How to Prevent Wood Doors from Swelling

If your wood door looks like it got bigger, it probably did. Wood doors tend to swell depending on the season. In this blog, replacement window company Renewal by Andersen® of Montana shares a look at what causes wood doors to swell, and how you can prevent that from happening.

Heat and Humidity

There are two things that make wood fibers expand: heat and humidity. Wood is a porous material. When used untreated, it can absorb moisture, as well as swell and shrink depending on the heat and humidity levels. This is why wood components, especially those used for outdoor applications such as wood shakes, need to be treated first before installation. Under extreme conditions, wood can become permanently warped due to these changes. Often the solution is to sand or, in extreme cases, plane the wood, but it should be done only if the wood has expanded to the point of no return.

Paint is one of the most common and fairly effective ways to prevent moisture and heat intrusion, and is the go-to solution for preserving most kinds of wood components, from casement windows to cedar siding. However, if one wishes to preserve the look of natural wood, there are various stains and products that can protect the wood while preserving its look. It should be noted that this has to be done on a regular basis, especially on wood doors that connect to outdoor spaces, such as patio doors and front entry doors.

Frenchwood® Patio Doors

Frenchwood is our French door option made with natural wood. We use a traditional wide board stile and rail construction, with mortise-and-tenon joints, which means each piece is cut to precision. If made with untreated wood, this type of construction would result in uneven expansion and contraction. We at Renewal by Andersen take great care in making sure that our patio doors are protected against moisture intrusion.

Our hinged Frenchwood patio doors feature a glass fiber reinforced composite exterior, while our Frenchwood gliding patio door features a rigid vinyl sheathing. In addition to protecting our patio doors from moisture, it also reduces its maintenance requirements. We also offer traditional French doors, with exterior wood panels protected with a urethane base finish. Investing in such patio doors can give you the peace of mind knowing that your doors will stay the same, no matter what the weather. 

Renewal by Andersen of Montana is your leading provider of custom windows and patio doors. Give us a call at (406) 259-3944 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.