# Raised panel doors



## dthornton (Dec 28, 2012)

My old house has raised panel doors on the bedrooms. The last people in the house before we bought it were renters, and they tore up a lot of things in the house. Anyway, they broke 1 or 2 panels in every door. I really don't want to replace the doors because I'm trying to keep as much as possible in the house true to 1890. Can someone please give me instructions on how to take the doors apart and make new raised panels and fix the doors. (This has to be on the level of "How To ..... For Dummies"). I don't have any woodworking experience to speak of. Thank you!     :help:


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## CallMeVilla (Dec 29, 2012)

OH MY   . . .  raised panel doors require considerable carpentry experience and tools.  If you do not own a shop including table saw, router, a bunch of clamps, assorted hand tools, etc.  . . .  your best bet is to find a craftsman who does.  You will either have to pay to repair or pay to replace.  Your chances of finding a salvage yard which has your doors is slim  ...  but worth the try.

There is no simple "Doors for Dummies" available to you.  Sorry.


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## JoeD (Dec 29, 2012)

Since the door is likely glued together not much chance of taking it apart.
You might be able to trim the molding off one side of the hole. Replace the panel and hold it in with a trim that comes close to the old one.


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## nealtw (Dec 31, 2012)

Like Joe said removing trim on one side can be done with a jigged up router, depending on how tricky the panels are designed alot can be done with jigging up a circular saw.


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## dthornton (Dec 31, 2012)

Thanks for the advice, guys. Not sure if the doors are glued or not - the house was built in 1890. I do have a router, although I've never used it yet. Neal, not sure if I could het fancy with a circular saw ... it's enough of a challenge for me to cut a straight line with one!


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## nealtw (Jan 2, 2013)

The doors will be glued together, taking the panels out with a 1/8" router bit is easy enough with a straight edge tacked to the door.
You should be able to find someone local that can make the new panels.


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## CallMeVilla (Jan 2, 2013)

Get help.  This is too complex for your first attempt.  Really.


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## nealtw (Jan 2, 2013)

Villa; with an attidude like that there will never be a first time or experience. You jig up on a chunk of ply wood and learn how to use the router and then tackle the door.


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## CallMeVilla (Jan 2, 2013)

Not being a kill joy  ...  you know me better  .... its just that these are 1890's doors are cannot be replaced.  Isn't it better to be cautious first?  Removing the raised panel takes precision learned from working with someone, not as a first time solo project.  You and I would jump into it but we have years of experience  ...  Just counseling him to get a pro to help him through his first project.


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## nealtw (Jan 2, 2013)

I bought my first router and learned how to use it doing just this job on a cedar garage door. Who would have thought 1/8" plywood would kick back out of a saw and go right thru a panel. I made the new panel with a circular saw. I did work it from the inside incase I screwed it up. I would just start on the inside of a closet door.


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## JoeD (Jan 3, 2013)

Removing the panel is a simple job. It's installing the new one that gets tricky.


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## elbo (Jan 3, 2013)

doors that old will probably be glued with an animal hide glue, which can be softened with heat ( a little warmer than with a hair drier, but not enough to char the wood )  only the rails and stiles will be glued, the panel itself will float in the frame. this is to allow the wood to expand or shrink with temperature or humidity changes, otherwise there would be a good chance for the frame or panel to crack. In those days, they didn't have plywood, so unless they had wide boards to work with, they had to glue up individual pieces to make a panel. If you take the doors apart carefully, you should be able to reglue them after glueing the broken parts back together (make sure to remove all the old glue ) be careful ,work slowly, and try, if you can, enlist some help from someone from a local woodworking club
lacking the courage to tackle the job yourself, you could bring the doors to a local furniture refinishing shop


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## JoeD (Jan 4, 2013)

The joints may also be pinned. If you scrape the paint off the corners you might see the pin. Basically the pin is like a nail with the head cut off. If you find them you can drive them right through and out the other side. You might get lucky and have the joints come apart. If you do, you only need to take one side off the door to get the panels in.


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## dthornton (Jan 5, 2013)

Thanks, guys, for all the input. It's not critical right now, because we haven't gotten very far along on rehabbing the house. However, as we get further along, these doors will either have to be repaired or replaced. They look too bad to keep "as is". I'm adventurous, though, and will try removing some paint and trying a heat gun. I appreciate the advice - you guys rock!


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