Hello. Obviously by my title you can see I’m new to WW. I have 2 basic questions about stock preparation for making a set of doors that will close off a small exterior access panel on the outside of my house. It houses my service panel & phone junction box. I live in LA. Most panels are on the outside of the house.
Will store bought dimensional lumber (from Home Depot) be straight enough to make the rails & stiles? If not what’s the best way to mill them straight?
Also, does anyone have any recommendations for the species to use? I’m going to paint the doors.
Thanks,
Solan
Replies
If you select your boards carefully, you can get "straight enough" lumber from Home Depot. The selection varies across the country, but at the very least you should be able to find clear pine (of indeterminate species), poplar and red oak. Either the pine or the poplar will work well as a substrate for paint, although neither one will last very long outdoors without paint. I would avoid pine with knots or resinous patches, as these have a tendency to "bleed" through paint.
After assembly:
1) Sand everything lightly, even parts that appear to be smooth. This will remove any surface oxidation and provide better paint adherence.
2) Prime the wood with a shellac-based primer (Zinsser B-I-N, which you can also get at Home Depot). Make sure that any exposed end grain is well sealed. As long as you're reasonably careful to clean up any drips, you can use one of those $0.89 disposable bristle brushes for this step.
3) Top-coat with two or more coats of a good-quality semi-gloss exterior latex (the Behr brand, also available at Home Depot, has fared well in durability tests). Use a good-quality brush (e.g., Purdy) for this, possibly in combination with a mini-roller for the broader surfaces.
-Steve
Thanks for the advice saschafer. My local Home Depot has a good selection of Poplar. I'll look for a few straight pieces.
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