I need a custom exterior door frame for my basement safe room. I have a Superior Walls basement system (Factory assembled concrete wall system) that I love. When I built the house, I had them leave the space open under my rear patio to use as a tornado room. I've never added a door to the opening, but I'm planning next years projects. The problem is the opening is rough framed with 2x lumber ripped down to the wall thickness of 10.5 inches. I know I can add an extension to a pre-framed door, but a 6 inch one? I could make a frame out of 1x12's, but how would I handle the stop with the kerf for the weatherstripping? Any better suggestions?
Custom Exterior Door Frame
- Thread starter Skooterj
- Start date
Jeff C
Well-known member
Buy a door with 6-1/2” jambs and add a 4” extension with a pocket hole jig.
Or… if the tornado room is unfinished don’t worry about the extension and just set the door in the opening to the outside and move on with the project.
Or… if the tornado room is unfinished don’t worry about the extension and just set the door in the opening to the outside and move on with the project.
install whatever door you want. extend the jambs with wood, pvc or anything you feel like .
Storm shelters generally will use inswing so that any storm debris doesn't trap the occupants inside. With inswing doors the interior edge of the frame usually is aligned with the Interior wall plane so that the door swings fully open. This puts your extra material on the jambs/head on the outside of the frame and likely chosen to compliment your exterior wall material
CraigStu
Well-known member
This is a tornado room so whatever you do needs to be just as strong as the walls. I'd start by deciding if the existing 10.5" pieces are adequately attached to the walls. If not add more of the appropriate fasteners. Then I'd start glue and construction screw additional layers of 2x10.5s to build down the opening size to something near standard. I'd look into at least steel clad doors like those used house to garage, or walkout basement doors. Plain door or prehung will give you some additional rough opening width options.
If you haven't reviewed it already, FEMA has created and published the defacto standards for storm shelters/safer rooms and it's all available for review below:
www.fema.gov
They have a resource specifically on doors for community shelter rooms that is probably overkill for a residential single family space, but it can help guide on some of the considerations and provides citations for additional information
Safe Room Publications and Resources
The free safe room resources listed below have been developed by FEMA's Building Science Branch.
www.fema.gov
They have a resource specifically on doors for community shelter rooms that is probably overkill for a residential single family space, but it can help guide on some of the considerations and provides citations for additional information
TurnipTruck
Well-known member
How about an inswing vault door behind an outswing secret door bookcase?
With the proviso that the bookcase was fully open and away from the storm door during an actual tornado.
With the proviso that the bookcase was fully open and away from the storm door during an actual tornado.
I don't think the rough opening is his issue, it's the width of the jambs
No, the rough opening is the correct size. The wall is just way thicker than standard. And the framing was laid down before the walls were cast at the factory, so it is attached just fine.
If the jams are all that is bothering you, just extend them with 1x material. If it is outside I would use PVC, heck, in this case I probably would use PVC on the inside. PVC will stay in shape where pine will rot outside, or near the floor and warp.
Unless you are going to follow FEMA instructions, I would buy a decent quality exterior door with a composite frame and trim it out. I have a couple composite frame doors in my house and that is probably all I will buy. Composite is a great door frame.
Unless you are going to follow FEMA instructions, I would buy a decent quality exterior door with a composite frame and trim it out. I have a couple composite frame doors in my house and that is probably all I will buy. Composite is a great door frame.
Yes, just the jamb. But have never seen a 6-7 inch jamb extension and worried about attaching it. The current jamb is 1 1/4 thick on the door I'm looking to buy, so a 1x won't work and a 2x is too thick. And I don't own a planer. And the whole thing is in my basement.
Just use 1x material. I don't know why it would be an issue.
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
Get some 6/4 stock. It starts off as 1 1/2" thick when it's rough lumber but after they plane it down it's about 1 1/4" thick. The big box stores won't have it, you'll have to find a real lumber yard.
TurnipTruck
Well-known member
I had to extend the casings of every window and door when I converted this 2x4 house to the Mooney wall system with inboard foam panels.
This basement door is a standard 2x6 jamb in a cmu wall plus foam, so it’s extra thicc.
This basement door is a standard 2x6 jamb in a cmu wall plus foam, so it’s extra thicc.
larry4406
Well-known member
Having the extension jamb interior relative to the hinge makes the door hinge bound and only able to swing 90 degrees.I had to extend the casings of every window and door when I converted this 2x4 house to the Mooney wall system with inboard foam panels.
This basement door is a standard 2x6 jamb in a cmu wall plus foam, so it’s extra thicc.
I prefer the hinge at the interior wall plane with extension jamb at the exterior side so as to increase the swing. Can't always do this however.
manwithtools
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Is this going in the interior wall of the basement? It's a little unclear to me if this an interior or exterior location for the door.
CraigStu
Well-known member
I was thinking the same thing about the swing limited to 90deg or so. But then I thought so what. As I understand it, this isn't going to be a multiple uses per day door so put a stop on the floor to keep from over opening the door and move on. Heck our bedroom door is in the very corner of the room so the wall limits it to maybe 100deg opening. Never been a problem.
larry4406
Well-known member
Yes swinging against a perpendicular wall is very common and being hinge bound is a non-issue as the wall creates the same swing limit as the bound hinge will.
A door in the middle of a long wall that only swings 90 degrees vs 180 can result in you "doing the door dance" depending on which direction you approach the door.
Interior basement wall.
And I plan on putting the hinges even with the interior wall so I can swing the door 180. So the extension will be past the stop. So I figured it would be easier to just extend the frame and stop, since they are already one solid piece.
Attachments
manwithtools
ALLIANCE MEMBER
If it was me, I'd get a commercial steel door and steel jamb combo. Mount them and then figure out your jamb options. Could be many ways to skin that cat.
Shim the 1x material and nail it into the 2x material surrounding the opening. You not need to nail or screw it to the door frame.
Also you can buy 3/4 poly U-channel and nail it to the door frame and slip the extension jamb into it, or buy thin double face automotive trim tape and tap it to the door frame.
I have extension jambs on all my doors. The only thing holding the extension jamb in place it the trim.