hi everyone… im relatively new to woodworking and picking up little by little as i go, but i have a question about building an exterior entry door. its not a project i will tackle any time soon, but i think its something i would enjoying trying somewhere down the road…
take this door for example:
how would you build it?
would it be a frame and panel type of assembly, with a thickness of the rails and stiles being equal to the finished door, with floating panels in the middle? if so, would you use plywood or hardwood for the panel?
or would it be a sandwich of 2 frame and panel assemblies with a plywood sandwich in the middle, the full length and width of the door?
or some other way that i haven’t thought of?
if plywood was used in either case, could something like 3/4 maple be sufficient? how about MDO?
ive looked around the web looking for some ‘door building tutorials’ but have come up short..
any thoughts and insight to help me learn a little would be appreciated
thanks
oak
p.s. if i ever do get around to trying to build a door, it would more than likely be paint grade, and the door would be on a house in the san francisco bay area. if this makes much difference
Replies
Frame and panel. All solid wood - White Oak (riftsawn, not quartersawn) would be a great choice.
That's how I'd do it.
Doug. Fir might be nice for a painted door. In your neck of the woods you ought to be able to find some nice straight-grained stuff.
Edited 2/9/2005 4:47 pm ET by cstan
Would the solid wood panels not tend to split?and why not quarter sawn?
Not that we have that option here in NZ.
They won't split. I like the straight grain look of riftsawn white oak on a door that style. Ash would be my second choice, but it is under pressure from some sort of blight.
thanks for the info cstan..
did some digging in the archives... these may be helpful to those interested
Exterior door construction
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-knots/messages?msg=6856.1
Entry Door Plans
http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-knots&msg=1974.1&search=y
Panels and joinery for entry doors
http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-knots&msg=6075.1&search=y
Craftsman style door
http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-knots&msg=9973.1&search=y
building an entry way door
http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-knots&msg=5865.1&search=y
Building Entry Doors
http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-knots&msg=18853.1&search=y
Wood entry door
http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-knots&msg=8677.1
Exterior Doors
http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-knots&msg=10399.1&search=y
Edited 2/9/2005 8:29 pm ET by oak
in issueu.. 168 (or perhaps 167) of fine-home-building, there is an issue on making doors by sandwiching them, kind of like how you mentioned.
There are certantly advantages to this, it is easier and faster.
Both of the outer frames are put together with pocket screws so the joinery is pretty easy.
My only complaint is that you can see how the door is made when you look at the side of it; However, if you are going to paint it, I dont think that would be an issue
______________________________________________
--> measure once / scribble several lines / spend some time figuring out wich scribble / cut the wrong line / get mad
The front door shown in the issue of FHB that you reference is mine. You're right that you can see the joinery from the edge, but in truth, I don't spend a lot of time looking at the edge of my door. <G>
It is a quick and easy method, and the door is rock solid and still straight 6 years into its life.
AndyAndy Engel
Senior editor, Fine Woodworking magazine
Other people can talk about how to expand the destiny of mankind. I just want to talk about how to fix a motorcycle. I think that what I have to say has more lasting value. --Robert M. Pirsig
oh yeah that was your article right? You know I keep thinking about the edge and thinking.. "why not make that a feature?" I know its not traditional but I'm young (and pehaps dumb too) but I think if the sandwiched wood contrasted nicely, it could add to the piece.. I do have a question about the door.. pardon my ignorance if this is obvious to most, but how do you clamp it evenly when gluing the layers together? (My guess.. laying a straight 2x4 across each stile and rail and using bar clamps?)______________________________________________
--> measure once / scribble several lines / spend some time figuring out wich scribble / cut the wrong line / get mad
Sorry for the delay-I haven't been to Knots for a week. First though, it wasn't my article, just my door as a sidebar in Scott McBride's article.
If I remember, I used lots and lots of C-clamps, bar clamps, hand screws -- pretty much anything in the FWW shop that would apply pressure --- and cauls to spread the pressure. I used ureha formaldehyde glue for the open time and the fact that it doesn't creep.
AndyAndy Engel
Senior editor, Fine Woodworking magazine
Other people can talk about how to expand the destiny of mankind. I just want to talk about how to fix a motorcycle. I think that what I have to say has more lasting value. --Robert M. Pirsig
If you use two different woods, say, oak and mahogany, are there any special movement issues to consider?
I'd be concerned with a lot of woods, particularly given the 6 in. wide cross grain glue joints where the rails and stiles meet. Which, btw, could be reduced and the end grain hidden simply by gluing in a center vertical member along the edges of the door. My door is quartersawn white oak, which doesn't move as much cross grain as most.
AndyAndy Engel
Senior editor, Fine Woodworking magazine
Other people can talk about how to expand the destiny of mankind. I just want to talk about how to fix a motorcycle. I think that what I have to say has more lasting value. --Robert M. Pirsig
hey andy...what did you do for the window glass? single? double pane?thanksoak
I went to a glass shop and had them make up a double pane insulated lite of tempered glass. If it's in a door, it's got to be some sort of safety glass by code. I think that lite cost about $130.
AndyAndy Engel
Senior editor, Fine Woodworking magazine
Other people can talk about how to expand the destiny of mankind. I just want to talk about how to fix a motorcycle. I think that what I have to say has more lasting value. --Robert M. Pirsig
Frame and panel, solid wood. Thickness of panels would depend on whether you wanted to keep out air or burglars. If it's just air, use half inch panels. If it's burglars, 5/4 panels.
If you're interested in the ultimate intruder/burglar proof entry, you'll need a portcullis.
Ta,
I think this may stop most folks!
http://www.nordan.co.uk/doors/decorative.htm
Got a point there, Will.Still, a portcullis will keep the burglar there until you get home or wake up.Cops might b**ch though, if he bleeds out on you.Leon Jester
The laminating method has worked well for me. Last year I built 2 pairs of doors for a church, each pair 11' high, 8' wide and 3 1/4" thick, five plies of QS white oak. The strong linear grain pattern of oak disguises the glue lines on the edges very well, and has been noted, no one looks at the edge of a door any way.
Now THAT is beautiful work! Nuf said.. PIC tells it all!
Well, cept for the guy in the way! LOL...
Fantastic work! What type of hinges are those?
Thanks. Most of the weight is borne by door closers in the floor. Each leaf weighs about 500 lbs. I don't know how much that is in hectares or whatever. The only part of the metric system that caught on here in Texas is 9mm.
The pulls are cast bronze. My wife did the stained glass.
Here's a picture of the other pair of doors.
closers in the floor.. Can you show them?
There's really not much to see of the closers, just a steel cover plate. When the builder did the concrete floor, they left a hole in the slab that the closer goes into. The closer arm is in a recess routed into the bottom of the door.
Never been in the military, just a native Texan. You can always tell a Texan, you just can't tell them much.
Gotta go teach a woodturning workshop in Birmingham. Be back Monday.
closer goes into.. Now I get it.. I thought it was some kind of 'lifter' that the door rolled onto to hold it up when opened or closed..
Sorry,,,,, Just YANK here!
The only part of the metric system that caught on here in Texas is 9mm
You stationed at Fort Hood at one time?
Never been to Texas, my neighbor, Walter Reeves, is from Dodge just outside Huntsville, he has promised to take me there one day. He did stop calling me a D..M YANKEE..... he just calls me a YANKEE now.
D..M YANKEE back in the 60's had to go into the State Liquor store to get the Jack Daniels!
it would more than likely be paint grade, and the door would be on a house in the san francisco bay area. if this makes much difference..
PAINT?? If you build a door NO PAINT PLEASE! SHOW off your work!
Try and find Woodwork Feb 2005 No 91..some place in Novato? Ca.???
Sorry, I forgot to put in... just a door in there that I liked.. Page 66 to start..
Edited 2/11/2005 9:45 am ET by Will George
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