entry door project

[Charlie Fox]

i was considering making an entry door and did the research and identified a couple of books to get for a guide, but then decided (actually the wife prodded) why not just rebuild the door we have? it is a solid wood door with a perfect fit, so why re-invent the wheel? the door is 35 yrs old so if it has survived this long structurally it seems worth saving.

it is just an ugly old door as it is with several old layers of paint. it is plain with just 4 rectangles of trim imitating panels, but again its just trim on the door surface of the outside, the inside is just plain. the trim will come off of course, then i will strip the paint and see whats underneath - i am assuming it will be a veneer over a particle board core.

so the plan in my head is to sand the surfaces and apply an oak or whatever-we-decide-on veneer. question:

since i am refinishing both surfaces, do i need to acclimate the door and veneer outside before applying to the exterior side, then move it all inside and acclimate to indoor conditions before applying the inside veneer? 24 hours each? i am in Houston so we do have a big delta of humidity between in and out.

[John TenEyck]

I think the most important thing is to put the door somewhere where the humidity is the same on both sides; it doesn't matter if it's inside or outside, as long as the humidity is the same. I'd put it wherever you intend to work on it, same for the veneer.

After you get the door stripped of the old finish, you'll want to make any necessary repairs and fill any cracks or dings so that you have a smooth surface for the new veneer. You should veneer both sides at once, if at all possible, to prevent the door from warping from non-uniform moisture on one side only. I would use Unibond 800 or Weldwood Plastic Resin Glue. Both are waterproof and very creep resistant. I would not use PVA or cold press veneer glue.

I'm wondering if you need to remove the old veneer first, having thought about it a little more. I don't know the answer, and I'd be leary of doing that if the core underneath really is particle board, but I'm still wondering about it.

John

[lowell holmes]

I'm guessing it is a solid core door with veneer on it. I recently was looking for an exterior door and found that storm regulations (I'm in Galveston County) required certain standards being met.
If the door is a stile and rail door, I wouldn't expect veneers, but I could be wrong.
If your door weighs over 100 pounds, it may be a solid core with a veneer and decorative molding. A 30 year old door might be an 1 3/4" hollow core door, but they are not legal at this time. A hollow core door would be light.

I have made new doors for my front door and my back door. I used vertical grain fir for both doors. Quarter sawn white oak was my other choice. Mahogany is a good choice for this area also.

The doors I built each weigh in excess of 140 pounds. You might want to get a Steck Easy Wedge to lift the door back into the hinges. It is a small bladder with a squeeze bulb that you use to inflate the bladder. It will lift 300 pounds.

I personally would stay clear of veneers in this climate, but that is probably just prejudice on my part.

New Yankee Workshop has a dvd showing construction of a new entrance door. It comes with a measured drawing. I have it and recommend it. It really is not that difficult to make. I did use cope and stick cutters on the front door along with loose white oak tenons.

Also, what are you going to put in the opening while you are working on the door? Also, you can buy new 1 3/4" thick core doors with veneer faces. They are heavy doors. You can add the moldings to that.