Warped/Bowed Door fix?

[Powercat80]

Hey guy's, it's been a while since I posted, but I always seem to find the answers here. I have a problem with a bowed door that is used as an entrance to a wine storage room. The door is a 1 3/4" knotty Alder, 8 feet tall, 36" wide and arched. It is bowed severely outward. I only finished the outside with tongue oil and left the inside natural. The theory here is that you are not supposed to put any chemicals on the inside of the wine storage. However when I noticed it bowing I did apply a significant amount of non-toxic oil on the inside, hoping this would counteract the bow. Unfortunately that didn't work. I am not sure if the bow was caused by the tongue oil application or the difference in temperature from inside to out. Are there any suggestions on how to permanently fix the bowed door without planing and make sure it keeps it's shape? Thanks

[LCHIEN]

bowing is caused by differeing amounts of moisture.
I think when you sealed one side, the other side absorbed (or lost moisture), bowing the door.
Then when you sealed the other side you made the imbalance permanent.

[herb fellows]

Are we talking about a solid door, planks, any panels in it?

If it's a solid piece, and you're willing to do it, you could probably undo it by stripping it, submerging it in water with weight on top of it.
I've done this successfully with smaller pieces (6' x 3'), so I guess the principle remains the same.
when you remove it from the water, keep the weight (or pressure from clamps maybe?)on it while it is drying.

[Powercat80]

Bowing

It's a panel door. 2 panel, top and bottom. Does that make a difference?

[herb fellows]

Yes, I think it does, because the panels are supposed to 'float'. If they are loose as they are supposed to be, you will probably get water that is tough to dry out inside the panel frames. At the very least, these bits would dry out slower than the rest of it, might cause a problem.
If they are tight to the sides from years of poly or whatever, they may split in the process of drying.
I wouldn't do it on a panel door unless it was 'one last shot' before you chuck the project and the door.

[leehljp]

I may be showing my ignorance at one point but - a question I have is this: Is your cellar a show case room or wine storage only? In other words is the esthetics important?

If Not, attaching a tension wire attached top and bottom and turnbuckle - on the cellar side of the door "might" do it. Attach a fair size block in the middle for the tension wire to push outward. If you were to try this, turn it a little about every 4 to 5 days and let it acclimatize.

You may need two such wires one about 6 inches from the hinge and one about 4 to 6 inches from the latch side.

Just a thought.

[Pappy]

You might try laying it out in the sun, clamped to some cauls to slightly overcompensate for the warp. It's been a wile since I have tried this but, if memory serves me right, lay it with the concave side down. Once the door is flat again, clamp it flat to several cauls and let it dry standing up.

[cabinetman]

This would be worth a try. Remove the door and lay it out flat with the bow up. Place spacers under the ends. Place bar clamps at the middle and pull the door down past flat. You may have to use 2/4's on edge for the length that are raised in order to get clamps attached. IOW, overbend the door past flat. It may take a few tightenings to get it there, but allow at least a day or two at it's stressed position. Wood has no memory, just fibers.
.

[Lonnie in Orlando]

Please keep us posted on your results. I'm interested and I'm sure that others are also.
Thanks,
- Lonnie

[Powercat80]

Everyone:

Thanks for the replies. I was called out of town on a family issue and have not been able to check your comments until now. Didn't mean to be rude.

I think I'm going to try a combination of Pappy and Cabinetman's ideas. I just need to find the time to seal the opening with plastic while I have it off the hinges. Lee: Your suggestion of a tension wire would prevent me from removing the door, however I am having a hard time visualizing the exact set-up. The door is bowing outward, ie the cold side is the concave side. Not sure how this effects the setup.

Pappy/Cabinet: Do you think I need to wet the door on the concave side?

Thanks

[JimD]

I also think this is a moisture effect. If you store wine horizontally, the corks will breathe out a significant amount of moisture making the inside of the room pretty humid. That seems to have affected the door.

I am not sure that weights and the sun are needed. I wouldn't put the door outside unless the humidity is low. I think you need to take the door off, dry it out, and then seal the inside of the door. Oil finishes are not good moisture seals. I would use a low vapor poly - my favorite is Resisthane. It is categorized as a pre-cat lacquer which describes it's characteristics well but it is a water based plastic finish. I think you need the inside of the door to be completely sealed to resist the humidity from the wine. I would apply the same finish on the outside but it is less critical there. If you use a finish that gives off a low amount of fumes, like a water based, you should not hurt the wine.

Jim

[Powercat80]

You may be right about the wine moisture JimD. But what I can't figure out is that the door bows outward. In my way of thinking if the unfinished side of the door is exposed to excess moisture from the inside, then the grain should absorb it and cause it to expand, thus causeing the door to bow inward. Is my logic wrong here?

Incidentally, as a temporary fix, I have applied a nontoxic oil used for cutting boards on the inside of the door. It has reduced the bow in the door by quite a bit. It has not totally restored it by any means, but it at least it shuts easier now. I will eventually take it off and flatten as well as seal both sides as you suggest. We are in a heavy rain time for us, so I want to wait until w get to fairly dry weather again.

[JimD]

Wood shrinks as it drys. It grows when it is wet. I don't think there is a universal rule on what shape it will take. Probably has something to do with the grain in the wood.

Jim