DIY Network

Charlotte, NC: Craftsman Bungalow -- Door Repair and Period Hardware Installation From "Restoration Realities" episode DRTR-113

In this episode, Restoration Realities is on location in Charlotte, North Carolina to give Fire Captain Phil Boshe and girlfriend Amy Barber a helping hand with the addition of period door hardware and mortar repointing.

Over the years, Boshe and Barber (an apparel designer), have together tackled many improvement and restoration projects on the Craftsman bungalow -- now it's time to get down to details. The brassy door plates are garish in contrast with the bungalow's elegant simplicity, and the crumbling mortar outside is unattractive and can potentially allow water into the home.

In this segment, the couple (with the help of our restoration specialists) will start by replacing the doorplate with a great find from an architectural salvage warehouse.

Phil Bosche and Amy Barber at home in Charlotte.

Before: In the Craftsman bungalow, the shiny brass doorplate looks out of place.

After: the hardware might not be original to the house, but the period replacements have just the right look.

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	The former owners had something to hide: the brass door plate camouflaged the damaged wood underneath.
	Calipers are used to measure the depth of the damaged wood. The measurement can then be used to set the router bit depth.
	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E

Materials:

Wood to match existing door in thickness and wood type
1 hole saw bit slightly larger than the existing lockset holes
Block plane
Cordless drill and bits
Twist drill bits or Brad point bits
Butterfly drill bits
Chisels
Safety glasses
Optional tools: belt sander, orbital sander, thickness planer
Two-part wood filler (cream and paste)
Replacement period hardware, mortise set, door plate, hinges, etc.
Sandpaper, grits from 60 to 220
Wood glue
Wood clamps
Drop cloths
Hammer-finish spray paint (in desired color)
Masking tape

1. Remove hinge pins from door and take to a level work station. There, remove existing hardware.

2. In this example, the brass plate was actually covering a deteriorated area of wood. If you have a similar problem, you'll need to cut or chisel away the deteriorated part. If using a router bit, first use calipers to measure the depth of the damage for the appropriate router bit depth. A wood template will make removing the area and using the router much easier.

3. With the area removed, use a hold saw to cut a blank of wood to cover the damage (figure A). Test fit the wood, then apply wood glue to secure the wood to the door. Allow to dry.

4. If needed, sand the wood repair flush.

5. Next, use a wood filler (similar to auto body bonding filler) to blend the inlay with the surrounding door surface (figure B). Allow to dry, then sand (figure C) and prep the door for the period hardware.

6. Homeowner Phil Bosche and host Bill Click visit an architectural salvage warehouse to select just the right hardware for the door. After you've selected the period hardware of your choice, you'll need to begin prepping the hardware by sanding away existing paint.

7. Mask off areas (like the glass doorknobs in this example) that you want to protect from the paint, then lightly coat the metal hardware with a hammered-finished spray paint (figure D).

8. Allow paint to dry 30 minutes. When paint is fully dry, screw mortise set into door edge.

9. Next, measure the door for the period door plate, aligning the holes from the plate with the mortise holes.

10. Drill holes, on side at a time, taking care not to "blow out" the other side, damaging the wood. Repeat steps for opposite side of door.

11. Use screws to attach the plate to the door (figure E), then attach the glass door knobs.

12. Attach period hinges to the door with screws and hang door by sliding hinge pins into place. (In this demonstration, the hinges are a little different, resulting in the bottom hinge set being repositioned 1/16" lower.)

13. Prime and paint door as needed.