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Sealing door

2K views 11 replies 6 participants last post by  TopamaxSurvivor 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi all, I am installing a speak easy in an exterior solid core door. The center looks like some sort of particle material. It is quite porous.I was thinking about all the various ways to seal the hole. I decide to just seal it with a light coat of 2 part epoxy. Any comments negative or positive?
 
#2 ·
Hey T-Max! (I like that, T-Max, it sounds cool;)

Why does the speak-easy door not have it's own frame that fits inside the cut-out of the existing door?

If you are not going to wrap the cut-out with a frame, I would try Bondo. It will apply easily with a putty knife, seals it off and sands smooth easily.
 
#3 ·
Hi Todd. I don't know why not. Never saw one before. Amateur on this end ;-) I made an insert to finish the inside out of sheet brass. I just thought it would be a good idea to seal the hole in the door so any moisture would not cause any swelling or warping.
 
#5 ·
I would say go ahead with the epoxy over particle board(?) and then line the hole with whatever fits the bill. Too much protection from water intrusion is better than not enough any day.
 
#6 ·
Ok, so as I understand it, you are wrapping out the cut-out with brass as well as adding the extra protection of epoxy or something to seal the particle core?

If that is correct, I think you will be just fine.
 
#8 ·
Dutchy & Todd, Yes I am sealing the hole perimeter then wrapping ii with brass sheet for a finish.

bigblockyeti & waho6o9, Thanks, that is what I thought, better safe than sorry.

I could not think if a down side with epoxy coating, but thought I'd throw it out a see if anyone had one.
 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
This may be a bit extreme, but what you describe sounds a lot like a wheat chaff filling inside the door. Very loose and porous? In the past I when I have encountered this terrible stuff, I have dug it out to about 3/4 or 1/2 inch from the edge of the opening between the outside veneers (or fiberglass, vinyl, or whatever the ext. of the door is made of) and then inserted a solid wood frame, by glueing it in place with gorilla glue. I make sure to clamp the door so the GGlue doesn't bow the door out. It is one place where I will spray the surfaces with water before the glue, it really pushes into the wheat chaff and stabilizes the whole mess in there. Now you have that extra layer of protection needed, a good purchase for glue and screws, and a good sub straight for further moisture proofing. It is a good idea to prime this before installing the window kit, speakeasy, etc etc.
 
#10 ·
Joey, No it is not lose, it just looks porous like particle board when it is cut. It is a good quality stain grade door from the 70s. I started to seal it with some paint I had on hand. It was porous enough that I questioned the seal. The paint probably sealed it. Probably overkill, but I don't want any problems down the road.
 
#11 ·
Yup.. Too old for wheat chaff… It is just chip fill. The wheat chaff won't hold a screw, or nail, or anything. That old chip fill will do better for that. If it was me I would go overkill too. Just a hint of moisture and that stuff will swell like mad. So IMO overkill it!!! The only way to use my method on that door would be to set up a whole router jig and stuff to hollow it out for the wood frame, and in this case, probably not needed.
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the info. I just cut the hole with a jig saw ;-) Not much room for a wood frame. The part only has about 1/4" cover around the perimeter.
 
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