# building a wooden garage door advice please



## troggles (30 May 2013)

Hi I would like advice please, looking to replace my steel canopy garage door, its the 2nd door ive need in 10 yr, and the cost is high for something I don't really like.


Was thinking of getting a wooden garage door side hinged constructed and fitted, how hard are they to construct,

Any pros and cons, the door will have to open out, how secure can they be?

I know hardwood is preferred but know it can be heavy, so thought good alternative was western red cedar, I know its softwood but lasts.

I was looking at putting a night latch , mortice and two internal bolts, has anybody got and advice.

any advice on types of hinges security wise.

also finding it hard to source western red cedar, one place ive found is silva timber but haulage is obviously an cost., but apparently they don't do the posts for frame work

Im a bit green as grass and thought I do some research, and advice greatly appreciated


----------



## Steve Maskery (30 May 2013)

Hi Troggles
Making you own garage doors is a bit of a rite of passage, if you ask me.
The material you use is, well, immaterial, really. WRC would be fine, I'm sure, but so would good-quality redwood. Ask for Unsorted, make all your components, then have them tanalised before assembly. If properly maintained they should last a lifetime.
The doors in my last workshop were 18 years old and had absolutely no sign of deterioration of any kind.
S


----------



## troggles (30 May 2013)

if you had a choice of wood what would you use, think hardwood would be really heavy, is their any place you could recommend that I could get drawings, im just sick of them canopy doors, looked at ebay but even used doors still fetch quite high or some are in need of tlc

the last door came of its tacks and I was caught under it bloomin heavy.


----------



## Steve Maskery (30 May 2013)

Idigbo is a hardwood and not at all heavy. However, despite its resilience, it is not nice to use. Nasty dust and very brittle actually.
As I say, mine were Unsorted and I will have no hesitation in making my next doors from the same material.
S


----------



## Timberfreak (30 May 2013)

troggles":bkuqatw7 said:


> Was thinking of getting a wooden garage door side hinged constructed and fitted . . . . .
> 
> Any pros and cons, the door will have to open out . . .



Hi Troggles,

Looks like you're thinking of only one door?
If that's the case, and it's a regular sized door (around 2m X 2m) I would expect that it would certainly be heavy. Compared to hardwoods and most softwoods, W.R.C. is certainly a whole lot lighter, although I wouldn't like to say how a door of that size even in WRC would feel weightwise. Also, in that size it might be somewhat prone to warping, at least more so than would two doors.

Is there any reason why you may only be able to use one door instead of two?


----------



## troggles (30 May 2013)

hi current garage door is 7ft, it up and over.

But I want to make a garage door side hinges so each door approx. 3.5ft wide.

I think the cladding is around 19mm, thick silva timber said wrc probably best option as its not too heavy.

but they sell hardware, silly me thought wrc was hardwood.

I just don't want door to heavy unable to open, I suppose quick easy option is getting one of them up and over doosr fitted
but at £700 for a door I don't like is a lot of money.


----------



## joiner_sim (30 May 2013)

Vincent timber, Birmingham can supply western red cedar.
nothing wrong with also using quality redwood. Vincents can supply 18mm thick matchboard in redwood also.
don't forget to paint/ stain the tongues and grooves on the boarding before assembly.
also a pair of doors is a better option than one single door. To deter you slightly from wood altogether have you looked at the cost of a roller door?


----------



## troggles (30 May 2013)

I have thought about roller door but apparently when guys came out I has limited ceiling space or something, they then quoted a roller from outside but looking at over £1000

I mentioned wooden door, but from garage company they were expensive.

im just thinking if paying for door should try and get the best I can, I need it secure as have a few things in garage

Just want to get advice so hopefully my mistakes will be ltd, lol

I just think if I go back to traditional door ledged and braced, how many problems can I expect

thanks for Vincent timber will see how they compare to silvia timber


----------



## Lons (30 May 2013)

Hi Troggles

This guy sells on ebay but based in Hartlepool and has a trade counter. Pretty good for small quantities of hardwoods btw. http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Northeast-Timb ... 34.c0.m322

There was a company on the Blaydon Industrial Est. Factory Road, where I used to buy oak and ash but they sold a decent range of h/w and s/w. I think it was Edward Thompson (or something like that) but believe they are part of Travis perkins now.
Do a search as there are several timber merchants in the North East and was a large importer in South Shields. Plus there's always john Boddy at Boroughbridge.

Cheers

Bob

As an afterthought. If you're half decent at DIY, there's nothing too difficult in fitting a new up-n-over or roller door yourself. I've done quite a number including most with electric operation and dead easy though a second pair of hands is very useful. There are companies on line quite prepared to supply at discounted prices and even B&Q and Wickes are worth a look.
They sell s/w doors as well so might get some ideas and sometimes it can be cheaper to buy and alter than start from scratch.

Is it 7' x 7' or 7' w x 6'.5" h btw?


----------



## troggles (31 May 2013)

Hi lons

its travis perkins now that place at Blaydon, been calling the timber places in ypages but not having much luck.

I was thinking of wrc cladding as it wont be as heavy as hardwood, also if looked after should last a long time.

Just not sure how heavy garage door would be weight wise in hardwood, have to think about hinges

Anyone know where I can get plans for a garage door ledged and braced.

don't think I fancy roller door, just if anything then goes wrong its mechanical.


----------



## joiner_sim (31 May 2013)

There's not much to an FLBB door/gate.
Stiles, top rail and possibly bottom rail rebated to fit thickness of the boarding. The middle rail sits flush with the rebates and mortises /tenons. Assemble the frame first. After assembly cut the braces into suit. i used to use corrugated nails to fasten to the frame with glue, but suppose there are better ways to do this. Then secret nail boarding into the frame after. If you wanted windows, you'd just do the same except boards would sit from middle rail to bottom rail. Then from mid to top rail you'd have glazing bars. 
You can find a couple of pictures of work like this on the joinery section of my website, non with the glazing bars but have made a few like that before.

Hope that helps, any questions just ask or pm me.


----------



## Lons (1 Jun 2013)

> Just not sure how heavy garage door would be weight wise in hardwood, have to think about hinges



You can buy a sprung wheel for each door which tales some of the weight as an option.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/gate-castor/91291
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Gate+Castor/p25081

I think it is now Travis Perkins. Last time I was in they were still selling general timber but were producing their own T&G flooring in large quantities.

Bob


----------



## cammy9r (2 Jun 2013)

hi troggles, you would not find it difficult to construct your own doors. I built some recently for my garage out of soft wood. FLB and clad on the outside. The opening is a similar size to yours but my doors had to open inwards and as I was short on door swing space so made the door in three sections. One door is the normal in out door and the other two bifold. Straight forward half lap joints cut on the sliding mitre saw then glue and screw. Braces glued and screwed and the cladding nailed on. Maybe around 35kg or more per door but once on the hinges they seem weightless. As recommended on here I used fire door hinges as they are bearing guided and take at least 80kg of door per pair. I put four hinges on the main bifold and them three hinges on the each of the other doors.


----------

