Stripped door

[overlander matt]

I'm after some advice please on an old ledged door. It has developed some darker colour in places and a damp/soft feel to it along one edge of the ledge. These were stripped around 4-5 years ago and generally dried out well. It's just taken an age to get back to finishing them.

Would this be a neutralisation problem? If so, what would the best course of action to follow?

It's odd because I had not previously noticed it until I put it on the bench to sand and clean up ready for finishing... I'm aware sodium hydroxide is hygroscopic but I don't know how that translates into its effect on timber post stripping.

As luck would have it the ledges will be inside a cupboard but I would like to resolve the problem rather than hide it away if possible.

Thank you in advance for any guidance.

 

[Cubist]

Hi Matt,
Was this door previously painted and later stripped? Also, was the sodium hydroxide used to bleach the timber or as part of the paint stripping process? I ask, seldom having used the stuff myself, but I am aware that if it is not effectively neutralised it can, as its use in the wood pulping/paper manufacturing process to dissolve the lignins could produce some of the damage you mention. I think I would want to remove the ledger board to see what's going on behind it - the SH may have been trapped in the joint - and then cut off the affected/damaged section before re-fixing it.
Cheers,
Cubist

 

[overlander matt]

Thanks for your message Cubist. It was indeed a previously painted door which was later stripped. The sodium hydroxide was just used for the stripping process and generally speaking, I think the guy did a decent job. 2 of the 4 doors have suffered quite a lot of woodworm damage but the others look ok. One of the woodworm-affected doors also shows some darkening but not necessarily any additional moisture. The door has been out in the barn on the bench for quite a while waiting for me to get on with it, whether this different environment has affected the door, I wouldn't like to say but I don't recall it feeling damp and spongey when it was still in the house...

I think further investigation will be necessary.

Cheers!