Making a Front Door heads the to do list
By Andy the stuff doer
(All the Door design, build, details, videos etc. are POSTED HERE)
A new year and fresh resolve to get some jobs finished. I’ve bought the timber for making my sliding sash windows and got pressed in to another job.
Whilst I was getting a big order for timber together, the wife asked me about the front door I said I was going to make. So I added a few extra length to order and now I’ve got another job on the list.
Never mind, I’ll enjoy it when I’ve started. The trouble is starting, I’ve spent hours trying to get my head around Sketchup and only managed a visual representation.
Sketchup of Front Door
After spending ages creating this I literally went back to the drawing board. Within half an hour I had got all the proportions right and all the dimensions for the timber sections. Paper and pencil, a fantastic combination.
Link to the full details Timber Front Door design details. Includes- using the Golden Ratio to get the proportions right.
Thanks Stephen, It’s good to know you’ve found it interesting.
Andy
Wanted to say thanks for the inspiration. I’m starting work on some panelling and was going to buy a job lot of beading/moulding from Wickes but have invested the money in a router table with which I plan on making my own…
Thanks Jake, I’ve had had a quick look at your blog, you are capable chap so I’m sure you’ll not have any problems. Watch out for scrap thieves in your back garden, that copper wouldn’t last long around here. The draining board grooves look good, I just did mine a couple of weeks ago. Hope the Danish oil lasts OK, permanant damp cloths etc. on our last one rotted it.
Hi Andy,
Very impressive tutorial on door making. As a Joiner with a full machine shop I can appreciate the time and effort needed to make a door the way you have. I followed your progress and watched all the videos with great delight. I love to see other peoples. methods and techniques.looking forward to the next project. Keep up the good work
Keith
Dublin
Thanks Keith, it’s good to hear from a pro like yourself. I’ll be posting more projects as soon as get chance to write/edit them up.
Cheers
Andy
Hi Andy: Pl forgive the intrusion of an email, I’m not sure if you like being contacted directly, if you don’t – apologies. I have watched your videos re door construction with great interest and they have inspired me to at least consider building some doors for our Edwardian house. We had the originals ‘dipped’ years ago and frankly that ruined them. I’d like to have a go at replacing them with 4 panel variants on your theme. My question is what kit do I need to acquire in order of importance. Space is a bit of an issue, but your guidance would be v helpful in deciding where I go.
Kind regards
Phill
Hi Phill,
No Problem, if you don’t mind I add your question and my answer to the associated blog post.
It’s good to hear you fancy giving it a go. Apart from basic woodworking hand tools. I would recommend, a thicknesser, table saw and router table, if you have these you find yourself tackling many more jobs. You can cut the mortises by hand but I treated myself to a mortising machine. If you don’t think you’ll get much use from the machines in the future you could ask at your local timber merchants to cut and plane the sections for you. The router table is only essential to use the raised panel cutting technique, if you don’t want the step then this can be done by hand planing.
So you can make doors with just basic hand tools, I’ve done it in the past, the machines save time (and money sizing timber). I look on the purchase of machines as an investment. Space wise the router table ends up as a bit of work bench in my garage, the planer and saw bench go to one side and come out when needed.
Hope this helps
Regards
Andy