Carriage Doors for garage - biting off more than I can chew?

[Deke]

Of course, of course, almost every other neighbor has their original 1920 carriage doors on their garage, but noooo, our previous owner(s) had to throw them out and hang up a cheap typical garage door. The thing is falling apart and I started thinking. After looking at prices of new carriage doors, forget it. Then I thought... maybe I could build my own. I found an old FWW article about a "sandwich method" of making doors and it could work. However, I need a nice flat area to lay out and assemble two 4 x 7 doors - that is not going to be easy. Then, I became depressed. Why? New cheapo rolling garage doors to replace the ones on there now are about $300. It just doesn't seem worth the effort and I have other projects in mind. I don't even like my garage, never really use is it and it is not used for cars. Still, it is the challenge. I think I could do it. Anyone else ever build large doors like this?

 

[nnordrum]

Been thinking about this one too, only not carriage doors as we have Cape Cod house (or maybe that would work... I'm not the design guru in the family).

I don't want to replace with a "cheapo rolling door", so this seemed like it could be a good task for me (read: "Sweetie, it's the same price if I buy a nice door as if I buy some new tools and make one").

Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[peter halle]

Here is a thread you might want to check out on garage doors:  Energy efficient garage doors

In the thread you will find a link to the woodshop demo website.  That is still a good link and that thread details his building of garage doors.

Peter

 

[Guy Ashley]

Deke

I am a joiner and have made a number of garage doors so if you wanted could guide you through the process. There are a few other UK based joiners who could chip in as well.

I would need a bit more of an idea what style, design, hinged or roller guided etc.

Ideally you would need access to a morticer and be able to make substantial through wedged tenons but dependant on the size of the stiles it could be done with a heavy duty router.

If you have any photo's of what you are after, post away.

 

[Deke]

Thanks everyone. I will try and post pics soon of my garage and neighbors with the nice doors. One thing I am trying is to find old doors that someone else may be getting rid of.

Guy, you aren't helping me. When I see that table you made, I want to try something like that! Who cares about a dumb garage door when I could make furniture. Peter, thanks for the link. Our garage is separate, holds only garden tools and stuff, so sadly energy isn't a concern.

Here is the article I found from Fine Home Building: http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/articles/different-approach-frame-panel-door.aspx?ac=ts&ra=fp
Guy, this isn't as artful, but it seems like an interesting method to save time and money? Maybe? Basically you make three layers out of 3/4 stock on the inside and outside and a little thinner on the inside. In the article he joins rails/stiles with pocket screws, then the three layers are "sandwiched" together hiding all the pocket screws inside. You can add panels/windows as needed.

 

[Guy Ashley]

Deke

Interesting construction but I would suggest only suitable for internal doors.

I personally wouldnt do that for external garage doors, the expansion and contraction forces on such a constructed door would be catastrophic. I would suggest, there may be joiners in the US that would disagree but I wouldn't do it, personally.

My view would be solid stock and rout out through tenons with wedges into the exposed face of the joint. You can do this with a router and the tenons can be made either using a bandsaw or a mitre saw in trenching mode. Clean them up with a shoulder plane.

I think Woodguy7 or Joiner 1970 posted some photo's of traditional door construction.

 

 

[woodguy7]

Deke

You know that if you buy something that is cheap then generally it is not very good, or as good as a more expensive one (festools for example).  Well, i think the same applies for building things.  If you make a couple of doors like that in a day using the pocket screw method you can be rest assured that if you spend 3 days making propper mortise & tennoned doors they will be 10 times as good.  Go the easy option & you will always regret it.

If you think going the proper route is not for you then fair enough but if you want to have a bash at it then there are plenty of bench joiners here that will help you through every step.

Just my  [2cents] as you guys say.

Woodguy.

 

[Guy Ashley]

Deke

Have a look at these garage doors I have just made. They are Sapele with tongue & groove boarding on both internal and external faces and they are an incredible weight.

[attachthumb=#]

I am not sure if you can see from the jpg how the tenons are wedged but these will be solid and wont fall apart.

(Famous last words, is that phone ringing? [huh] 

 

 

[Dan Clermont]

I also have an interest in making some garage doors in the near future and would like to know about hardware as well. My concern is door sag due to poor hinges so I'd like to know who makes good hinges for garage doors.

Cheers
Dan Clermont

 

[Brice Burrell]

I also have an interest in making some garage doors in the near future and would like to know about hardware as well. My concern is door sag due to poor hinges so I'd like to know who makes good hinges for garage doors.

Cheers
Dan Clermont

Dan, I had a client interested in carriage doors, they sent me a link to an outfit in Washington state, nothing every came of the job but the looked like they did good work and they have hardware on their site.  Might be a place to start and if you want to buy from them I'm pretty sure they ship to Canada.
Real Carriage Door Company, hardware.

 

[Dan Clermont]

I also have an interest in making some garage doors in the near future and would like to know about hardware as well. My concern is door sag due to poor hinges so I'd like to know who makes good hinges for garage doors.

Cheers
Dan Clermont

Dan, I had a client interested in carriage doors, they sent me a link to an outfit in Washington state, nothing every came of the job but the looked like they did good work and they have hardware on their site.  Might be a place to start and if you want to buy from them I'm pretty sure they ship to Canada.
Real Carriage Door Company, hardware.

Hi Brice

I know the company and really like the doors they make. With the home reno we have undertaken purchasing those pre-made doors are not in the budget.....

Thanks for passing along the link

Cheers
Dan

 

[nickao]

When you make doors like the OP suggested the doors are cheap meaning inexpensive, not inferior. You just purchase plain flat doors, as long as they have nice hardware I see nothing wrong with the method of just putting a wood face on them.

I shopped doors and good wood doors for my 3 car were 10,000.00. Doing a nice flat door and installing the wood on them myslef would cost less than 2000.00. You only need do one side, not make a sandwich.

I think it is a very  doable job and anyone that undertake it will learn a lot.

I say go for it.

 

[Dan Clermont]

When you make doors like the OP suggested the doors are cheap meaning inexpensive, not inferior. You just purchase plain flat doors, as long as they have nice hardware I see nothing wrong with the method of just putting a wood face on them.

I shopped doors and good wood doors for my 3 car were 10,000.00. Doing a nice flat door and installing the wood on them myslef would cost less than 2000.00. You only need do one side, not make a sandwich.

I think it is a very  doable job and anyone that undertake it will learn a lot.

I say go for it.

When you overlay garage doors you need to keep tabs on the weight of the overlay cause you may need to replace the springs.

Cheers
Dan Clermont

 

[tiralie]

Deke

Have a look at these garage doors I have just made. They are Sapele with tongue & groove boarding on both internal and external faces and they are an incredible weight.

As usual Guy Friggen excellent.
What are they gonna use to hang those puppies?
They gotta be at least 150lbs each?

Tim

 

[Guy Ashley]

Hi Tim, not my design, I just followed the architects drawings.

I didn't weigh them but I couldn't lift them on my own so they must have been in that ball park.

The site chippies are using these on mid and bottom rails and a custom made curved one to the top rail.

[attachthumb=#]

There were four of them, (drive through garage) and by the end I was glad to see the back of them and get my workshop back!

 

[Deke]

Okay Guy, you have convinced me that if I do this, I do it the right way. Serious question please. I have a basement shop with a 6' 4" ceiling and already 75% full. The floor is extremely unlevel - not a flat spot anywhere. I don't have a bench big enough to layout a 4' x 7' door. What would you build these doors on? I'm assuming a flat reference surface is a must. I was thinking saw horses, or using the combination of my table saw, outfeed table and MFT with some type of long level board(s) across all three.

My carpenter neighbor also believes I could do this. Since they would be painted, he suggested using good douglas fir - essentially framing lumber, but being really picky about quality and picking out boards.

 

[Guy Ashley]

Hi Deke

A flat reference is a must, I use old firedoors on saw horses usually, but for the garage doors I pictured above I had an 8' x 4' sheet of ply screwed to a torsion box made up from 3" x 2" and supported on two sets of saw horses.

A set up like this is easier to manage when you are going through the panic of gluing up because it wont bow under the weight and you can slide the clamps underneath and reposition them easily.

It might be worth considering clamping up outside if you have a level area to do it. I am currently making a 3.2 metre long oak field gate which is 1.8m high. I wouldn't be able to get it out of the workshop if I clamped it up inside!

Douglas Fir is a good timber, you must be able to get good quality vertical grain stock. I would buy your chippy friend a few beers and drag him along to the timber merchants. 

 

[tiralie]

Hi Tim, not my design, I just followed the architects drawings.

Hopefully water doesn't wick up the bottom of the T&G facing boards.
What do they finish this with, Oil?
Tim

 

[Guy Ashley]

Tim

Should be ok I always seal the end grain bottom with a liberal smear of Cascamite.

As for the finish, can you believe, white gloss paint!! [scared] [mad] [mad]

Pure Heresy!!