ledge and braced door

[Wildman]

I am about to build a small shed to house my ride on mower. The door will be built from salvaged timber who's last job was a post and rail fence. I have resawn it and intend to make tongue and groove out of the rails so to my question when making the door is there anything for or against gluing the boards together. My thoughts so far are glued it restricts ingress of water and hence corrosion. Against it may cause splitting as the timber is unable to move naturally. It will be coated in creosote or old engine oil (much used by the farmers around here).

 

[novocaine]

it will rip apart over about a year because of difference in movement in the boards. the tongue and groove should be enough to limit water penetration along with a good coating.

the door on my workshop is tongue and groove and it hasn't been protected (because I didn't get chance over the summer) no water on the inside face.

 

[RossJarvis]

it will rip apart over about a year because of difference in movement in the boards. the tongue and groove should be enough to limit water penetration along with a good coating.

the door on my workshop is tongue and groove and it hasn't been protected (because I didn't get chance over the summer) no water on the inside face.

I refurbed a very old Ledged and braced door a couple of years ago, in the winter. It was painted with Weathershield. When I looked at it in the summer it was obvious that a fair bit of shrinkage had occurred across all the boards (a few mm bare wood visible in the gaps). So I think best not to glue it. This door has lasted since 1905 or thereabouts with little or no rot to the boards.

 

[AndyT]

No glue. And don't be tempted to screw the door together. Nails have enough give in them to allow movement without splitting - they are not just a cheap or old fashioned option.

 

[Beau]

Don't glue. I made this mistake many moons ago and the doors are a nightmare. Great splits in them in the summer and they bow and swell in the winter.

 

[Mike Jordan]

Not a good idea to glue the boards together for the reasons already given, it is a good idea though to ensure that the tongues and grooves and all surfaces like the back faces of the ledges and other areas which can't be coated after assembly are given a coating before making up the door.

 

[Wildman]

Many thanks everyone, wife now believes me, hee hee.

 

[RobinBHM]

Treat the t&g before assembly so the tongues and grooves get coated.

For external use I would assemble with a gap between each board, if you do so, then screwing the ledges on is ok

 

[Wildman]

I'll stick to unglued and nailed, thanks everyone.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

+1 to avoiding glue...I made that mistake once and it literally tore the fibres apart with the shrinkage...very unsightly. But that wasn't why I posted because everyone had said the same and you've clearly go the message Reason for posting was just to warn that old engine oil is carcinogenic so unless you plan to never touch the door......