Garage within basement - adding a metal door?

[jl_vfr]

hello alt.home repair,

My 1930's house. My garage in within the basement, encroaching the cellar space, but separate, and it has only the regular garage door for access.

I would like to add a door linking the cellar to the garage, so that I could go in the garage without going outside. Clear as mud?

I understand there are garage fire code requirements calling for metal-lined doors between garage and living space, is that correct? Note that the door will only open to the basement, use for storage and a a hobby workshop, not living space per se.

Would a big-box store have such a door, or, could I just add a metal facing to a plain door?

The walls of the garage are made of large (approx. 2x3')rectangular plaster tiles. What method should I use to attach the door framing? i am thinking of creating a 2x4 wood sandwich with the plaster tile material calamped btwn the wood frame.

??

Cheers.

- vfr, looking for a door..

[willshak]

On 11/22/2004 9:44 AM US(ET), jl_vfr took fingers to keys, and typed the following:

Almost all door suppliers will have the fire coded metal clad garage to living space doors, although I don't know if that is required in your garrage to basement space. Check with the building inspector.

I'm afraid I don't understand what you are saying here. I have never seen a wall constructed with 2' x 3' plaster tiles.

[jl_vfr]

Thanks!

Uh, you had me go look, outside in the cold (remember no door!).

Yes sir, they are plaster "plates", 14' x 26", probalby an inch thick. They stack on edge using a tongue and groove system, I believe. There is a 1/2 inch plaster grouting also present at the joint. Odd stuff. Must have' been popular back in the 30's.

- vfr

[Dan]

Only a 20 minute rated door is required, I don't actually require a rated door, I'll accept a metal faced entry type door with no window as meeting the code. YMMV

Dan, Building Inspector

[lurking licker]

Dan, i am glad to see that you're one of those inspectors that tempers his decisions with some common sense instead of one of those that inforces regulations and specifications without even comprehending the purpose of them. I've had some answer my question of 'Now what do I need here?' by reading word for word the regulation, without knowing what they were reading, intead of just telling me something like, " You can't just block the end of this duct, you gotta disconect it from the plenum and slide a cap into the opening in the plenum . You can get the right size cap at Lowes. And if I was you I would'nt leave the old duct up here without capping the ends, the rats are gonna love a long empty apartment." More to vfr's case, I do a lot of work in houses from the '30's and way older and never quite understood the rational of requiring a

20 minute door in an existing five minute wall or similar situations. Oh well, your the inspector and I don't like the way red tags look flappin in the wind.

Sorry, v, just one of my usual responses to the mere thought of the inspector's visit. Now, I too am confused by your description of the plaster 'tiles' and your method of hanging the door. ( And, Dan, if I understand this 'sandwich' procedure, it seems there is a possibility of there being a gap with nothing but air between the 2X4's, the door frame and the edge of the tiles. There's that 5 minute wall again.) V, why can't you hang the door the same old way we always done it? Cut your opening, nail in your kings, jacks, and header nice and plumb and square, slide in your prehung door , shim and nail it, fill the gaps with LOW expansion foam ( now that is not how we always done it, you can lightly stuff fiber glass insulation in there), nail up your casing and there you are. You can walk in OR out. Give more than a few minutes thought to which way you want that door to open in or out, right or left. Leaving a car with my arms full I like to fumble the latch loose and push or kick the door open and I don't wanta swing the door open and have it hit my truck and mess up the artisticly placed dents in it. yum yum toungy here and here and here and maybe even there