How to Repair Rotted Door Frame and Trim on Exterior Door

I'm amazed you didn't prime the board below the door. You already had the brush in your hand and it would have taken at most 5 minutes to prime that panel. Yes, it may be due for replacement but (a) a lick of primer might delay that work for another few years and (b) leaving unpainted now with, the rest of the door freshly primed and painted, will draw the eye directly to the board every time you walk up to the house. And, frankly, letting exterior wood go 20+ years without a fresh coat of paint? I'm amazed that's all the rot they had.

Also I am slowly replacing all the exterior window trim on a large two story house as it fails. My trim is all 2 x 6 and it is all failing at the corners where the end grain wasn't sealed by the original builders - plus it was clearly not primed before installation as I find bare wood in the "out of sight" places whenever I remove some. I would have primed or otherwise sealed the exposed end grain where you made the 45 degree joint. General rule for me is buy pre-primed trim, seal end grain with zevo "endcuts", then prime all six sides twice BEFORE installing. I never want to do any of these windows again.

FYI my side door had this problem, which I fixed this weekend. I just removed all the trim, then it was easy to pop the whole frame out and rehang the door with a new ready-cut frame from HD (yes, the builders had installed the door frame from the outside before attaching the trim). Pop the trim, cut the replacements, dry fit and prime. Then, while that's drying, remove the existing frame and rout out the mortises in the new one for the hardware (with a brief pause to put the second coat of primer on the trim), then install it and rehang the door. Nail up the trim and caulk. All done in a day and I won't need to revisit that door for another 20 years or so (by which time, I will probably have moved out or moved on - I'm in my 60's). Of course, my wife gets to repaint everything during the week, but she's a perfectionist - more than my life's worth to touch paint.

Slightly more work, and more expensive than a patch (think all the wood was about $500) but it's once and done.

How do you get an accurate measurement when you bend the ruler? I always seem to be an 1/8 to a 1/4" off when I measure that way. Teach me thy way grand master :).

Great job and some nice tips!

First time I’ve heard another carpenter say “strong” when measuring . I worked with my grandfather learning the trade and he would yell out measurements “ 11 and 1/2” heavy.” So for the ones that don’t understand that means that tiny space between 11 1/2” and 11 9/16”. You have to go by that if you want perfect tight fits . If you question it you’re wrong lol

i liked it the end of the video ( LOL ) but anyway you did a great job.

What makes this video so awesome is that it is thorough. You end up watching it from beginning to end without being distracted or having a case of "short attention span." Great video. Educational.

I simply chisel out the rot. Create a frame clear plastic frame to the shape of the space. Put a hole at the top and squeeze in a mix of caulk, quickcrete or plaster of paris and whatever color paint is needed. Rock hard, water tight and can be painted easily to match existing area.

Bro, you bondoed over the joint. Why does the orientation matter? You put a hard polymer over it.

Just an excellent video altogether.

Fantastic job done

I noticed the goof and am thankful for your honesty! (I think I noticed it because it's just the kind of thing I would do... 🙂)

Really nice work bro, i am a diy guy and thanks to you tube university i have done work that looks better than the pros.

Great video! Thanks for the tips!

You also messed up with the cut. You could had nailed both of those guide pieces onto the door jamb, spaced them just wide enough to sneak in the blade from the oscillating saw blade. This would have supported the blade entirely making a cleaner more accurate cut.

It only took 2 weeks !!.😂

you would 45 it the opposite way so water runs outwards, not inwards if the seal between the wood joint fails in the future.

O Ya🥰

U are detailed talented and u make your videos so. Easy to understand. Thanks for sharing your talents

13.2. min. That 45 degtree cut facing outer side can be rectified by using another 45 degree cur facing inwards on the bigger-longer door frame, and cut the small replacement wood or plastic piece 45 dgree outwardsfacingn and insert onto the bigger fram like a zigza;this would allow the water the water to run straight down as you mentioned earlier !!! No issues...just cut again inside reversing that 45 degree angle. It can be done with right equipments ( that vibrating chisel/saw)!!! Am i right?

I wanted to simply replace the Doorcase Instead of nibbling with fear.

Use pressure treated wood or PVC plastic wood.

I wondered about the cut angle but I'm a mechanic not carpenter so glad you clarified that it was wrong

I’m glad you showed that video. I’ve got the same problem for about eight or nine months I’ve been trying to find somebody to replace that,of course I can’t, find anybody. Great job on video. Thanks for sharing the mistakes.

That Matt. I’d like to peel his biscuit crust back. 🤤

It’s only a mistake if you do it twice

Great video

I saw the goof as it was happening. Good on you for pointing out for those who didn't catch it.

What did you charge for this job ?

Great artistry with such detail.

Excellent

Very impressive! Thanks for the video. Also, I appreciate your humility. We all make mistakes. Honestly, with that Bondo, I don't see any water getting in that seam.

This can help save a good amount of money without much work to complete

Disagree on the water issue. A crack that thin will wick water in either direction very nicely. The best you can do is glue the joint and use a good primer and paint over the top.

Making a mistake everyone does. The part athat makes it right is that you realized you made a mistake and then you add a comments stating the small mistake. Wish makes you a better person. And a great video.

Great job! I'm sure water wouldn't dare to intrude and ruin it! 😁

mistakes happen to the best of us. Also if you flipped the 45 angle wood and put it on the bad piece of wood you were chiseling out you wouldn't have to remove it or putty the 2 brad nail holes you used.

Looks good

Damn, 3k
You must be installing those new platinum Jambs with the hollow core kobalt door?

U still cut it the wrong way???? It's was supposed to be the opposite !!!

The fact that you used composite trim should eliminate the worry of any problems caused by the wrong direction of the scarf cut. You did a wonderful job and your inlaws should be thrilled with the results. Thank you for the video.

I like the guide jig you made . That is what I call thinking outside the box . Great tutorial .

Use Marine glue in the bevel cut . It won't leak and it also works on boat repair . Two part epoxy marine glue . The board will break before the sealed seam does .

I just did this same job on one of my houses. It's funny how many people will choose to pay me $2,000 and up for a door replacement instead of letting me do this repair. BTW I used wood. I wish I had thought of using pvc.

Prime those cuts, then calk or glue. You can use a wood hardener on the rotted edges, then prime, then Bondo or Fixall, or similar, then prime.

Looks awesome. The piece where the mistake was made with the 45 degree angle I would put water proper adhesive or even white caulking so it prevents water intrusions.

Looks good man.