Cabinet door failures

[Chuck Richard]

Hello All,

Has anyone else had their cabinet doors fail during storage. I had the BH covered from Nov through Feb this year and our winter in Oregon was not bad at all. The frames on several doors are separatiing and one corner came completely apart. (attached picture) It seems that the panels are too large with no room to expand and even though I had two ezy dry units this year my wood movement was much worse than last year. After three weeks in the house it still takes more presure than I can apply by hand to close the gap. I am going to glue, clamp and staple this back together but I wonder if anyone else is having this problem. Not counting the door pictured I kave joint separation in 5 other doors. I would love any ideas to not have to deal with this next year.

 

[JohnDar]

Looks like three things: 1) No glue in rail/stile joint. 2) Reliance on staples to hold it together. 3) Raised panel too tight in frame to allow for seasonal wood movement (expansion) due to moisture level changes. It is not likely that you will be able to force it back together until the moisture content returns to whatever it was when the door was made. Gluing it properly (do not glue the panel into the frame) may hold it, but if the panel is too wide, it may force the joint apart next time it swells.

I would recommend you contact your dealer AND Heartland with photos and description of the problem. I do believe others have posted similar problems and have gotten some satisfaction going that route. Don't quote me on that, however.

 

[Yianni]

I had 2 cabinet doors come apart in the corners. As John suggested, I'm going to wait for warmer weather and clamp and glue them. Mine still function but just came apart. The glue guy must have been sitting under a palm tree sipping an umbrella drink the week mine was made.

 

[Chuck Richard]

Thanks for the advice. I agree it looks like no glue in the joint and just two small brads were holding it together. Don't know of a good way to get the other sides apart or I would open it up and shave the sides down. It has been in the house dry and heated but is drying out slow. I did have the problem last year but it was just tight doors that had to be closed together. I was impressed that the doors were made by the Amish but I guess that does not mean quality work these days. I am out of warranty for over a year so don't expect anything from the factory though they have been good to me. I have a few weeks before my first trip of the year so will let if warm up more and glue and staple it back together.

Any ideas on keeping the moisture out of the trailer while closed? I had thought the ezy dry units would help but it is worse this year with them than for a longer period closed up last year. I don't want to leave anything running with the cover on though I am plugged in. Thanks again.

 

[JohnDar]

Trying to take them fully apart might show you where they actually did manage to put some glue...and the wood will splinter. Just getting the staples out and not tearing up the wood is problem enough. But you might try it with the one you photo'd, since it's already fubar'd. And if the glue is lacking, it may come apart easily. If you trim the panel, put a thin bead of dried silicone in the groove to prevent the panel from rattling. Apply the bead on some aluminum foil or wax paper and when dry, cut it and then stick it in the groove. With as many bad doors as you have, I'd still recommend contacting Heartland about it, even though you're past warranty. Who knows, maybe they'll cut you some slack on replacing the doors. Might even make them go over to their door production source and do an audit of their production techniques.

 

[Chuck Richard]

Thanks that is good advice. I don't think I'll take this apart but just glue, clamd and staple. The other doors are more an annoyance and I can live with them. It is funny I had my cheap lightweight trailer for ten years and never had this happen. I think the fact that this is the door with the strut to hold it open may have added the extra push to break the joint completely apart. I may leave it open next year.