Garage doors - Metal to Wood

[RzB]

I am converting my garage to a woodworking workshop...

I would like some advice/thoughts on replacing the existing metal up'n'over doors with some normally hinged hung wooden doors.

Here are some pics of what it looks like today and what it might look like in the future!!

main reason for replacing these doors is sound/thermal insulation...

I'll spell out my plan and perhaps you can pick it to pieces...

Firstly build a substantial frame... not sure what wood yet but would be substantial thickness - perhaps 1 1/2 ins thick. I intend to face this frame with 3/4in plywood - both sides. Inside this sandwich will be sound/thermal insulation.

Now this is where I'm struggling...

The outside of each door, will be faced with the herringbone pattern stuff. Probably some sort of T&G or shiplac.

I have a number of questions in my mind...

How do I finish off the edges of the face T&G stuff ? Could I take it right up to the edge of the door? Or what?

What finish should I be applying? Should I be putting something on the plywood prior to the external facing? I'm concerned about the elements getting in the cracks and causing problems...

Any other advice or thoughts...?

Any thought re seals? Hinges?

Many thanks, Roy (UK)

[Leon]

If there is a Wayne Dalton garage door dealer over there, ;~), they have insulated steel doors that seal up nicely with no drafts.

[hylourgos]

You may have already seen this, but I got some good ideas from it:

[Leuf]

painful.

-Leuf

[RzB]

H,

Many thanks - that looks interesting.

Roy

[Bob G.]

====================================================

Most of us who read this newsgroup sure have no problem with you wnating to make your own doors... and btw the dark set of doors I like much more then the light set of doors....

I personally could care less about sound insulation..but thermal insulation I sure would appreciate..

in my one 3 bay garage I have metal roll up doors that are like those found on loading docks and work like a window blind...roll up and do not take up any space at all in the interior... I have 2 lifts in that garage to work on my "toys"...

I was gong to recommend them BUT they do absolutely nothing to satisfy your needs... except the metal does get pretty warm to the touch when the sun is shinningf directly on the,,, helps in the winter to keep the garage a little warmer...in the summer I just open them ..

Lots of luck...

Bob G.

[mac davis]

suggestion that has nothing to do with metal or wood but I had to bring up...

If you don't park a car in the garage, consider a temporary insulated wall with oversized swinging door, that fits the opening..

Or, think about the old type of slider that goes sideways in 2 or 3 pieces..

Suggestions based on my last 3 shops, all garages, and the fact that I'd rather not be opening a garage door every time I want to go in & out of the shop... The best of the last 3 was the one that had the sliding doors... (not sure how that would work with what looks like a 1 car garage, though) I found it very handy to just open it enough to walk in or out and leave it open for light & ventilation..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[Juergen Hannappel]

[...]

One can also put a normal sized door in one of the big wings of the large door, and only open the small one if tha large opening is not needed. There exist even insulated transparent doors of the roll up type wich have a small size door embedded, but I guess those come expensive.

[Luigi Zanasi]

On Sat, 21 Jan 2006 20:53:44 -0000, "RzB" scribbled:

Liar. :-)

I think that's overkill. When I made my garage doors (vertical opening like a normal door), I used 1" by X 1-1/2" western red cedar for the outside frame, 1/8" (3mm plywood) and 1-1/2" styrofoam panels (extruded polystyrene), all glued together using Weldbond (a weather resistant white PVA glue). But you need a flat surface and means of applying pressure.

Mine look like regular frame and panel. I simply glued the rails and stiles to the plywood. Fifteen years later, they are still there.

Yes, then you could nail them (using galvanized or stainless nails) to the frame under the plywood. Putting a rail and style frame around it (as in the picture) could be more problematic. Don't forget the T&G will expand and contract with changes in humidity.

Make sure the tongues are up and no frame around it. If you use a frame around the diagonal siding, you might have a problem.

Big strong stainless steel ball-bearing hinges, long screws.

On the centre, I screwed a 3.5" wide batten on the inside on one door that overlaps the other door to seal the centre opening. on the edges of the door.

I used the weatherstripping that fits in a slot in the jamb. I don't know if you can get it in the UK, See the following web site:

"nonet" with "yukonomics" for real email address

[RzB]

--- clip

=============== No, no. T'is true... Sound is MOST important. You can see from the photos that the neighbors are quite close to the left. I am spending a lot of time (and cash) to ensure I do not cause any problems re sound...

--------------------------

=============== Yes - I think I need a heavier door for the sounds insulation...

--------------------------

=============== Yes, - very good point...

--------------------------

=============== Yes - the earlier post from H pointed me to the URL...

the chap there (I think his name is John Lucas) used ball-bearing hinges. I didn't know such things existed...

-------------------------

Yes - that's a good idea - I don't know if Draftseal is available in the UK but I'm sure there are similar things.

Many thanks for your help, Roy

--------------------------

[Juergen Hannappel]

[...]

If the space in front of your heavy door is sufficiently even and you don't want to trust the hinges to carry all the weight of the door you could also put some small wheels on the doors so that they ride on the ground, this of course needs hinges with plenty of axial play.

[RzB]

Juergen and Mack,

Many thanks for your thought.

No - the garage will not be used for cars... Lets get our priorities right :-)

Also There is another entrance to the back of the garage that I use most of the time. These front doors will be used only occasionally to move machines and lumber in and finely crafted items of furniture etc out :-)

I have considered other ideas, as you mentioned, but I think I'm going to go for the heavy door route. Mainly because sound insulation is very important.

Many thanks, Roy

[RzB]

Juergen, Hmmm - I'll think about that... The ground outside falls away quite rapidly but perhaps there is some way I can at least give the hinges a little help.. Wheels on springs? :-) Thanks for your help, Roy

[Mark & Juanita]

I used a double French door in mine. The door fit all but about 2 feet of the one-car width door, the remainder I framed out for windows and an air conditioner.

shows how that works, more pictures are shown at If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

[RzB]

space in the US than here in the UK :-)

Unfortunately, French doors in my application would not stop much of the sound !!

Thanks, Roy