front door project help needed

[tombo]

I have wanted to replace my front door for ages but with all the hot sun beating down on it in the last few weeks the thing fits worse than ever and even pops open so its become a bit of a worry and is now top of the list for projects.

my thoughts on the design

Dark Oak construction
two rows of three windows at the top
small decorative shelf below the windows
letterbox on the mid rail
two maybe three vertical panels at the bottom

I have sort of been inspired by doors i see on american houses flank lloyd wright perhaps. But i am finding it difficult to locate pictures of examples other than stopping a movie i might be watching if anyone can point me at a url that would be great.

The more i think about doing this the more issues come up.

should i make the new door frame out of oak also?
are wedged tenons the way to go or can modern glues suffice
how do i seal the door at the bottom we have horrible ali threshold at the mo which is a real trip hazard
I would like to put a weather seal round the door any opinions on that
I don't mind spending on a quality lock set any recommendations
have i missed anything

All help gratefully received

Tombo

 

[RogerS]

I don't mind spending on a quality lock set any recommendations
have i missed anything

Tombo

Last time I spoke to crime Prevention the recommendation was two 5lever Chubbs - one about 1/6 way down and the other about 1/6 way up (if you get my drift ...ie top and bottom) also fit a couple of hinge bolts.

You'll also need some sort of doorhandle/lock/opener for keeping the door shut when the Chubbs are unlocked. We went a bit OTT and fitted a Chubb there as well but with a handle.

 

[Mike.C]

If you want flash for your cash what about one of these http://www.iconbiometrics.co.uk/i3000.htm and there 5 level. As they say, keys and pin numbers can be forgotten, but you will always have your fingerprint with you.

Biometrics is the path most security companies are taking. But it may not suit a lovely oak door.

Cheers

Mike

 

[tombo]

Roger,

Thans good info i guess the idea of locks 1/6th from the top and bottom is to spread the load if the door gets a thump rather than having 10 levers of security on the door (5 at the top and 5 at the bottom)
I know that some locksets have a single key but has some sort of rod mechanism to operate catches at the 1/6th locations and i wouldl prefer that to bending over to get the bottom lock

Mike i realy do like the fingerprint lock, maybe i could live with the clash of technologies

Tom

 

[Mike.C]

Tombo,

Mike i realy do like the fingerprint lock, maybe i could live with the clash of technologies

Yeah good isn't it, James Bond and all that. If you do go for it Mrs Tombo could be "Money Penny"

Cheers

Mike

 

[dedee]

Tombo,
Gidon made an oak door a while back with lots of WIP shots too. A different style to what you have envisage but lots of useful stuff including his weather seal solution.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... 620#100620

Andy

 

[Paul Kierstead]

Last time I spoke to crime Prevention the recommendation was two 5lever Chubbs - one about 1/6 way down and the other about 1/6 way up (if you get my drift ...ie top and bottom) also fit a couple of hinge bolts.

On a recent trip to Romania, quite a few doors (especially Hotel room doors) had multiple bolts that shot out when you locked, at the top and bottom to give kick-in resistence. Looks very effective. Now mind you, on most homes this is pointless since there is usually a window right there to break if you go wild on the door....

 

[Evergreen]

Tombo

Do you have a porch? If you don't have a porch, I'd think twice about replacing wood with wood. Sorry to raise a doubt but if your existing door has cooked and warped in the sun, isn't that likely to happen to the new one too?

I really wanted to keep my own hardwood front door but I don't have a porch. As a result, my door would shrink and expand, crack and warp whatever I did. In the end, I bought an oak finish, UPVC door with a steel frame. Now, I know what you're thinking, "Oak finish? Yuk!" In fact, it's a German door and doesn't look too bad. More importantly, it has multiple locking bolts that are activated by the handle and is as solid as a bank vault. There are just some situations when a man-made material is best. The baking, south facing elevation of my house is one of them!

Regards.

 

[Anonymous]

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[dennyk]

Hi Tombo

In the distant past when all doors were made by hand, ( and those hands belonged to true carpenters) the exterior doors were made using through mortices with wedged tenons, my next door neighbour has the same front door that was fitted to the house in 1912, that is made from some sort of Pine, maybe piranha or southern yellow,it is definitely not hardwood, The door frame is made from same sort of timber, he has been in the house for 38 years, regular maintenance has made that door work as good as when it was new. BTW both our house fronts face south east, blazing sun in the morning, lately. unfortunately my front door was not maintained before I moved in 27 years ago, so that door was only good for the wood pile and was recycled

 

[Anonymous]

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[RogerS]

It'd almostly certainly be common or garden redwood (scots pine) which is the best and most widely used material for all external joinery. Hardwoods are generally unsuitable/problematic.

cheers
Jacob

Which is why garden furniture is usually made from teak, iroko .... :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

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[gidon]

Tombo
Andy has already pointed you in the direction of my front door adventure. For more info on how I dealt with weather sealing see here.
I didn't make a new door frame - if you do need a new door frame then it may well look nicer in Oak. But I wouldn't say it's necessary.
I didn't use wedged tenons - I was always planning to but since the door is sheltered by a small open porch I decided against it. If time permits it certainly can't do any harm ...
I used a branded 5 lever mortise lock (Legge I think - BS and kitemarked). And a seperate dead locking night latch. These are very expensive if you buy BS approved ones - but as the mortise lock already met those requirements I bought a Screwfix cheapo one.
Let me know if you have any further questions. It's good fun making a door - but it's far easier if your have a larger workshop - in my 14x8' workshop I found it quite frustrating to be honest! I would seriously consider buying your stiles ready dimensioned if you can - unless you have a nice long planer. I did managed with my Scheppach HMS260 with its 1m long bed - but it was a little tricky.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Jake]

It's not simple - one of the most durable timbers is western red cedar used for shingles, sheds etc, soft and weak; not much use for joinery or furniture.

What about larch?

 

[Anonymous]

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[Jake]

It's the most durable softwood apparently, especially slow-grown stuff.

I'm getting some custom windows made for an extension and was thinking of specifying it.

 

[Anonymous]

Is there a good book on door building and the various techniques that anyone can recommend?

I love a good book me!

Hard to tell from some of the book summaries, if they are about hanging doors or about actually designing and building them to last!

 

[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

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