(Raised ranch home built in 1972)

The previous owners rigged a portable dishwasher to the water supply line and sink drain. Recently, the waterline into the dishwasher leaked all over the floor (slow drip). Needless to say, that was the catalyst for deciding to replace the floors and get a REAL dishwasher.

Well after removing the peel and stick floors and the 5/8 in plywood over the subfloor, we could see rotted subfloor and frame where the door meets the wall (where the dishwasher stood).Obviously this had happened before, because all that rot just couldn't have happened from one leak. The vertical frame is rotted maybe 2 inches up and the bottom frame is rotted half the length of the door and just a few inches into the wall. The unfinished utility room is directly below the kitchen so we are able to see that the joists look good and surprisingly, the sub-floor and frame from underneath isn't visibly terrible. SO most of the rot is on the surface. Still, we are replacing the subfloor and framing.

Hopefully you can get an idea of the set up from the picture. This is the only picture available to me at the moment.

So the issue is now, how do we replace the rotted frame?

I can see two options:
1.chip away at the rot and replace it without removing the door,
OR
2.remove the door, replace the rot, and re-install the door.

Obviously the first option sounds ideal, but I'm not sure if that would be structurally safe.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

first off, with door frame rotted, the door also has to be replaced. so double your budget and prepare to do this right.

(1) measure rough opening, get new door ordered, pick it up and secure it on site out of the wind and rain. so it doesn't fall over and break, you know.

(2) also get some PVC plank lumber for a new sill, odds and ends of framing lumber, weathertight self-stick rubber on a roll. get some silicone sealant. get shims.

(3) remove old door, lift siding slightly to be sure you can tuck weatherproof roll underneath the sheathing so it sticks to the frame. remove flooring. use the screwdriver blade test, fingers, and whatever else to determine the extent of rotwood in the framing and subflooring. replace anything with any issues whatsoever at all. double-check measurements to be sure new door will fit with clearance to install a new PVC sill under the door.

(4) set that sill with silicone underneath at the exterior, and nail 'er down good and level. double-check the door is still going to fit.

(5) set the weatherstrip rubber correctly around all four door framing/sill edges. you apply pieces to insure that any water that hits that wall goes OUT and then DOWN, so nothing comes inside. strip over the sill plate, then the two sides, then the top, tucking each strip underneath the sheathing on the outside and rolling it over smoothly to protect the framing and floor/sill. recheck measurements.

(6) test fit door, test-level and test-plumb. recheck install instructions to be sure if the slider is on the wrong side, you fix that after installation. if you have to do it now, do it now.

(7) set a thick bead of silicone about an eighth inch back from the outer contact of the door assembly sill. spread several more wall to wall further back into the house. run beads along the sides to connect them all. tip the door into the bottom of the hole and set it upright and level from there to insure a good watertight seal at the bottom. insure level and plumb, and the door flanges for nailing are centered and nails will contact the studs. shim for plumb. recheck everything. use a few galvanized roofing nails 1-1/2 to 2 inches or longer to secure enough flange to measure and check level and plumb yet again.

(8) when it's better than perfect, nail all flanges in the center to the framing.

(9) re-weatherstrip with the sticky rubber on the two sides and top. if you didn't use over 2 rolls of the weatherstrip rubber, you cheated the job and it will bite you later in rot and damage.

(10) silicone the reveals, reset the sheathing and siding, replace any "does not fit" trim outside and silicone any seams.

(11) interior fixups and new subfloor/finish floor and trim as needed. pretty inside comes after waterproof outside, level, and plumb in all respects.

two sons and I did a patio door install in one afternoon and evening up to dark, no problem if you don't have to replace framing.

No ones going to be able to tell anything from that picture.
Someones going to have to go under the house and check just how bad the damage is and if it also rotted out the floor joist.

What's just outside that door? If there's a slab, deck, stoop anything that's level with the thereshold of the door that's the reason for the damage in most cases.
Post a picture from outside.

Your going to also move that stuff out of the way and take a picture standing over the damaged area looking down so we can see the damaged floor, not an arrow pointing to a trash can.

The door is pre-fab/aluminium and it's not damaged, only the 2x4 frame it sits on and the subfloor is rotted, so I don't think the door needs to be replaced.

The water damage was most definitely caused by the dishwasher, because we KNOW it leaked. But just so you kow, there is a small deck just outside of the door.

I will get some pictures of the demo we've done already when I get home tonight to show what I'm dealing with.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: nmadigan,

would be good if you can reuse that door. but it's got to come off anyway to repair the other damage, so the only step you're missing is buying a door.

Okay, here is the damage. Taking a second look, the door is resting on about 2-3 layers of plywood...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: nmadigan,

Sorry, I am having trouble getting the pics to post

Pic 1

2

3

4

That rot is not from just one small leak from the dish washer.
Waters been coming in under that door for a long time.
Whole doors got to come out, At least the underlayments and most like also the subfloors also going to have to be replaced with new wood.
Going to need a Toe Kick Saw so you can cut right up next to the walls and jambs.
Once it's all replace the door needed to be sat in a sill pan.
http://jamsill.com/
Without a pan it's just going to happen again.
This happens every time someone attaches any solid suface right up next to the threshold.
Code calls for a min. of 4" below any door opening.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: joecaption,

Joe, you were absolutely right. Read below for an update.

My husband and I tackled this project a bit this weekend and we have good news and bad news. After taking a 4x4 section of the subfloor up , the good news is that the joist directly inter the rot is in pretty decent shape. There's a tiny soft spot on the top of the joist but other than that, it's solid. Also the 2x8 it's attached to is in great shape; no rot! The rot seems to be only on the 2x4 and the plywood underneath the door. So our plan is to reinforce the joist by sandwiching it with 2ft long sections of pressure treated 2x8's, replace the rotted 2x4 and and 4x8 section of subfloor.

The bad news actually came as a blessing in disguise. As we were working (floor ripped up and everything exposed) it started to rain HARD. I mean sideways rain! Rain was hitting the sliding door for a good 5-10 minutes. During the storm we noticed dripping water directly under the door track!!!! Further investigation told us that it WAS NOT leaking from the exterior wall(THANK GOD) but from the freaking door track!! Take a look at the picture...does anything look off? The track is shorter than the frame and water collects underneath and drips through into the floor. So in addition the the leak caused by the dishwasher, we now have a leak from the door! As bad as this situation is, I'm glad it happened BEFORE we installed the laminate. It would have destroyed the floors! YIKES!!

I know it would be way better to replace the whole door, but $500-$1000 to replace it or even removing the old on for repairs is just not feasible at the moment. Can the leak in the door be corrected in anyway with silicone or any other kind of waterproofing?? Or should we just use a board of some sort to deflect the rain when it comes in hard like that?

Here ya go

Silicone might work for a few days, then it's going to leak again.

Joe, I just saw your response on diychatroom. thanks

I like the dog, wonder what he was thinking.?