twisted door !

ChippyJoe · Post by **ChippyJoe** » Thu Dec 09, 2021 10:42 pm

Friend today who has a '60's house with all sorts of bodges from the past asked me to look at a DIY (from scratch) built in wardrobe - better than many I've seen but the doors (about 60" high and 20" wide, made from 1/2" thick blockboard) have twisted a bit, so that the top corners (non hinge side) have bowed out by about 3/8". They might even have been built like that in the first place for all we know, but certainly with time, moisture, paint and other wood 'creep' they don't look that neat now.

Well, I know the usual remedies ....remake/brace straighter/new frame around etc, but just wondering if anyone has other tricks up their sleeves !

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Thu Dec 09, 2021 10:52 pm

only moving hinges and door stops really if a normal hung door with leaf hinges what sort off door hinges [i assume flush ??]and is the inside face painted [or sealed]??

ChippyJoe · Post by **ChippyJoe** » Fri Dec 10, 2021 12:59 am

Only a basic flat sheet home-made doors, thin blockboard, painted both sides, and only simple plain hinges - not adjustable without repositioning.
Doors have bows in them, with top corner 'ears' sticking out !

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Fri Dec 10, 2021 1:12 am

how well do they react to gentle pressure to push then into the correct position as in strong neodymium magnet' ball catch or bolt to locate are these an option ?? :dunno:

ChippyJoe · Post by **ChippyJoe** » Fri Dec 10, 2021 8:54 am

It's their teen daughters bedroom and they are trying to make a precision fit house, from not so good a starting point, so it has to look good or better if you get my drift ! Quite a force to press the corners back, beyond such a strong magnet but that would make opening difficult for them, and a bolt wouldn't be received well - I think the whole look is unimpressive of the unit anyway so a total revamp could incorporate a remedy !

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:01 am

Thinner Blockboard is prone to this, the 3/4" boards were more stable. I built some wardrobes in my first house back in the 70's and regretted not paying extra for the thicker board as my doors had a warp at the top too. The structure of the boards is made up of a number of blocks of wood sandwiched between the face skins. The fact that there is no continuous lateral strength allows the board to warp which is caused by disproportionate drying of the wood sections over time.

I would look at making new out of MDF and cup hinges, you cannot really correct the warp.

DWD

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Fri Dec 10, 2021 11:57 am

ChippyJoe wrote: ↑Fri Dec 10, 2021 8:54 am It's their teen daughters bedroom and they are trying to make a precision fit house, from not so good a starting point, so it has to look good or better if you get my drift ! Quite a force to press the corners back, beyond such a strong magnet but that would make opening difficult for them, and a bolt wouldn't be received well - I think the whole look is unimpressive of the unit anyway so a total revamp could incorporate a remedy !

form over function, often fails at the first hurdle as wood is a living material

i think this could be a walk away job as they want a rolls royce but made from wood

Dave54 · Post by **Dave54** » Fri Dec 10, 2021 2:39 pm

Agree with the others that fixing this as it is, using the existing doors, is probably going to be a non-starter. Long doors can be a PITA at best anyway, without trying to sort out an existing problem. New doors, or walk away would be my take on it.

ChippyJoe · Post by **ChippyJoe** » Fri Dec 10, 2021 5:06 pm

Many thanks all - just to mention that the present doors are flush with the rest of the front of the cupboard, with a varying gap as the way the aperture was cut so it don't look great.
I won't walk away, although I agree that has to be done often, as in this case it is a lady who has just lost her husband.
I may see if there are any melamine faced doors/panels of the right size or thereabouts, or otherwise remake that will surface mount with an overlapping flange all round (to cover up the gap, and could also but only if necessary 'picture frame' around the doors.
Not a big job really, may be a tad fiddly to sort the hinges, but just another of the many small jobs that always come my way ...because nobody else wants them and I'm known to always like a challenge and one-offs !!