Inspect hinges on sagging old door

Q. I have a 1915 house with the original wood entry door. The door sags and rubs the frame so that it is difficult to open and close, even through I have removed it and planed it to fit better. I think the door is out of square. What next?

A. Many doors, and especially heavy doors like entrance doors, sag because the hinges are not holding them tightly against the frame. This should always be checked before any wood is removed from a door.

In many cases, installing new hinge screws about 3 inches long, and securing the screws tightly, will solve the sagging problem. Long screws are necessary so they penetrate to the house framing.

It is also possible that the door frame, not the door, is out of square because of the house settling over the years. Unfortunately, there isn’t much that can be done about settling.

However, you should make sure that the jambs are securely attached. If the door rubs at the latch side, try adding screws to the jamb to pull it tighter. Again, use 3-inch screws with countersunk heads. If the door sticks at the bottom, tighten the sill, again using screws if necessary to pull it tighter.

Some doors stick only in humid or very wet weather, and work well in drier periods. If your door is one of these, it often pays to be patient and give the door a chance to dry out.

Refinishing the door in dry weather might help reduce swelling problems.

If all these treatments fail, it might be necessary to remove a bit of wood from the door. Unless the door is sticking at the bottom, this can often be done with the door in place.

Identify the points where sticking occurs and mark them on the edge of the door with a pencil. Then use a belt sander with 100-grit sandpaper to carefully sand off the marks.

When the door is opening and closing freely, refinish the sanded areas to prevent swelling.

Q. There are a number of brown stains on the painted ceiling of our bathroom, which has no vent fan. We think the stains are either water stains or mold spores, possibly caused by the high humidity in the room. Can I just paint over the stains?

A. If you just paint over the stains, they will probably bleed through the paint and show up again. Your first step should be to determine whether the stains are caused by overhead leaks, a common cause of ceiling stains.

If there is an attic or roof crawl space above the bathroom, check for possible roof leaks; these can often be traced from inside by looking for stains on roof sheathing or rafters. Leaks can also originate in other bathrooms, kitchen sinks or appliances, or laundry equipment.

When you are satisfied that there are no overhead leaks or have repaired any you find, you can proceed.

Start by scrubbing the ceiling with a solution of household detergent and warm water; this should eliminate any mold spores as well as dirt and other contaminants. Let the ceiling dry out thoroughly, then apply a coat of stain-killer primer, such as B-I-N or Kilz. It is best to prime the entire ceiling, not just the stains.

When the primer is dry, you can apply a mildew-resistant paint such as Zinsser’s Perma-White, which can be tinted to any color, or other high-quality paint containing a mildewcide.

The bathroom should definitely have a vent fan to discharge excess moisture created by showers and baths. The fan should be vented to the outside, either through a roof or wall, not into an attic or other interior space.

Q. I have some old furniture, including tables, that are in good condition except for wear on the tops. Is it possible to refinish just the tops?

A. It is difficult to refinish just part of a piece of furniture because the color and type of the existing finish has to be matched. This is normally a job for an expert refinisher.

Before resorting to refinishing, however, try cleaning the furniture. Removing ground-in dirt and grease will often rejuvenate an old finish.

One method is to scrub the surfaces with a soft cloth dampened with mineral spirits (paint thinner). There are also special cleaner-rejuvenators such as Formby’s Furniture Face Lift; for information, visit www.formbys.com.

Test any cleaner in an inconspicuous place and work outdoors if possible for best ventilation.