsible for bringing home the bacon. Poll after poll shows that Gen Z men are particularly receptive to these ideals, while women of the same age are increasingly resistant, overwhelmingly expressing support for female leaders in politics, preference for female bosses in the workplace, and interest in advancing social causes. As the ideological gap widens between men and women, expectations for the division of relationship admin fall further out of alignment. "Feminism brought women into the workforce, but men haven't had the same social movement into the home," Audrey Schoen, a licensed marriage and family therapist, told Business Insider. Vetrano has seen this mismatch bring couples into his office. "My dad was the primary wage earner. My mom took care of everything in the household. Now, what you're finding is women are more often doctors, lawyers, CEOs running their own companies — high-powered professions that take 40, 50, 60 hours a week, and in addition, they're doing everything else just like my mom did when I grew up," he said. "They're paying the bills, or even the bulk of the bills, and they're doing everything else," Vetrano added of his female clients. "They're getting frustrated and they're getting burned out." This frustration has trickled into the herd mentality of social media. Earlier this summer, a TikTok went viral when a woman showed the disastrous results of asking her boyfriend to help paint a room in their home: visible streaks, stained baseboards, and splatters on the floor. The video has over 10 million views, and a quick scroll through the comments reveals a chorus of disgust: "This is weaponized incompetence omg," "Dump him," "That's not a boyfriend, that's a sworn enemy." The original creator shared a follow-up video with the caption, "We broke up." The top comment? "A HAPPY END FINALLY." So, what can straight couples do? Therapists I spoke with said it's important to remember that it's not always helpful to accuse your partner of "weaponized incompetence." The term implies malicious intent. Yes, there may be a premeditated or even vindictive element to this — if your partner performs a task poorly on purpose, for example, because he's angry you asked him to do it — but that's a tough place to start a conversation. "Most people who are accused of weaponized incompetence often feel criticized because that's not their intention," Schoen explained. "Their thought process stops at, 'I don't want to have to do that.' They don't see the next part." It's more important, Schoen said, to focus on the "practical impact," which is real and tangible regardless of intent. "Often," she continued, "I find that when I'm able to bring the partners into view of the totality and the gravity of the impact, it shifts their position." Approach the topic with generosity, Lundquist advised: "If somebody's trying to raise this issue with a partner or a coworker, I think to come in too hot — unfortunately, as much as I think the frustration is justifiable — is a sort of missed opportunity for development and for reorganizing how things work in a culture." For men, that opportunity starts with getting proactive instead of defensive. Take the time to understand where the discrepancy is coming from, then make an effort to bridge the gap, without waiting for your partner to give you a blueprint. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Allow for a learning curve or suggest redistributing tasks — evenly! — to suit different strengths. However, Lundquist said, if your generosity isn't reciprocated and no changes are made over time, it's OK to decide when you've had enough — especially if you have the economic means to go it alone. "Increasingly in relationships, women's expectations are matched by women's earning capacity," Lundquist said. "I think men are going to have to figure out how to catch up with that." Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
15 Items People Often Rush to Hide When Guests Show Up
While honesty is all good and righteous, sometimes protecting one's image when hosting guests takes precedence. Balancing transparency with a touch of social grace can help create a more comfortable and welcoming environment, making sure guests are comfortable and that the host's reputation remains intact. It's about avoiding misconceptions and managing a situation to avoid the dreaded 'slob' or 'lazy' label. And some days, our homes look like a tornado ripped right through the center of the house (and no one wants to see that!). We've all hidden things, from cluttered closets to personal quirks, behind the facade of a perfectly arranged living space when company comes over. Let's reveal into 15 things people prefer to keep hidden when they have guests. We gathered our insights from trusted home publications and life hackers to bring you the most common items we all quickly tuck away. 1. Dirty Dishes Dishes in a sink may be common in many homes, but that doesn't make them pleasant. Some might quickly hide dirty dishes in the dishwasher or sink to give the impression of a clean kitchen. (Don't we all do this anyways to make the kitchen feel less messy in a pinch?) 2. Medication Prescription medications might be kept out of sight to maintain privacy and avoid potential judgment. Other times, people don't want to deal with the questions that might arise from people seeing the medication they take. There are safety concerns here too if pets or little ones are coming around, so putting them away is a smart move regardless of other worries. 3. Unmade Beds Guests may not see the bedrooms, so people sometimes leave unmade beds rather than spending time tidying them up. This may lead to people keeping doors locked to keep guests away from the bedrooms. Hopefully, the guests don't ask for a tour! Personally, this is why I always tidy my rooms. In case someone needs to use our master bathroom or a child inevitably snoops around. 4. Unfinished DIY Projects Half-finished projects or DIY endeavors might be tucked away in a garage or storage area. Or perhaps having guests arriving soon will finally be the motivator to get that long-awaited project finally done! 5. Dirty laundry Laundry tends to pile up in certain parts of the house, like our bathroom and bedrooms. Dirty laundry might be quickly thrown into a hamper or the washer or hidden away in closets to keep it from sight. Hopefully it'll be a motivator to get a few loads done and put away! 6. Pet Messes Although your guests may be aware that you have pets, many people don't want their guests walking into a cat's litter box. Any accidents or pet-related messes might be quickly cleaned up or hidden before guests arrive. 7. Personal Hygiene Items Some hosts may worry about guests walking walk into their personal items when they're using the bathroom. Toiletries and personal hygiene items might be stored in cabinets or drawers to maintain privacy. They don't need to know what tooth paste you use or that you use prescription strength deodorant. 8. Undergarments Undergarments are essential and universal but totally tend to feel private. Most people will toss them into a drawer or closet to keep them out of sight (or again, lock the bedroom door). 9. Financial Documents Important financial documents or bills may be hidden from view to maintain privacy and security. You don't necessarily want people to see how much you pay for your mortgage or earn. 10. Unpleasant Odors It may be from the dog's pee on the carpet or a smell we can't locate, but masking unpleasant odors is a common practice for hosts if the house smells a little less than ideal. Opening windows, air fresheners, or candles might mask any unpleasant odors in the home. 11. Stained Items Stains can be unsightly, and trying to explain the big brown one on your throw pillow isn't the best conversation starter. Stained items are quickly tucked away from sight. 12. Sensitive or Controversial Belongings Items with sensitive or controversial themes or messages might be removed to avoid potential discomfort or conflict. Some guests aren't as open-minded as you'd like. Many will tuck away the political satire and avoid awkward conversations or explanations. 13. Clutter Cluttered closets or storage areas might be quickly closed or hidden behind closed doors. A storage area looking like it just survived a hurricane isn't the best sight for your guests. 14. Journals and Notebooks It's good to keep journals with private information hidden from the sight of curious, prying eyes. You don't want all your private information accidentally exposed. 15. True Emotional State People often hide their true emotions in front of visitors to avoid appearing vulnerable. False happiness is common, and someone may muster the courage to entertain guests even when struggling emotionally. While it's natural to want to conceal our not-so-perfect homes and moments, true ties and shared moments are what really count. Real connections are what really make hosting memorable. Solve the daily Crossword
