Making an internal door

southernsun

We want to put a door between the living/dining room and kitchen in our terrace house. The previous owners had an extension put on and the new doorway between the 2 rooms is not a standard size and currently has no door in it (or door frame). We want to put a door in there for various reasons and would ideally like it to be a stable door. As its not a standard size (its wider and shorter and the frame would need to be deeper). We cant find one to put straight in and I have spoken to a local company who quoted £1400 to make one (not fit it). This is way out of our price range!

How difficult would it be make the frame/door myself? Looking at the other doors in our house it looks 'do-able' but I am not a craftsman by any stretch of the imagination.

Would it be easier to make the doorway narrower (wooden post?) then get a standard door and cut the height down to fit?

We have oak flooring so are thinking an oak coloured door would look best. Also there are 2 packs of the oak flooring left over in our shed so would this be an option to use to make the door or would that be too heavy/bulky to use?

Any advice would be gratefully received.

I have also posted in the garden section about another project I am thinking about and any tips on that thread would be welcomed too (have a big list of diy projects we want to do in the coming years!).

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/55288543#Comment_55288543

SailorSam

I'd start by going the library to see if they have any books on door design or visiting the likes of B&q to see if there's one on show and you can make a note over how they're made.

http://www.doordeals.co.uk/products/external-doors/stable-doors/1-light-redwood-stable-door.aspx

southernsun

Good idea, am off to Homebase this weekend so will look in there and B&Q for ideas. Just noticed that there is a custom size option on some doors too for an extra £35 on the link you posted so may contact them if it looks too difficult to do myself.

Kittikins

Thanks for the link to the door company sailor sam, I need a new internal glazed door and have found hopefully the perfect one!

SailorSam

Southernsun if you're still listening i've just found this .....http://www.countryhome.com/projects/decorating/dutchdoor_1.html

cyclonebri1

southernsun wrote: »

How difficult would it be make the frame/door myself? Looking at the other doors in our house it looks 'do-able' but I am not a craftsman by any stretch of the imagination.


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/55288543#Comment_55288543

It's not difficult, and I'm cringing at the price you have been asked:eek:

Stable doors?, my view is you need a reason to have 1 and most folks change them for standard doors eventually.

Frame is on scale of 1-10 a 5 door a little harder.

The one thing in favour of a stable door is that by definition they can be rural, ie a few errors and roughness would be acceptable.

I could go out today and spend a max of £200 and get planed oak to build that door and frame, and I'm talking local outlet not trade special. Sawn oak is more rarely available but maybe want you want.
Hope that gives an idea,;);)

leveller2911

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

It's not difficult, and I'm cringing at the price you have been asked:eek:



I could go out today and spend a max of £200 and get planed oak to build that door and frame, and I'm talking local outlet not trade special. Sawn oak is more rarely available but maybe want you want.

I don't think £1400-00 for a Joinery made stable door and lining is not that expensive if it included fitting .Volume production is always cheaper than one offs.

Just out of interest where would you buy the Oak from and what grade is it?.

southernsun

Thanks for the replies, just the kind of information I was after.

SailorSam - Thanks for the first link, have measured the doorway and its (75.5 inches high x 36 inches wide and 6.5 inches deep) and am sending these details to that company for a quote. Thanks also for the second link as it gives me an idea of whats involved in trying to do it myself, its not an urgent job so I would be able to take my time if I decided to go down this route.

cyclonebri1 - Thanks for the rough guide to cost and reassurance it is a project that could be done. Would consider a standard glazed door if it was easier/cheaper and is something I will look into as well.

leveller2911 - £1400 is probably reasonable for the quality of job they would do but unfortunately it is more than we can justify spending at the moment. Not thought about where to get the wood from but if I do go down the route of doing it myself I will probably go to our local timber yard and see what they can offer first.

cyclonebri1

leveller2911 wrote: »

I don't think £1400-00 for a Joinery made stable door and lining is not that expensive if it included fitting .Volume production is always cheaper than one offs.

Just out of interest where would you buy the Oak from and what grade is it?.

But it doesn't cover fitting as said in the ist post and the op stated that he/she can't afford it.
I didn't say the price was excessive, I simply said it could easily be bettered and that it was a reasonable diy job;);)

The supplier I have used is local to me, Ron Currie is the trading name, they have a website, but the point is they are local. Grade, not sure but it's planed and dry, not construction or green oak.

I have a contact for green oak he runs a timber yard, I've bought and seasoned stuff from him before.;)

Jaynne

I wouldn't have thought it would be that hard to make the doorway smaller to fit a standard door. 826mm is a standard width which is only 100mm too small minus a bit of spacing. Some wood to pack out the frame would be easy to attach and the decorative surrounds of all my doors seem to be bigger than that 5cm.

cyclonebri1

southernsun wrote: »

cyclonebri1 - Thanks for the rough guide to cost and reassurance it is a project that could be done. Would consider a standard glazed door if it was easier/cheaper and is something I will look into as well.

If you have any doubts about your ability to make a door and can accept a cheaper of the shelf solution, then that has to be the way to go, ie, standard door and frame centred in the opening with over size architrave to cover the packings, ;)best :money::money:route.