I have a 120 year old house, and my room has the original solid oak door [the only door still left from then]. And, unfortunatly, my mom has broken it down one too many times. It has so many metal brackets on it, just to keep it closed. And, it'* not working. The door refused to close, it has always been tight, but this time it just isn't going to close. I started inspecting the door, and it has several major cracks that go through the door, around some of these brackets. These have not been there forever, and I drilled pilot holes, so don't blame it on me! The door is still good.. as far as using for a template to build another. Which is what I want to do. I have limited woodworking skills [refurnished a cabinet here and there], and am also limited on tools. I would like to make THE STRONGEST door out there. I want this thing to be inpenetratable. How should I go about doing this? What kind of joints should I use? And would having 2-3" long dowels placed every 1-2" be strong enough to stop a 250lb crazed woman? My door lock mechanism mounts on top of the door, and so does the jam thingy. So, drilling holes for that won't be a problem.


-justin

Having limited woodworking skills and tools I would take a trip to the Depot and buy a pre-hung door. You mentioned that you wanted it solid. You will not accomplish this with good results without some non-everyday tools.

We have remodeled our bathroom and replacing the doors is still on the list. I wanted to make raised 6 panel oak doors but really can't even start without a jointer and a higher powered router. I would also need a plainer to mill the rails and stiles to 1 1/4" but I think I'm just going to buy some already milled wood from a cabinet shop.

On the other hand, you could glue two pieces of cabinet grade plywood together, rent a mortising jig for the hinges and another jig for the ****. You will be set back at least $100 for two 4 x 8 sheets of plywood and the door would look like hell but it would be solid

Borrow some bar clamps, and buy some glue. It'll be as good as new. Use the yellow carpenter'* wood glue, not polyurethane glue.

This is a bar clamp, right?

If I separate all the wood, and glue it all back together, you say it will be good as new? The grooves and such are all split, there isn't much for it to grab onto. I don't see how just gluing it will fix it, because of the lack of support in the wood itself.

Randy: the plywood Idea is badass. I think I should do that.. 1" thick plywood would be inpenitrable for sure. I'm going to talk it over with my mom, and see what she says. The only thing that would be limiting me then, is the locking mechanism.. which has held up all this time, so I am sure I am golden .


-justin

If you have at least 50% of the mating surface left, the joint will not break on the glue joint. I'd either do that, or replace it with a pre-hung door, but on a house that old, getting a pre-hung door to fit the non-standard opening will be tricky. I know from experience. I restored a house built in 1882. I've been through all that.

My mom just broke down the door again. Just because it was friggin' stuck, and I was sleeping. So stupid. Anyways, I want to get some Plywood, however here is the problem. Doesn't plywood warp? And the hinge mounts on the edge, would the strips of wood not be strong enough for that? Would Corraguated Stranboard [sp?] be a better choice? I don't care what it looks like, all I want is for it to be able to be painted, and be stronger than hell. This will need to last many hits, and these aren't little 10 year old hits, if you know what I mean.


-justin

just go with a pre-hung dooor like the others have said.. I think you'll find in the future (as I did with many of my "projects") that you'll be thinking a few years from now "what in the hell was I thinking?!"

Major point here. A pre-hung door is very unlikely. Fitting a 120 year old non-standard opening is nearly impossible without altering at least the king stud locations.

No two doors in my house were the same size.

Go with plywood and laminate 2x4 to the two long edges for latching and hinges. It'll look like crap, but you can use thinner plywood that way with no warping.

The other option is to glue and clamp the pieces together as best you can, then use contact cement to laminate a door skin to at least one side to hold it together. Door skins are far cheaper than plywood. And contact cement won't let go. Tremendous shear strength.

Pre hung doesn't have that cool plywood look . Not to mention what Bill has already pointed out. Which, I agree completly. The other two bedrooms in my house have hollow core doors, replaced maybe 20-30 years ago, and they don't fit right either, but they fit, so that'* all the previous owners cared about.

Laminate 2x4 on the two long edges? I don't understand.. can I buy it like that?

Thinner.. I want 1 1/4" no if'* an'* but'* or maybe'*, unless I can only find 1". The Lowe'* that delivers may not have it.. so I will have to see when I get there.

Glue the pieces together.. do you mean to get laminate sheets and glue them to the plywood? Or glue them to form something like plywood?

Sorry for my ignorance.. refurnishing a cabinet doesn't deal with any of these things.


-justin

Sounds like you need to learn to deal with your mom more than you need a new door.