How To Keep Plywood Doors From Warping

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Plywood doors are a great option for interior or exterior doors, but they can be prone to warping. The good news is that there are some things you can do to help prevent your door from warping. This article will outline How To Keep Plywood Doors From Warping to keep your door looking and working like new

The best way to keep plywood doors from warping is to sand the door down and reapply a new finish. This process will help even out any small inconsistencies before they become big problems. In case your door has already warped, you can try pressing down on the high spots with heavy objects, sanding off the old finish, and applying a new one.

What is plywood?

Plywood is a type of engineered wood made up of thin layers, or plies. These thin layers are glued together and then pressed into sheets that can range from ½ inch to over an inch thick. The different types of plywoods have different uses depending on their thicknesses and what kind of material they’re composed of.

Why is plywood used on doors?

Plywood is very sturdy, so it’s a great option for exterior or interior doors. It can be made out of any number of different materials and doesn’t flex like solid wood might when you open and close your door frequently.

What types of plywoods are used to make doors?

Plywood is often made out of one of three different types of material: birch, hardwoods, or veneered softwoods. Each type has its unique properties that you should keep in mind when choosing what kind to use on your door. Birch plywood is known for being very durable and water-resistant. Hardwood plywood is slightly more expensive but it’s naturally resistant to decay and rot. Veneered softwoods are very inexpensive, but they tend to warp or bow when exposed to moisture over time.

What causes plywood to warp?

The main causes of warping in a door are humidity and temperature changes. As the outside climate fluctuates, it can cause your door to expand or contract at different rates from side to side. This uneven expansion and contraction are what lead to warping.

How to check if your plywood door has warped

To check how much your door has warped, you’ll need a straight edge and a level. Place the straight edge on one side of your door and make sure it’s flush against the face frame. Then take your level and place it along the top rail at different points to see if there are any gaps between where the levels meet up to the straight edge.

How do I prevent my plywood doors from warping?

The best way to prevent warping is to sand the door down and reapply a new finish. This process will help even out any small inconsistencies before they become big problems! If you don’t want this much work, some other things can be done as well:

Leave your doors open when it’s humid and closed when it’s dry
Add weather stripping to your door frame, this will help keep the climate of the outdoors from getting in.
Install a threshold that covers the bottom of your door, this will help keep warm air from entering or cold air from leaving

If you’re using your door in an outdoor space, consider using a glass overlay instead of plywood. Glass is much less likely to warp than plywood.

How to flatten warped plywood doors

If your door has already warped, it’s important to act quickly. If the warping is minimal you may be able to press down on the high spots with some books or other heavy objects until they are level once again. However, if this doesn’t work there are a few more options:

Sand off all of the finish and coat your door in a new finish

Nail down strips of wood along the warped areas and then clamp them until they’re dry. This will help flatten out the high spots.
Fill in any gaps with caulk or putty before re-coating, this will prevent moisture from getting to your surface and causing it to warp again.
Wrap your door in a towel and place it between two flat surfaces. This will help to flatten the warped spots by applying pressure to the high spots.

How do you brace a plywood door?

A very common way to brace a door is with two metal brackets. These are installed on the inside of the door and then secured into place along both sides of your doorway. This will help prevent warping in case there’s too much weight or pressure being put onto one side.

When should I replace my plywood doors?

If you find that your doors are consistently warping, you may need to replace them! While it’s possible to sand the door down and apply a new finish to straighten it out again, this is only a temporary solution. Eventually, your plywood will warp too much for even aggressive sanding techniques to fix properly.

How can I refinish a plywood door?

When you want to refinish a warped door, the best thing that you can do is sand off all of your old finish and apply a new one. This will help even out any inconsistencies on the surface before applying anything else. In case there are areas where too much wood was removed during sanding, it’s possible to fill in those gaps with caulk or putty before reapplying a new finish.

After sanding off all of your old paint, you can choose to leave it bare wood or apply some kind of sealant on top. When choosing this option, be sure that whatever product you use is water resistant. Also, it’s best to avoid using products that are oil-based as they can cause the plywood to warp or swell.

FAQs

How do I keep my plywood doors from warping?

The best way to prevent warping is to sand the door down and reapply a new finish. This process will help even out any small inconsistencies before they become big problems.

How do I flatten warped plywood doors?

When your door has already warped, it’s important to act quickly. If the warping is minimal you may be able to press down on the high spots with some books or other heavy objects until they are level once again. However, if this doesn’t work there are a few more options:

Sand off all of the finish and coat your door in a new finish

Nail down strips of wood along the warped areas and then clamp them until they’re dry. This will help flatten out the high spots.
Fill in any gaps with caulk or putty before re-coating, this will prevent moisture from getting to your surface and causing it to warp again.
Wrap your door in a towel and place it between two flat surfaces. This will help to flatten the warped spots by applying pressure to the high spots.

How do I brace a plywood door?

When should I replace my plywood doors?

In case you find that your doors are consistently warping, you may need to replace them. While it’s possible to sand the door down and apply a new finish to straighten it out again, this is only a temporary solution. Eventually, your plywood will warp too much for even aggressive sanding techniques to fix properly.

How can I refinish a plywood door?

If you want to refinish a warped door, the best thing that you can do is sand off all of your old finish and apply a new one. This will help even out any inconsistencies on the surface before applying anything else. If there are areas where too much wood was removed during sanding, it’s possible to fill in those gaps with caulk or putty before reapplying a new finish.

Conclusion

Plywood doors are a great option for many homes and businesses because they’re inexpensive and easy to install. However, they can warp over time if not taken care of properly. By following the tips above, you can help prevent your doors from warping and keep them looking their best for years to come.