Ventilated Shed Door

[Charlie Woody]

I have been asked to make a shed door (similar style to the existing one which has rotted) which is larger than standard size and due to condensation problems in the shed they wish to have some form of ventilation in the door. The door faces south west so gets the prevailing weather.

What I have come up with is a 50 mm x 50 mm frame work with a 12 mm exterior grade ply outside face. This will have two 50 mm x 920 mm slots cut out with a triangular weather strip to prevent rain getting in, see sketchup below.

I am just wondering if this will work i.e. allow airflow but prevent rain getting in? Should I rout a rebate to allow the ply to fit inside the frame thus protecting the ply edges?

Or should I be doing something different?

They are also concerned that over time the door will drop as it seems they had an experience of this with their previous property where the hinges allowed the door to drop over time. Would these hinges eliminate this possibility http://www.screwfix.com/p/heavy-duty-sc ... of-2/24925 ? I am thinking of using 3 hinges.

 

[Charlie Woody]

So guys any ideas please?

 

[dm65]

I put vent bricks in my walls, not the door, sorry

You could just make a frame with slats to make a louvre type vent which would be pretty or simple angled holes would allow air through and any water would drip back out I guess - still underneath your cover would be extra help

Fire door hinges with bearings are very strong so will hold as long as the wood does

 

[Mike.S]

The ply with linked hinges should prevent the door sagging (as might happen with an unbraced frame and T&G boards) but I'm not a fan of the proposed vents, especially the lower one which will provide a neat entry point for vermin.

I'd try to find alternative ventilation e.g. at the eaves or louvre vents (as dm65 says) in the walls.

Framework for the door at 50mm x 50mm seems excessive - 19 x 38 perhaps? And yes - rebate the door.

 

[dm65]

The ply with linked hinges should prevent the door sagging (as might happen with an unbraced frame and T&G boards) but I'm not a fan of the proposed vents, especially the lower one which will provide a neat entry point for vermin.

Agreed - should have added 'put some mesh in front of the holes' as I've been watching birds nesting in a bit of missing mortar in an old mill again this year AND behind someone's window frame where a bit of mastic has been removed/fallen out

 

[Charlie Woody]

The ply with linked hinges should prevent the door sagging (as might happen with an unbraced frame and T&G boards) but I'm not a fan of the proposed vents, especially the lower one which will provide a neat entry point for vermin.

I'd try to find alternative ventilation e.g. at the eaves or louvre vents (as dm65 says) in the walls.

Framework for the door at 50mm x 50mm seems excessive - 19 x 38 perhaps? And yes - rebate the door.

Thanks for the advice Mike. Forgive my ignorance but what are "linked hinges"?

The customer specifically wants vents in the door, but you are right about the vermin risk. Just looked at http://www.screwfix.com/p/manrose-louvr ... 52mm/16105 , do you think one of these top and bottom would do the trick?

 

[dm65]

Won't be pretty, but will work fine

If the look is fine, http://www.screwfix.com/p/manrose-louvr ... 29mm/15818 gives you 50% more airflow

Is the material ok for full exposure (did someone say this is for a shed ? )

 

[Charlie Woody]

Won't be pretty, but will work fine

If the look is fine, http://www.screwfix.com/p/manrose-louvr ... 29mm/15818 gives you 50% more airflow

Is the material ok for full exposure (did someone say this is for a shed ? )

Hmmmmm not sure whether this is meant for internal use only. Maybe I should ask the customer about taking out one of the concrete wall blocks to fit plastic air bricks instead?

 

[dm65]

Won't be pretty, but will work fine

If the look is fine, http://www.screwfix.com/p/manrose-louvr ... 29mm/15818 gives you 50% more airflow

Is the material ok for full exposure (did someone say this is for a shed ? )

Hmmmmm not sure whether this is meant for internal use only. Maybe I should ask the customer about taking out one of the concrete wall blocks to fit plastic air bricks instead?

I would personally, bit of a pain doing retrospectively though, drilling and chopping

I did mine while building it and put two in the front close(ish) to the ground and two in the back up near the roof

Honestly though, its a shed, does it matter that much so long as you get air movement ? (thinking back to downward facing holes and a bit of mesh - pretty it up with a bit of beading round the mesh if you wanna be flash)

 

[Charlie Woody]

Won't be pretty, but will work fine

If the look is fine, http://www.screwfix.com/p/manrose-louvr ... 29mm/15818 gives you 50% more airflow

Is the material ok for full exposure (did someone say this is for a shed ? )

Hmmmmm not sure whether this is meant for internal use only. Maybe I should ask the customer about taking out one of the concrete wall blocks to fit plastic air bricks instead?

I would personally, bit of a pain doing retrospectively though, drilling and chopping

I did mine while building it and put two in the front close(ish) to the ground and two in the back up near the roof

Honestly though, its a shed, does it matter that much so long as you get air movement ? (thinking back to downward facing holes and a bit of mesh - pretty it up with a bit of beading round the mesh if you wanna be flash)

Thanks. I'll sleep on it and talk to the customer tomorrow me thinks. Also by then hopefully Mike will have had a chance to respond about the hinges.

 

[Mike.S]

Thanks for the advice Mike. Forgive my ignorance but what are "linked hinges"?

My apologies for not being clear . I was referring to the T-hinges from Screwfix that you had 'linked' to in your original post.

 

[Jacob]

Instead of ventilating the door why not just make it short top and bottom so there is an air gap?
Vermin won't get in (or stay, at any rate) if there is nothing for them such as food or nesting materials etc.
i.e. the trad solution to doors on outside lavs and coal sheds everywhere.

 

[imageel]

With regard hinges - why not use ones like these -
http://www.screwfix.com/p/fire-door...ed-stainless-steel-102-x-76mm-pack-of-3/22404 pack of 3 for less than the T-type and rated to carry 120kg
/Ed

 

[Charlie Woody]

Instead of ventilating the door why not just make it short top and bottom so there is an air gap?
Vermin won't get in (or stay, at any rate) if there is nothing for them such as food or nesting materials etc.
i.e. the trad solution to doors on outside lavs and coal sheds everywhere.

Good idea Jacob - thanks. How much of a gap did these traditional doors have top and bottom please?

 

[Charlie Woody]

With regard hinges - why not use ones like these -
http://www.screwfix.com/p/fire-door...ed-stainless-steel-102-x-76mm-pack-of-3/22404 pack of 3 for less than the T-type and rated to carry 120kg
/Ed

Thanks Ed that will save a few quid and be more secure as no access to the hinge screws.