Carriage Doors

[Cruisinga]

I need to build some "Carriage House" style doors with window sashes.

There seem to be two main camps-

1) Use 3/4 plywood for the structure and trim to suit like Thruxton did here-
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=202586

2) Build a frame out of PT 2x4, cedar, steel, whatever and then clad with plywood or hardiepanel like red vette mike did here-
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=64385&postcount=5

I am leaning towards method #1 for ease of construction and ability to "fit" the door to the opening which is surely not completely square.
However, I don't really want exterior wood on the doors. Low maintenance is the goal.
I guess I could use method #1, then clad with hardiboard and trim with PVC. I am a little worried this might be too heavy for the 3/4 ply, and 1x6 PVC trim is ~$25/8ft with about 4 boards per door.

Help me decide!

 

[stikman56]

Re: Garage Carriage Doors

I much prefer #1 as well. I'd think it would be lighter and hold up fine if it's caulked and painted.

 

[JimR1998]

Re: Garage Carriage Doors

I think #1 too but the door will be heavier that way. Make sure you have good hardware.

A few years back Fine Homebuilding did an article on building carriage doors for one of their project houses. They used strandboard lumber so the frame was perfectly flat and straight, pocket screwed the pieces together, and insulated between with rigid foam. The front panels were pre-painted hardiboard with wood trim that could easily be replaced with PVC if you wanted a painted look. They used replacement storm door glass for the windows and framed around it. If I ever get around to a project, this will be it.

Here is a link to the issue. If you google around you can probably find the video.

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/design/articles/dress-up-a-garage-with-insulated-carriage-doors.aspx?nterms=63716

 

[kbs2244]

I would go number one and spend some good money on good paint.

 

[Thruxton]

I'm very pleased with the ones I built (and thanks all for the compliments!). They have held up well, no warping whatsoever, I'll touch up some caulking this spring, mostly for looks. I'll second the comment about good hardware- they are fairly heavy. As to using exterior wood, if you are referring to PT, don't bother, in my experience you don't need it, just a couple of good coats of paint as mentioned above. (Plywood is A/C of course.) Good luck whichever way you go, and post pics!

 

[Cruisinga]

Doors are built Thruxton style. Decided to go with single pane laminated glass with SDL grid for the windows. The trim overlaps the window hole cut in the plywood, the glass will sit against the back of the trim and I will capture it with trim from the back.
Question: Would you set the glass in glazing compound or the same caulk that will be used to finish the door before paint?

I will mention for future reference that one mistake I made was not letting the treated 1x6 and 1x8 lumber dry longer before building the first door. It shrunk and bowed the door. The second door built a week later did not have that issue.

 

[upndown]

Your doors turned out beautiful! Years ago we used to build top sections out of plywood, Sunburst, Cathedral type design. When we glazed the doors, we just set the glass in with quarter round beading to allow expanding and contracting without cracking the glass.

 

[Cruisinga]

Thank you for the compliment!
I like the idea of capturing with the quarter round. 1/2 x 1/2 ought to fit. (3/4" ply and 1/4" glass) I had not thought of allowing the door to expand and contract without affecting glass. I guess I'll just set the glass in dry and caulk from the front. The windows won't get wet anyway due to the standing seam awning.