Anyone here built a solid exterior door?

[ive]

Hi everybody.

I’m looking to replace a door in the backyard that’s a entrance for the garage. This is a covered area. I’d like to do this because of a uptick in property crime and the door there seems to be a interior door.

Has anyone done this and what did it cost. Thank you.

 

[lilredex]

I built one for my former shop, it had a 2 x 2 inner frame (insulated) Cost....minimal.

 

[ybnormal]

why do you say it is an interior door? is it the thicknes of an interior door? or it because it's a hollowcore? you're probably better off buying a plainjane exterior door at the bigbox, chisel it for hinges where needed, hang it, the fit your handle and lockbolt. the kind of door depends on weather exposure. post a pic.

 

[Zeke]

Yeah, a solid core hardboard (SCHB) door is hard to beat, literally.

What does an homebuilt door cost? That's like asking what a pound of beef costs. What kind? What wood?

 

[isb cornbinder]

I have a sheet-metal shop, the tools and the skills needed to build a secure metal door. I bought a metal door with a fitted metal frame at a lumber supply. I could not make it for less. There is that mater of insurance. Will your insurance recognize your door?
My steel clad door has resisted several B&E attempts. Then there is the monitored alarm.

 

[Monza Harry]

The back door on my garage is an 8'w X 7't opening, so two ~4' doors, I built the frame with 2x4's on the flat with a ~center cross beam and two diagonals each, all 2x4 and sheathed, outside with 1/2" ply and 3/8" G1S inside, and also I strung a couple of cables willy-nilly inside for chain, or other saw resistance. Insulated with styro-foam, Cost ? I built it in early 1996. Security [beyond the doors themselves: Dead bolts (barrel) 6" HD on top, and the hinge side, both doors. bottom ones are homemade from 1/2 CRS and 1/4"- 3" x 3" angle for the mount, both doors, 4" into the concrete.
Approx. Mat'l list: 9-8' 2X4's (2 doors 3-12' for 1) 1 sheet of 1/2" Ext. Gr. Sheathing ea. [and a strip for edge and or center over lap] 1 sheet of your choice for the interior (ea.) [You may wish for an additional strip for inside weather strip/overlap, some screws, and 6"x8" HD "tee" hinges [3ea. for my doors] and necessary locking hardware, 2, [Barrel] dead bolts with padlocks, ea. door and 1 gate type sliding dead bolt (ea. door) mine lock only from the inside so exit is tougher if they gain access from elsewhere and plan for this to be their escape route (less visible here). If the space is conditioned or you plan to, some weather stripping. And some decorative exterior cladding as wanted/required. I slopped silicone & paint into the screw heads of the hardware and sheathing [redundant as all sides are dead bolted and he lumber is glued and screwed from the inside as well]. Make it difficult, noisy, and time consuming all three things thieves don't like, and improve your odds of detouring/detecting/catching them! Harry

 

[MushCreek]

I bought a used pre-hung steel door for our barn. $25 on CL. I do want to build a fancy mahogany front door, but it's not going to be cheap or easy. There are a lot of used doors on Craigs List and Facebook, at least around here.

 

[mike93lx]

Just a stronger door slab won't keep anyone out that wants in. Deterrence, like cameras, are far more effective.

I'd expect a home built door to cost between free and several thousand dollars.

 

[Whitworth]

Hi everybody.

I’m looking to replace a door in the backyard that’s a entrance for the garage. This is a covered area. I’d like to do this because of a uptick in property crime and the door there seems to be a interior door.

Has anyone done this and what did it cost. Thank you.

It just costs the amount of materials. And the time to make it. Cabinet grade hardwood or softwood.

It will have to made frame and panel style, for expansion/contraction of the door, and if you want it to be strong full size mortise and tenon construction. Biscuits or pocket screws won't do.

But as said, steel clad exterior doors are available at the big box alot cheaper and faster than making your own. So unless there's a compelling issue like a non standard size entry I don't see the advantage of building it yourself.

 

[jar944]

Doors aren't hard, but they do require knowledge and either a lot of machinery or a lot of determination to get right. You can't buy the wood to make a door for what a steel door from a box store costs.

Now if you want a nice victorian reproduction door in mahogany...

 

[CraigStu]

I looked at the standard steel doors at L and HD. Prehung in a steel frame in the $500 range. I am not impressed. I spent time w/ the sales guy at L looking at better steel doors. On his PC he had tons of options and went through the exercise of building up an order. That was about $2600 for a 36x80 door and frame. I am currently building a hurricane room in a basement corner so 2 sides are poured concrete and I build 2 sides. I am going to build my door also. I have the walls up. 2x4 standard framing glued and Tapconned to the concrete floor and walls. 2 layers of osb subflooring glued and screwed w/ a layer of concrete reinforcing mesh between. Rebar going into the walls next and probably another layer of subflooring. Protective devises and large amount of supplies will be in here too and are actually more of my focus than a hurricane. My door will be 3 layers of 3/4 plywood w/ the mesh between. Edges will be capped w/ 1/8" x 1.5" steel angle all around. Wall opening for door will be capped the same. Hinges are very large gate hinges one side will be welded to the door and the other Tapconned directly to the foundation. Looking at latches/deadbolts now. Lilredex's door latch mechanism has my attention.

 

[Walkers]

I build doors professionally out of 2x4 steel tube frame and 2x6 jamb. Normally put glass and steel designs in the middle, but could easily fill it with anything. Depending on the lock and hinges you choose it is as secure as can be.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

Aah, the ol’ “time is money” conundrum.
Or is it, “more time than money”?

If your frame/rough opening is a standard 2/8 or 3/0, just buy a prehung utility steel door (utility are usually not insulated). Less money than materials to build a similar strength door, AND way less time from start to finish!!!

 

[d300]

The door is only part of the equation. Look around at places like Habitat for Humanity. I have bought several doors from them over the years including labeled fire doors. The next step is to buy a Timely frame and then ball bearing hinges from ebay. Obviously, if the hinge locations are the same the work is simple but it is not impossible to move them on the door. I have also found all steel doors at HFH and at other building material surplus shops.

 

[Glemon]

I installed a pre made solid wood exterior door when I built my garage addition as it has to be fire rated. I bought a slab door at Menards, had to cut for hinges locks and knobs, so basically a slab of wood. I can't imagine buying a place of solid hardwood for much less than I paid for the door, which I think was around $150. Anyway, love the solid wood door, dead straight and closes with solid authority.

 

[4xdog]

One of our forumites in the Netherlands built this door between his back yard and driveway. Multiple layers of plywood, with grooves simulating a "board" pattern routed into the surface. Strap hinges. Painted with good Dutch paint (seriously -- some of the best in the world) and capped with an aluminum section for weatherability.

IIRC, he built similar carriage doors for his garage -- a glimpse of one of them is visible in the first photo.

 

[nadogail]

I was gifted some 1” plywood with laminate on both sides, I made some really nice doors for an exterior closet from it. The panels were too thin to mortise the hinges so I drilled the panels and through bolted them.