Cost to Repair a Rotted Exterior Door Frame

Last Updated on December 29, 2023
Written by CPA Alec Pow | Content Reviewed by CFA Alexander Popinker

Should we always buy a new door as soon as the old one is out of order or damaged? It’s not necessary! First, you need to identify where the problem is coming from, what triggers it, and then how it can be fixed.

Old, veneered doors can be reconditioned by repairing and painting them, if necessary. Over time, the varnish or paint may be damaged, the handle may be damaged, and the wooden frame may need repairs.

Wooden doors, especially exterior doors, most often have a damaged frame. When only certain parts of it have been damaged, they will be removed by means of a hand saw, by oblique cutting. Then, the respective parts are split with the chisel and hammer, until they come off the rest of the wood surface. The new parts, after being perforated, are fastened to the old ones by gluing and are additionally fixed with wooden screws. The surface that comes in contact with the masonry will be treated with fungicide solutions or bitumen slurry.

How Much Does it Cost to Repair a Rotted Exterior Door Frame?

If you need to repair a rotted exterior door frame, you should plan on spending anywhere between $110 and $420, depending on the extent of the damage. Though the average cost would be closer to $210 to $310. These costs are considered for a door that is in a good condition and does not have to be replaced.

You might also like our articles about the cost of dry rot repair, a new roof, or post-construction clean-up.

What is the most expensive, in most situations, is addressing the cause of the problem. For example, you may have to pay several hundred dollars more to install an awning or a storm door if there is evidence of water infiltration. Depending on the material they are made of, the overhangs can be really expensive.

The situation may be better if the cause of the damage is not water infiltration. In general, door frames need to be replaced due to the damage caused by normal wear and tear that appears in time, or by pets. In this situation, all you need to do is to repair the door and maybe train your pet.

In the table below you will find the average costs charged for some door repairs in different cities from the United States of America.

Door Frame Repair Overview

First, we evaluate the exact condition of the door, check the doorknob, the closing and opening of the door, the frame, and the lacquer. After that, it is good to take the door out of the hinges, so that we can check the door frame. Sometimes, small cracks can appear when joining the boards that form the frame.

In order to repair them, we need to clean the old paint from the frame. We can do this using a hot air blower, which we keep a few inches away from the door frame until the paint starts to swell and come off easily. With a brush, we clean the old paint from the door frame.

Then we sand the wood with an abrasive cloth to make it smooth so that the new paint is applied evenly.

If necessary, we repair the door frame by inserting acrylic silicone into the cracks. It is found in tubes with a special tip that can penetrate even the narrowest spaces. Using plastic gloves, we remove the excess silicone.

The next step is to paint the door frame. Dilute the purchased paint with 5% thinner or according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Apply the first coat of paint, let it dry for 24 hours, then apply the second thin coat of paint.

Superficial damage can be easily remedied with wax putty sticks or retouching pencils. The building materials store offers retouching pencils in all the usual wood colors. The scratch will be masked with the touch-up pencil. Finally, a matte or glossy varnish will be applied as a protective shield.

If the entire frame is damaged and needs to be replaced, proceed as follows: remove the material for sealing the joint between the frame and the masonry, remove the plaster from the sides of the frame and proceed to disassemble it. If fungi are found, the masonry will be treated with fungicides. The new frame will also be treated with the same substances to increase its lifespan. The new frame sits in position and is measured compared to the door gap. Once the position has been established, the sealing material is inserted between the frame and the masonry, and the frame is fixed to the masonry on both the vertical and the upper sides. Finally, the area around the frame is plastered again.