Hi all, I have on my bucket list is to make a new front door from oak, What oak should I use, I am making the oak front entrance from green ok, but what do I make the door from please.
Paul
Paul
Oak front door
- Thread starter paullap
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Yojevol
Clocking on
Air dried Quecus Robur
It'll need to be dried, either air dried or kiln dried. English or French oak would be best, American white oak is easier to work with so is used a bit commercially but has a less interesting grain and is not as durable.
Thanks for the advice 
And avoid American Red oak as it's not weather durable. Use stainless steel or brass hardware.
johnnyb
Established Member
prime grade kiln dried quarter sawn preferably. expect to pay near £900+ or so. prime kiln dried frame stiles and rails and t and g character grade 5 or 6 inch wide planks this should be £650 or £700.
the prime grade tongue and groove should look much better.esp quarter sawn. sapwood is not acceptable really.
the prime grade tongue and groove should look much better.esp quarter sawn. sapwood is not acceptable really.
johnnyb
Established Member
sorry euro oak is much much more stable. its stability depends on how carefully its kilned. quality prime grade seems to have very little waste/ surprises. a decent supplier will have a quality chain. I use venables brothers. what style door are you considering? prime is even more important with fielded panels.
HOJ
Established Member
Presume that's green Oak, be interesting to see some pictures of your "entrance"! making an Oak door is actually quite a task, have you the means to machine rough stock?, another supplier option is Whitmore's, they deliver nationally, and can machine to size. (no affiliation)
Ollie78
Established Member
I would certainly use air dried for an exterior door, I made one earlier this year and got the wood from Hewins. I bought a load as full waney edge boards but they have sawn to size also.
I found the air dried to be slightly nicer to work with than kiln dried, it is less "brittle" for want of a better description. The other reason is it will move a bit less than the kiln dried as it is not quite as dry.
Ollie
I found the air dried to be slightly nicer to work with than kiln dried, it is less "brittle" for want of a better description. The other reason is it will move a bit less than the kiln dried as it is not quite as dry.
Ollie
Adam W.
A Major Clanger
Air dried is milder to work with, but probably more difficult to source. The unscrupulous are known to sell kiln dried as air dried at a premium.
johnnyb
Established Member
I've found prime kiln dried to be fine. I wouldn't put any wooden doorn directly on an exposed face. I'd even probably stick to that rule for accoya. joiners will do anything to get that job but that is a big no in my book. of course now plastic rules the builders thought process fails to sufficiently protect our fickle and feeble material.
That is some very good helpful information, I do have a heavy duty 16" jointer and and a good table saw, Router table, Morticer and other bits. I am an Engineer by trade, I have had my company 42 years now, At school I hated engineering and always wanted to work in wood. Now I am 66 and decided to start doing some woodwork that I love, ( My wife and daughter said I should retire and take it easy, But I have to be doing something) The front entrance is going to be in green oak, I have to do some work on my house first, it has a smallish flat roof that I am going to put a pitch roof on it with a gable on the front , that is where the oak front entrance comes in, I will start that in August, I can post pictures if anyone is interested, I know these are big expensive projects, But I have to do them soon, I always have this forum if I get stuck. Thanks all for the help and have a good weekend.
Paul
Paul
Made a fair number of oak doors and we used kiln dried American white.
When we did outdoor stuff, big gates etc we went with air dried, but a front door kiln was fine, and its going to be heavily finished.
The only criteria really I'd offer to you is get something that is completely flat and not the hint of twist anywhere.. So buy big enough for you to be able to dress it true across its dimension.
Also, dont go for any modern fancy jointing thingy, stick to M&T.
Belt sanders are good for making those joints perfectly flat
When we did outdoor stuff, big gates etc we went with air dried, but a front door kiln was fine, and its going to be heavily finished.
The only criteria really I'd offer to you is get something that is completely flat and not the hint of twist anywhere.. So buy big enough for you to be able to dress it true across its dimension.
Also, dont go for any modern fancy jointing thingy, stick to M&T.
Belt sanders are good for making those joints perfectly flat
Great as I was tempted to go down the floating tenon route, Do you go you through completely the stile with the mortice and tenon?.
Adam W.
A Major Clanger
Mine get draw bored, but I'm an amateur hobbyist.
I am not a professional,
Adam W.
A Major Clanger
johnnyb
Established Member
draw bore is really just for things to long or awkward to clamp. I use it often on door frames. I offset towards the corner so it tightens the whole joint. the door should always be made using through mortice and tenons for a long term job. look up my post making a traditional front door for an overall view. how you go about making the long tenons and rebates is probably the biggest stumbling block. it's a thing that's quite hard to visualize how the thing hangs together but after a while all doors are variations so the repetition helps fix these complexities.( bit like sash windows)
bearing that in mind can you make a practice one or one for an outbuilding using similar shapes and techniques? same with door frames.
bearing that in mind can you make a practice one or one for an outbuilding using similar shapes and techniques? same with door frames.
good idea, thanks
