Q: There is a pretty long crack in my old wood door. How do I repair it before painting?A: From the picture the viewer sent in, it looks as if the one of the door stiles has come loose (the stile is the vertical side board of the door). It could have come loose because of wear and tear; wood expansion due to moisture, or glue failure. Fixing the problem is compounded by the paint. You don’t want to have this problem again next year, so let’s fix it right.
There is probably a gap between the stile and the rail (horizontal board) of the door. Slide a small screwdriver in the opening and try to pry it open just a little more (if you can’t, that’s okay). Squirt a generous portion of wood glue into the opening at either end of the door, then use a pipe clamp to tighten the door so the gaps get smaller. Let it set overnight, then remove the clamp. Remember to sand the paint surface lightly and remove the dust before painting. Use a paint that will harden to a durable surface -- nothing shiny, a semigloss will be fine.
Q: I have a crack in the wall that is getting wider as it progresses downward. Would it help to place a jack in the crawlspace under the house at the point beneath the crack?
A: Adding a three- to five-ton jack directly under the crack is a very common solution to your problem. You’ll slowly jack the house up over the course of a couple weeks or months. If the crawlspace has a concrete pad, you'll still need to pour an additional pad for the jack, 2' square by 12" deep. In a crawlspace this will be a challenge, so consider contacting a structural engineer to take a look at the problem before you get started. There may be some other cracks developing; you'll see more cracks as you adjust the house, so have the spackle and drywall tape ready when you’re finished.
Q: Several of the wooden steps to my basement have cracks. How can I repair them, or should they be replaced?
A: It looks as if we could use the same approach on the step as we used on the door. First, let’s define the parts: the steps are called "treads"; the "runners" hold them in place.
There are two options, both quite simple: To repair the tread, we can force wood glue into the crack and clamp it very tightly together. We need this tread to take a lot of wear and tear, however, so I suggest the second option: putting in a new tread.
To replace the tread, you would cut and remove it. Then use a wood chisel to remove any remaining wood or glue in the slotted groove. Be careful when using the chisel, as there may be a nail or screw holding the tread in place. Measure and cut a new tread, glue it in place and drive several wood screws through the runner and into the tread.
