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Closet door with a mind of its own

February 09, 2015, 05:42:21 pm

The door to our rear closet moves away from the jamb in warm weather but closer to it when temps drop into the 30s. With the ambient temperature currently at 77 the gap between the door and jamb is 1/2 inch. When we left Whitney, TX last weekend temps were around 35. The door was so close to the jamb that you had to force it closed. Anyone have any ideas why this is happening?

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Re: Closet door with a mind of its own

Reply #1 – February 09, 2015, 11:23:27 pm

Royce,

We don't have the same coach, but I did have a similar problem with the sliding bedroom door.  Sometimes it would warp or move toward the wall in the middle so that it rubbed the wall.  I pushed a wedge between the door and wall and left it there for several days or weeks, can't remember, and haven't had the problem since then.  Wood moves (expands or contracts) mainly due to moisture or humidity in the air.  The movement is mainly across the grain.  Along the grain it is not noticeable unless it is a very long piece of wood.    Plywood does not move as the layers run in opposite directions.  Cabinet doors usually have panels in the middle with a frame around the edges.  The frame is grooved for the panel and clearance is provided so that the panel can expand and contract and not break apart the frame.  Very few trees grow perfectly straight.  Sometimes a piece of lumber may come from a tree that grew with a twist.  When a piece of wood like that moves it also warps or moves sideways a little.  Woodworkers try to avoid that type of wood.  I'm not saying that is what is happening in your case, but could be.  Some of the closet doors in my coach are not perfectly parallel to the closet, but close enough.  Overall the cabinet guys at Foretravel  are very good at what they do.  If the problem persists, try to figure out some way to bend it back in shape or more and keep it bent for a length of time.  Of course if there is a mirror in the door, don't bend it, or enough to break the mirror. 

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Re: Closet door with a mind of its own

Reply #2 – February 10, 2015, 08:42:40 am

Interesting. We both have the same coach but I have sliding doors on the closet. Mine is a 4220 too.

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Re: Closet door with a mind of its own

Reply #3 – February 10, 2015, 09:52:55 am

Hi Royce,

Like Jerry said, wood can sometimes have a mine of its own.  My closet doors have a wood frame with plywood panels glued on both sides.  This makes a strong, stable and stiff door.  It is highly unlikely that the doos is growing or shrinking 1/2".  It may change a bit, wider in humid conditions.

When the gap changes does it stay uniform between the door and the jamb all the way from top to bottom?  Probably not.  If not then it is probably the latch side jamb that is doing most of the moving.  Let us know.
Roger

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Re: Closet door with a mind of its own

Reply #4 – February 10, 2015, 09:46:06 pm

I'm Still trying to figure out which is moving, the door or the jamb. If I had some place to make a reference mark, I might be able to determine that. I know that wood does move with changes in humidity, but I thought that this movement was happening with changes in temperature.

I wish I had sliding doors like Johns.

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Re: Closet door with a mind of its own

Reply #5 – February 10, 2015, 10:58:43 pm

Sliding doors are sometimes easier to fit and hide fit issues.  Measure the width of the door at the top, middle and bottom.  Measure the gap or the width from one jamb to the other at the top, middle and bottom.  This should give you an idea what is moving.  Temperature and humidity movement in wood are related.  Both can make wood move.

Roger

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