Adding a filler piece to the door bottom
1 of 1Matching grain
Match the look of the rail and stiles on the old door with new, matching wood. Make sure the new filler pieces and the old door are the same thickness and that there are no gaps between them.
It's easy enough to glue and screw a
piece of wood to the door bottom,
but it'll look bad unless you paint
your door. For a nice-looking job,
choose wood of the same species
with a grain and color that closely
match the door. A first-rate job
requires a table saw and some woodworking
skill and patience, but the
results will be worth the effort.
Because the floor may not be
level, swing the door to find the
highest spot in the floor. Make a
light pencil mark on the door 2 in.
up from the floor at the high spot.
The filler piece will be 1-1/2 in. tall
and you'll want at least 1/2-in.
clearance under the door.
Remove the door by pulling out
the hinge pins and lay it on a pair of padded sawhorses. Carefully cut off the
door at the pencil mark to get a
clean, square edge.
For the most seamless appearance,
construct the filler from three
separate pieces, matching the
width, thickness and grain direction
of the door's two stiles and rail (see
photo). Glue the three pieces
together using biscuits, dowels or
splines.
Accuracy is essential. Make sure
the finished filler piece is exactly the
same thickness and width as the door. Then finish-sand it to 120 grit
and stain and varnish it to match
the door. The closer you can match
the stain, the more seamless the fix
will look.
Drill four clearance holes all the
way through the filler piece. Apply
wood glue to the door, align the
filler and clamp it in place. Then
drill pilot holes in the door through
the clearance holes. Drive the
screws tight, countersinking their
heads, and wipe off excess glue with
a damp rag.
