LOML wants me to make new front door

[jteneyck]

There will be an 8' roof overhang so it will be protected from most weather.

If you want to risk building the door twice do as you will.  If you want to build it once, follow what has been proven to work. 

I asked Joe Grout for his advise when I wanted to make my first house door because he had made hundreds of doors and knew what did and didn't work.  Joe was gracious enough to offer his advise.  I followed it.  

John

[fredhargis]

I've never built a door that heavy, but I'm sure you had better listen to John about the joints. The DT joints just aren't going to be as suitable for it as some good heavy tenons. Seems like when he (John) built that arched interior door, he used a PLAM core...that might be a better choice than solid lumber, then veneer over the PLAM.

[jteneyck]

I've never built a door that heavy, but I'm sure you had better listen to John about the joints. The DT joints just aren't going to be as suitable for it as some good heavy tenons. Seems like when he (John) built that arched interior door, he used a PLAM core...that might be a better choice than solid lumber, then veneer over the PLAM.

I did, Fred, but I have since used the typical stave core construction that KLaz showed above with equal success, and it's a lot easier on your tooling with solid stock than LVL.  But there are some guys on WoodWeb who will argue that solid wood, both one piece and laminated, works just as well with less hassle to build and fewer chances of problems down the road as long as you use quality QS or rift sawn stock.  When you look at the old doors on cathedrals you appreciate how well they have stood up for hundreds of years, many still straight and true.  

If you've never built a veneered, stave core door it can be quite a challenge, particularly if you aren't set up for sawing veneer skins, or don't have a drum sander to sand them smooth, and don't have a vacuum bag to glue the veneer to the core assembly, or have never worked much with Unibond 800 or epoxy.  (I would not use TB III on an exterior door.) That's why I didn't recommend that approach.  The 3 layer, solid stock construction Wild Turkey first mentioned will work very well, and is a standard construction approach by many builders.  No need for any of the things that are pretty much required for the veneered, stave core method.   

John

[jteneyck]

For anyone who would like to do a deeper dive on door construction, and most things millwork related, here is a link to the Architectural Woodwork Standards.  The section on doors begins on page page 234 and runs some 40 pages.  Stile and rail joinery is covered on page 247, and stile and rail construction on 248.

John

[Wild Turkey]

John, you're starting to make a lot of sense


My big concern at this time is clamping the joints; I may build a "clamping table" 

gonna do some more thinking


At least I got the pins out of my thumb {stealth gloat!!!} today and can use mouse again without pain.

[Stwood_]

At least I got the pins out of my thumb {stealth gloat!!!} today and can use mouse again without pain.

Well that's step 1 in door construction.

[jteneyck]

John, you're starting to make a lot of sense


My big concern at this time is clamping the joints; I may build a "clamping table" 

gonna do some more thinking


At least I got the pins out of my thumb {stealth gloat!!!} today and can use mouse again without pain.

Good news on your thumb, Mike.  I hope it's all good from here on.  

I don't mean any offense, but you are over thinking this.  I'm talking about clamping now, not the joinery.  I already know you were over thinking that!  You don't need a clamping table.  All you need is a flat workbench, a straight edge, and a three pipe or bar clamps for each rail in the door.  



You don't need much clamping force if the joints fit properly, especially if you use epoxy (which you should) because it works better with joints that have a few thousandths clearance   (loose fit).  In the photo you will see a bar clamp on the bottom under both rails.  They sit flat on my very flat bench so I know the door will be flat, too.  On top are a couple of bar clamps.  They are used to make sure the door is perfectly flat when I place a straight edge across the door above each rail.  Loosen the bottom clamp a little, tighten one or both of the top clamps, or the other way around, whatever it takes to make sure it's dead flat. Nothing high tech required or needed. Just a flat bench and a good straight edge.  

OK, why epoxy?  Two major reasons.  Most importantly, it's impervious to moisture and very heat resistant.  Second, the joints can have a slightly loose fit, so there's a built in forgiveness factor compared to trying to fit perfectly sized and aligned and deep M&T joints.  Equally important, it has a really long open time.  The System Three T-88 epoxy I use has an open time of about 45 minutes, giving me plenty of time to get everything glued and clamped.  I've used Plastic Resin Glue on a few doors but with an open time of only around 10 minutes the stress level is just too high for me with the loose tenons I use.  

Why not Titebond III?  Well, it has a short open time compared to epoxy, although plenty long enough if you were using dowels like Joe Grout typically does.  But there are technical reasons, too.  TB III has lousy high temperature resistance.  If your door never got any exposure to direct sun it would be OK, but most of the doors I've built get direct sun exposure for at least part of the day and that's all it takes for TB III to permanently lose a large percentage of its strength.  Epoxy will lose some strength, too, but not nearly as much.  

John

[Bill Holt]

Thank you John for setting me straight on the dove tail construction.

[Rob Young]

For anyone who would like to do a deeper dive on door construction, and most things millwork related, here is a link to the Architectural Woodwork Standards.  The section on doors begins on page page 234 and runs some 40 pages.  Stile and rail joinery is covered on page 247, and stile and rail construction on 248.  

John

Somehow, John's link got clobbered in the post and doesn't appear.

This is the document to which he refers.

[jteneyck]

Somehow, John's link got clobbered in the post and doesn't appear.

This is the document to which he refers.

Thanks very much Rob.  

John