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How to plan the attack on a front door build?


Bushwacked

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Soooo part of the reason I was posting the other door video was because I was researching front door vids. 
 

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this is 68W x 80 1/4H (brown parts) basically. 
 

my questions are … 

1) how do I go about measuring actual size so I know how big to build my jamb? 
 

2) is there more too it than basically building a bigger version of a floating panel cabinet door? I know the doorknobs are kinda a special thing but just talking about the overall build. 
 

any tips/advice or good YouTube vids to watch? Kev you sure your wife doesn’t want a new front door so I can watch 🤣🤣

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The first thing to do is measure the opening.  The door and jamb should be an inch smaller.  Another thing to search is Stave core construction.  Doing solid wood can obviously be done, but the grain direction is important as well as the species, want a wood that doesn’t have large swings in wood movement.  If it is covered by a porch you can use a wider array of finishes.  I know not specific but just things I researched when I was thinking of doing ours after the estimates we got that I mentioned in that other thread.  Check out This is Carpentry, I think Gary Katz made a couple doors, he is a “finish and trim carpentry” expert.

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While I’m looking, is the pictured door your current one or one that you would like to build?

About 8 months ago, I built an interior door using solid walnut and have had no problems with it at all. I also built the jamb and casing and drilled and mortised for the hardware.  Mine was much simpler as it didn’t have the side lites like yours shown but an opening is an opening. You obviously have to account for things such as brick molding. I specified to my builder, the size opening that I wanted where you are limited to your current opening. There are several YouTube videos out there as I’m sure you have researched. Some are really strange and some are very professional.

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  • Bushwacked changed the title to How to plan the attack on a front door build?
1 hour ago, Woodenskye (Bryan) said:

The first thing to do is measure the opening.  The door and jamb should be an inch smaller.  Another thing to search is Stave core construction.  Doing solid wood can obviously be done, but the grain direction is important as well as the species, want a wood that doesn’t have large swings in wood movement.  If it is covered by a porch you can use a wider array of finishes.  I know not specific but just things I researched when I was thinking of doing ours after the estimates we got that I mentioned in that other thread.  Check out This is Carpentry, I think Gary Katz made a couple doors, he is a “finish and trim carpentry” expert.

 

Thanks for all that, will definitely be researching all of that ... It will be covered, about 5' of covering that never sees direct sun and only would get wet if we got crazy with a water hose. so in my picture, if I measure the brown area, it should be an inch smaller than that?

 

4 minutes ago, Coop said:

While I’m looking, is the pictured door your current one or one that you would like to build?

About 8 months ago, I built an interior door using solid walnut and have had no problems with it at all. I also built the jamb and casing and drilled and mortised for the hardware.  Mine was much simpler as it didn’t have the side lites like yours shown but an opening is an opening. You obviously have to account for things such as brick molding. I specified to my builder, the size opening that I wanted where you are limited to your current opening. There are several YouTube videos out there as I’m sure you have researched. Some are really strange and some are very professional.

That is the actual door in there now.

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50 minutes ago, Coop said:

Do you plan on replacing it with the type of door shown on your video, with the side lites opening?

I have not come to a final design yet, something similar to it, but not arched. I am not sure on the side openings as I am not sure how much use they would be in texas when the weather sucks 10 months out of the year haha 

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2 hours ago, Bushwacked said:

 

Thanks for all that, will definitely be researching all of that ... It will be covered, about 5' of covering that never sees direct sun and only would get wet if we got crazy with a water hose. so in my picture, if I measure the brown area, it should be an inch smaller than that?

 

That is the actual door in there now.

Not necessarily.  Generally will have trim at the edge of the door, so if you take the trim off you will get the actual size of the rough opening.  If you went to Home Depot and were looking for a interior door, and your rough opening (stud to stud width and floor to header length) is 31”x81”, you would buy a 30”x80” door, once installed you would trim 2 sides and top with casing.  The extra inch on long measurement usually requires some slope in case on an entrance/exterior door to protect from water infiltration and flooring.  On an interior door, the extra inch accounts for flooring as well.  Now if for some strange reason there is no trim, in your photo it has trim, measuring the door probably would work.  If you measure the door that should give you a close enough idea on size.  First step should be removing the trim.  The reason for the door being smaller than the opening is so that you can shim, insulate and weather strip. You don’t want the door right up against the Jack or King Studs, it will bow the jamb when you screw to framing and mess with how the door sits in the frame (jamb) and affect operation.

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11 hours ago, Coop said:

I gotta ask, why would you replace a pretty door like that?

 

10 hours ago, Woodenskye (Bryan) said:

I would assume that they have updated the house to a more modern style and the front door doesn’t fit.  Then again maybe Drew just wants a challenging build.

Hah! Bryan is correct on both 🙂  ... Although, I have never liked all glass doors like that to begin with. Crafstman style doors are my all time favorite! 

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