Laminated Rigid Foam Shop Doors

I want to replace my two 10-foot roll-up shop doors with large out-swing doors made from rigid foam, framed with 2x, and laminated between thin sheets of plywood.

My reasons are three-fold: for better insulation than my current steel roll-up doors; to eliminate the current doors' interference with overhead lighting & dust collection; and to allow me to cut a narrow horizontal slot opening through which long boards can pass off of my table saw.

Has anyone had experience making such doors that can offer me advise on what to do and not to do? I would be very appreciative of tips, e.g., on fabrication, weather sealing, security, cosmetics, etc.

I made some sample stiles from all foam core with 3/16 inch solid wood skins. After gluing they were surprisingly rigid. Have not used them in an actual door.

Take a look at FW Tools & Shop issue a few years back. They replaced some garage doors this way. Did a laminated core. Dan

Whatever you do, don't rely on the foam core for structural bracing. It doesn't do the job for too long. Make your door frames and brace them and use the foam as infill. I found this out the hard way years ago when building a spray booth for painting wind turbine towers. After a couple of years we had to weld up steel frames for them. These doors were 6 metres high and 4 metres wide each so maybe the smaller ones won't be so bad. It was a good spray booth though - all foam panel and heated with the waste heat from the twin 1600cfm compressors used for the abrasive blasting shop. Cheers

Thanks. I'll look at the FW Tools and Shop issue, and add a diagonal member to the design.

I've made three small doors this way for access into storage areas of our house. The smallest is about 2 feed square and the largest is about 30 inches by 6 feet. So they are a lot smaller than you need. All I did was make a perimeter frame of 1X pine a couple inches wide, put skins on it of 5mm luan plywood, infill with a couple layers of 1 inch foam, and then another layer of luan. I think I made them a little wider than 2 inches, like 2 1/8 or something, so the foam wouldn't push the plywood. I used glue and narrow staples to attach the luan. They work well. They stay flat and the insulation is effective. I weather stripped around them.

You may need bracing for your application but the plywood skin provides a lot of bracing. I'd make the perimeter frame of 2X for yours and possibly add a diagonal brace.

"Eventually" I will be makeing a storm door of sorts out side of my ~16" north faceing roll up garage door. I think the upper 3' will be mostly plexiglass but the bottom will be be a foam laminate with pvc sheeting on the outside face at least. I have a separate entry door so the storm door will be 4 seperate sections that will be removable but with only one pannel actually set up with hinges for easy opening. One of the more or less permanent panels will get an opening for a fan for spraying, and general dust ventilation.

see my post of 2-1-15 that's how I built mine Dan Nelson

I am a full time carpenter in Alberta. I have built 4 or five sets of doors like you describe. I used 2x material around the perimeter and on two foot centers through the door. The hollows filled with rigid styrafoam and 3/8 plywood skins on both sides. PL400 construction adhesive and stapled together. I also wrapped steel straps around the top on the 2x4 frame to reinforce it. These doors were on farm quonsets with sliding tracks. I am sure that you could do the same for hinged doors, if you built it with a diagonal brace inside the door from corner to corner, and blocks for the hinges.

Thanks to everyone for the tips.

No need for a diagonal brace if skinned with plywood. Plywood is used to brace the corners on many houses.

That's something I'll have to think on, as I realy want to use PVC for the out side face.

Walls are sheathed with plywood on one side, drywall on the other.