External Door - Simple Design?

[ellisn]

Planning ahead on making some hardwood external doors and looking for a design that would be easy for a beginner but not too boring.

Would this design throw up any problems do you think?

As my little knowledge tells me, it would be haunched tenons for top and bottom rails to stiles, with groove in centre of rails and stiles for panel. Panel would be made up from beveled edged, tongue and grooved then rabbeted around to fit the grooves. I am guessing the small window would be cut in after.

Anyone see any problems with this design? would the panel be floating if hardwood? Does the lack of a centre rail create stability issues?

Any advice appreciated

Neil

 

[MickCheese]

I'm no expert but there is probably a central horizontal rail behind the shiplap.

Mick

 

[Jacob]

I wouldn't copy an industrial style of cheapo door like that one you could do a lot better by copying something traditional.

 

[Steve Maskery]

I'm not sure that I would call that simple for a beginner, to be honest. How are you going to fix the ends of the boards that are broken by the window? And how are you going to fix that window in, what will you fix to?
I would at least want to see the other side of the door before embarking on making a copy.
Plus, if it an external door that is exposed to rain, I'd have that bottom rail thinner, with bare-faced tenons, and have the boards runs right down to the bottom, so that water does not settle in that horizontal groove.
S

 

[AndyT]

Regardless of how interesting it might be to make such a door I suggest you have a stroll around your area looking at houses of similar size and date to yours to see what looks right. It is terribly easy to spoil the look of a house by putting on an inappropriate design of door.


At least you are not contemplating some PVC monstrosity!

 

[ellisn]

Good points, maybe I will just copy the existing ones but from better wood, they are very thin, light and warped:

Neil

 

[twothumbs]

Your present door may be more visually agreeable to the building exterior. If you do go down the lined face remember to space out the linings so that you have at least a half board or slighty more.....and not a wee slivver on either side as you so often see on 'trade' made doors. The old lined doors used have the linings bedded in white lead to seal them from water ingress. Also it is worth while primer painting the linings tongues and grooves before clamping up. Best wishes. Let see the WIP pics.

 

[ellisn]

I did have a play with some offcuts of wood with:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-pc-1-2-...892969078?pt=Routers_Bits&hash=item20cde01876

And even though not yet perfect the result was Ok and can only improve when I do more than play. They look well suited to the original style of door. It will just be a matter of getting hold of the right wood as bigdanny tells me only green wood is available local to Vidin in Bulgaria. So I guess i will have to drive to the capital Sofia with a shopping list.

Have a Toyota Lucida so will get a roof rack.

 

[ellisn]

With ragards the door from in the picture, from reading it seems dovetail joints at the top of frams is good as it allows a bit of alteration when fitting, but with the bar going across beneath the glazed area what kind of joint here?

Also if solid wood panels in the door do they need to be floating... this sounds a bit weather weak

Neil