Wet door frames dangerous in construction

By Jovita Mirembe

“After graduating at university, I was very lucky that I got a well-paying   job immediately. I did not leave my parents ‘home to rent but saved for three years,” says Rachael Nuwagaba , a resident of  Kisaasi.

Nuwagaba bought herself a plot and started building a simple house.

“I rushed the house because I never wanted to use the money for anything else until my house was complete. When I reached the stage of buying door frames I bought the nice looking ones and didn’t care about their state.

Not long my doors started squawking and brushing on the floor in only two months after fixing them. It became difficult open and close and had to contact a carpenter every other day to fix them which became costly.

The deep ends on a door frame called the libid (left); and the corner supports on a door frame (right) PHOTO/Jovita Mirembe

The carpenter told it was a result of using wet door frames which is not proper in construction. 

He said that when the door frames dry they expand or shrink making which affects the movement of the door,” noted Nuwagaba.

George Mulindwa, a carpenter, says it’s not advisable to use wet door frames because some wood when used wet shrinks or expands as it dries.

He says that the Musizi, Nkoba and mukambo woods are commonly used in making door frames but are supposed to be fixed when completely dry.

When door  frames are being made,  squares  at the top  most corners  should be put on both sides as supports, in the middle and at the bottom of the door frame not to allow the door frame  expand  or shrink.

He says that the carpenter should also measure the door frames properly in that the lines which are called the libid on which the hedges are fixed allow flexibility of the door.

Mulindwa says that if the libid isn’t measured properly the door will either go out or in deeply before it reaches the door frame causing it to squawk.

He advises that carpentry work during construction should be done by a professional because it involves measurements that follow technical plans in order to achieve perfect work.

He notes that employers at construction sites   should  consider  using   carpenters  with some construction experience.