mortice or screw?

[Stephen]

Hello,

I have a gap above my new garage door, so I wanted to make a frame out of 2x2 or 3x2 or somesuch and then attach a sheet of plywood over that to keep burglars out!

Should I join the frame together with screws or should I use mortice and tenon joints? How strong would such a joint be? I am thinking that if the tenon is only one third of the thickness of the wood that it might be too weak? Would it snap too easily if a burglar whacked it? Would screws make a stronger, more secure finish?

Of course, I realise that if they are desperate to get in they will, and they can always go through the brick wall with an angle grinder if they are that desperate!

Thanks. Stephen.

[Cicero]

================================== I think that 4" nails (possibly 6" depending on what timber you use) would be very adequate for such a job.

Cic.

[Phil]

New garage door and a gap that can be framed with 2 or 3 x2 ? Sounds like bad planning to me. Lap joint or mortice/tenon will do the job. Lap possibly stronger in your case. Might be worth making/buying steel angle plates to reinforce corners. Unfortunately they are not desperate, they are opportunists. Also unfortunately, it sounds like you could be offering an opportunity to ne'er do wells. Good luck.

[newshound]

Depending on the geometry which isn't clear from the description, nails may pull out with a big nail bar. Dome head coach bolts are stronger especially with big washers. Bolt 18 mm ply to the frame and the frame just needs butt joints, especially with a sheet each side. I'm assuming the frame can be secured to the brickwork or other structure. Try to make sure it is difficult to attack by recessing it.

[Stephen]

Not really. 7 ft square door with fascia replaced with another 7 ft door and now I need to make a fascia for that. True I could have bought a 7'x8' door but that would probably have been twice as expensive as buying a "standard" 7' square door off the shelf.