Slatted oak door

[Wattsjoinerybarn]

Hi

I have been asked to make an external oak door as the image, I need to make a new frame and side panel to so thankfully can make the door to any thickness I would like! However with the slats on both sides and what would appear to be a lack of a rail and style I am struggling to think of a way of making it. Would an external veneer ply wood doubled up for either side stay true? Or would jointing oak together and the. Milling out grooves work. Thankfully for the door is under cover but it would still be subject to temp change!

 

[baldkev]

Unfortunately im not a joiner, so not best suited to answer, but wouldn't a ledge and brace style door, but clad both sides, be suitable? You could use oak floorboards for the faces and mill out the grooves? Obviously you'd need to figure out the best way to secure the boards after the grooving is done, otherwise you risk hitting fixings whilst milling out.
Failing that, i imagine it'd have to be solid?
Either way, timber selection will be the most important factor.

 

[baldkev]

Oh and I'd love to see updates as you do this

 

[thetyreman]

looks good but can imagine it being a nightmare in terms of movement, without some kind of frame to hold the giant loose solid oak panel in, do you have a drawing of exactly what you're planning to make?

 

[Inspector]

Firstly I am not a door builder or joiner.
I would make a torsion box, with foam between all the pieces inside for insulation, from a high quality marine plywood. Veneer it with oak and epoxy in a vacuum bag if it can't be had with oak veneer. Finally glueing the solid oak strips to the faces. If they will go for one of the African marine plywoods with the same hardwood you wouldn't need to veneer. That type of plywood has many layers (like good baltic birch) and has no voids.

One thing I wonder about is how you are going to get a tight seal to the weatherstripping without doing solid strips along the top and bottom too?

Pete

 

[marcomiff]

It's worth having a look at Bourbon Moth on youtube.
He built an internal barn door, might be good for some inspiration.

ta

 

[ChrisWiduWood]

I would buy a solid oak/solid core door blank and run grooves in both faces and then glue and clamp your oak slats in the grooves, it looks to me as this is what the example is like as the grain is all different on the slats.
Only a suggestion!
Would be a job for a CNC or a well made router jig!

 

[clogs]

need to eat ur weetabix....
u can buy ready made external doors, pre finished like that in most sizes....
for a lot less money than it takes to buy the wood.....
sorry, just saying....

 

[Wattsjoinerybarn]

I would buy a solid oak/solid core door blank and run grooves in both faces and then glue and clamp your oak slats in the grooves, it looks to me as this is what the example is like as the grain is all different on the slats.
Only a suggestion!
Would be a job for a CNC or a well made router jig!

I really like this idea! I had so many ideas but never that. I have the festool router track sled and a long rail so totally doable.

 

[Wattsjoinerybarn]

need to eat ur weetabix....
u can buy ready made external doors, pre finished like that in most sizes....
for a lot less money than it takes to buy the wood.....
sorry, just saying....

Brilliant. I couldn’t find external ones! Do you have a link?

 

[Wattsjoinerybarn]

It's worth having a look at Bourbon Moth on youtube.
He built an internal barn door, might be good for some inspiration.

ta

I will check it out thanks

 

[Wattsjoinerybarn]

Firstly I am not a door builder or joiner.
I would make a torsion box, with foam between all the pieces inside for insulation, from a high quality marine plywood. Veneer it with oak and epoxy in a vacuum bag if it can't be had with oak veneer. Finally glueing the solid oak strips to the faces. If they will go for one of the African marine plywoods with the same hardwood you wouldn't need to veneer. That type of plywood has many layers (like good baltic birch) and has no voids.

One thing I wonder about is how you are going to get a tight seal to the weatherstripping without doing solid strips along the top and bottom too?

Pete

I like this idea as I could fix the slats through the back of the ply before I foam and press it. Also a fantastic ideas in terms of insulation! Basically a wooden sip and I imagine it will stay stable.

As for the weather strip it’s under cover so I don’t need to worry about driving rain but for draught I would just have a solid piece which only gets seen when the door is open. I already explained this to them.

 

[Wattsjoinerybarn]

looks good but can imagine it being a nightmare in terms of movement, without some kind of frame to hold the giant loose solid oak panel in, do you have a drawing of exactly what you're planning to make?

Not yet as I don’t really know how to make it. I have made quite a few hardwood R & S doors and have a the kit but this door is probably more suited to a blank rather than the traditional method

 

[Wattsjoinerybarn]

Unfortunately im not a joiner, so not best suited to answer, but wouldn't a ledge and brace style door, but clad both sides, be suitable? You could use oak floorboards for the faces and mill out the grooves? Obviously you'd need to figure out the best way to secure the boards after the grooving is done, otherwise you risk hitting fixings whilst milling out.
Failing that, i imagine it'd have to be solid?
Either way, timber selection will be the most important factor.

Nice idea but the door would be quite heavy and deep with both sides done it floor boards plus once I groove the floor boards I am not sure how stable the excess will be and I will need to miss the t and g of the floor boards.
I suppose I could make my own t and g oak boards but I am still puzzled how I would miss seeing the joins! Also there is the door edge to consider! Definitely stuff to think about tho and that’s why I put it up as there is more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[baldkev]

I would imagine you'd have to set the grooves based on the width of the board used, which would allow you to avoid the t and g joint.
Thinking out loud, is there a way to create a honeycombe centre ( just like internal pressed mdf doors? )
That'd reduce weight and might be a way to increase stability. Again, grain selection for the face boards is imperative, one bad board can make the door twist

 

[niall Y]

An interesting little puzzle. I would probably tackle this as a fairly standard door construction, with full thickness ( 1 3/4") oak stiles. The rails could be in pine, as they will not show but would only be 3/4" thick The rails could all be fairly wide but should incorporate shoulders, so the frame can be glued and wedged squarely.

I would then machine up an Oak T&G 12mm in thickness. To save on effort during assembly, this could be machined to incorporate 2, 3 or possibly 4 ridges, bearing in mind boards that are too wide will give problems with wood movement.

12mm will allow for grooves between the ridges that are 4mm deep, and tongues for the T&G of the same thickness. I would use the type of stepped T&G joint you find on wooden flooring, this will allow for secret nailing/screwing. The T&G should not be glued as movement will have to be allowed for The stiles will also have to be grooved, so best to do this before assembly.

It might also be expedient to fit a piece of breathable waterproof membrane behind the outer layer of T&G. The voids between the rails could be filled with board, or some form of insulating layer, before the inner T&G is fitted.

 

[Wattsjoinerybarn]

I would imagine you'd have to set the grooves based on the width of the board used, which would allow you to avoid the t and g joint.
Thinking out loud, is there a way to create a honeycombe centre ( just like internal pressed mdf doors? )
That'd reduce weight and might be a way to increase stability. Again, grain selection for the face boards is imperative, one bad board can make the door twist

I would be worried about the slats being in the t&g but I guess if the join was in the shadow gap it could work. I think I would need to machine the t and g as 2 m is quite long for flooring but it could work. Definitely an option and I will think about it further.

 

[Wattsjoinerybarn]

An interesting little puzzle. I would probably tackle this as a fairly standard door construction, with full thickness ( 1 3/4") oak stiles. The rails could be in pine, as they will not show but would only be 3/4" thick The rails could all be fairly wide but should incorporate shoulders, so the frame can be glued and wedged squarely.

I would then machine up an Oak T&G 12mm in thickness. To save on effort during assembly, this could be machined to incorporate 2, 3 or possibly 4 ridges, bearing in mind boards that are too wide will give problems with wood movement.

12mm will allow for grooves between the ridges that are 4mm deep, and tongues for the T&G of the same thickness. I would use the type of stepped T&G joint you find on wooden flooring, this will allow for secret nailing/screwing. The T&G should not be glued as movement will have to be allowed for The stiles will also have to be grooved, so best to do this before assembly.

It might also be expedient to fit a piece of breathable waterproof membrane behind the outer layer of T&G. The voids between the rails could be filled with board, or some form of insulating layer, before the inner T&G is fitted.

Very comprehensive and with another suggestion on here I could merge them and get them to work for sure.

Need to take this to sketch up I think

 

[Wattsjoinerybarn]

Thanks to everyone that commented I have come up with a plan.
There is a company near me that do veneer work so I am going to get them to 2mm veneer a external door blank on both sides I am then going to route grooves in on both sides but only 5mm deep and then rebate a load of oak into these joins with d4 I like this suggestion as I can book match the front slats. I will then create a solid oak lip detail flush with the top and bottom groove rebates which sits in the frame and is only visible from certain perspectives when the door is open.
Then the solid rail on the lock side will actually be a solid piece of oak that I will plant on to the edge of the door with a groove and large external dominos to help it not twist! And possibly some screws that are plugged! This piece needs to be flush with the front of the slats and as it will be 95mm wide I feel it’s too risky to do it at 10/15mm deep and laminate it, plus it saves me lipping that edge.

I may change the design of lock stile slightly when I select the timber and start the project but for now I can cost it. Should be quite interesting to do so if I get it I will post pictures.

Amazing suggestions so thanks again.