Internal doors from scratch!

[Ozzie36]

Hi all,

I’m hoping for some advice. We have decided to replace all of the old fashioned doors throughout the house. I’ve decided to set out and hand make my own doors from scratch.

The design is simple: tops and sides at roughly 90mm wide with a panel of 18mm ply internal to make a single panel door. I plan to mortise and tenon the corners and rebate the panel about 15mm all round internally.

My main question is: will this work ok? All the doors will be painted so I’m not bothered about a high quality wood finish.

Secondly what wood would you suggest to use? I’m tempted to use some 4x2 from the builders yard and mill it flat and to size, but I’m not sure if that would be ok for a door?

Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you

 

[RobNichols]

That's what was done in the past so why not. Big job though.

Doormaking and Window-Making from Lost Art Press might be a good place to start.

My main concern with cheap builders yard wood is that it doesn't take a chisel well. Mortise and tenons will be more difficult to cut cleanly with cheap pine where the fibres tend to deform rather than cut cleanly.

I think I'd look out for recycled wood for this sort of project. Have a look on Gumtree. There are few midlands outfits selling recycled wood if Brum isn't too far away from you.

 

[TRITON]

My main concern with cheap builders yard wood is that it doesn't take a chisel well

Nor is it straight. For doors you need the stiles to be dead straight or you risk the door being warped.

Even if you find relatively straight timber(lol) at a builders yard, as its internal doors the timber will need to be acclimatized inside the house for a couple of weeks, where its likely to move a bit.

Your only option is to buy as straight as you can find, acclimatize, then use a surface planer to get it dead flat/straight.

 

[Inspector]

4x2 construction lumber is a bad idea. It is usually lower grade wood that will twist and move as you work it and as it dries more not to mention of the knots.

18mm is a pretty thick panel especially since it is flat and not raised. If it were me I would use 10mm or nearest equivalent in a lightweight MDF (not as dense so a little lighter) if it is available. Cut it full door sized and then cut the styles and rails from thicker material and glue it to both sides around the perimeter. The bottom ones should be wider than the rest, don't look right when the same. It is the quickest and cheapest way to make the door but it is heavier and you need to make sure the jambs and hinges can handle the extra weight. You also need to make sure the fasteners are long enough to get a good bite and not splitting the material by pilot drilling.

If you are going to use traditional construction then use good wood rather than 4x2 etc.

I don't know what your costs are but a MDF Shaker panel door from the Borg store converts to £120 give or take. Can you get the materials to make the doors for the same or less?

Pete

 

[Ollie78]

I really would not suggest you use any kind of 4 x 2 from a builders yard, it will be knotty, not dry and probably bend like a banana.

For internal doors tulipwood (poplar) is a good bet, it is smooth, machines really well and takes paint very nicely, unsorted or "joinery grade" redwood is ok, Southern yellow pine is good but has a strong grain.

Check your proportions before committing. Normally top middle and bottom rails are different sizes to each other eg, 120mm top 170mm middle 210 bottom. If they are the same size it looks odd.

 

[TRITON]

The design is simple: tops and sides at roughly 90mm wide with a panel of 18mm ply internal to make a single panel door. I plan to mortise and tenon the corners and rebate the panel about 15mm all round internally.

TBH you really need a wide middle and lower rail, at least 8"

It will prevent the door from sagging under its own weight.