I have a 120-year-old front door that got damaged, and now there's a big hole where the door handle used to be. The local government says I need to restore it to its original state. Is there any way I can fix it so it looks good and is safe, or will I need to get a completely new door? Here's a picture for reference: [Door Image](https://i.imgur.com/Ybt0KeH.jpeg)
3 Answers
From what I see, you should be able to restore it since the damage is mainly on the outer rail. Patching it with new wood and hiding the seams with filler, then giving it a fresh coat of paint sounds doable. If you’re required to keep the door, I think it would be worth it.
You might be able to salvage it! You could cut out the damaged section and then glue and screw in some new wood. Doing the lock fitting off the door makes it easier too. Honestly, the whole door probably needs sanding and repainting anyway.
It looks like the damage is primarily on one stile, which means you can replace just that part. Find a skilled carpenter who knows how to do mortise and tenon joints. Have them fabricate a new stile and maybe strip and repaint the entire door while they’re at it. Here’s a helpful resource for understanding door construction: [Door Anatomy Image](https://woodandshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/anatomy_shaker_wall_cupboard_wood_joints_door_WID9689.jpg).
The link you provided doesn’t seem to work—it looks like hotlinking is disabled.