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I am interested in building my own exterior door. The door will actually open onto a covered porch. I am considering using 2 layers of MDF for the stiles and rails, laminated in 1/8″ mahogany or fir. The inset panel will be solid tongue and groove boards. Stiles and rails will be dowelled together. I’ll cover the entire assembly with marine epoxy and 3 coats of spar varnish. Some door manufacturers I’ve studied claim to use “engineered wood”. Is this MDF, or something else? Does this whole process make any sense to you pros out there?
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Replies
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For exterior you need the next step up - MEDEX is a waterproof mdf. Regular will come apart from water eventually.
I wouldn't do it - the stuff is extremely heavy and doesn't hold screws as well as real wood so it'll try to pull the hinges out. Edges might chip easily .
*I've used the Therma Tru "Classic Craft" door a few times. They use a LVL core with a fiberglass skin. Makes for a very solid-feeling door, not to mention heavy as #$@*.A couple have been in for 2 years now, with absolutely no sign of problems. Evidently, the LVL makes for a really stable core. You could probably surface it with a thickness sander, but I'm just guessin' here.I'd cut the stiles a little narrow and glue on matching wood strips for the hinge and lock edges.Good luck!Bill
*The amount of time you will invest is significantly more than the cost of getting good solid materials to start with. If you have a real cost limit, consider using old oak pallets. The attachment is an exterior door made from 100% oak pallets, total cost was less than $50 including clear epoxy on similar appearance outside. Inside 10 coats of pre-1990 Watco. (wife got raw glass at garage sale for $5)
*Art, that's a great door! Not one you'll ever see on a tract house.Andy
*Art --So where do you get old oak pallets? The pallets I see are always the worst possible wood, which is appropriate for the purpose.-- J.S.
*Pallette de Picasso!
*Artlike psychadelic man, like wow, thats one righteous door man like wow...that really is a great door art.
*Ron, Use the w word often?
*Like no man wow heheheheh groovy wow like peace man :)
*I find Pallet wood all the time and some real interesting woods too. I've got some Mahogany, white oak and an unidentified wood that is as hard as a rock. I get it from the local lumber yard.
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I am interested in building my own exterior door. The door will actually open onto a covered porch. I am considering using 2 layers of MDF for the stiles and rails, laminated in 1/8" mahogany or fir. The inset panel will be solid tongue and groove boards. Stiles and rails will be dowelled together. I'll cover the entire assembly with marine epoxy and 3 coats of spar varnish. Some door manufacturers I’ve studied claim to use "engineered wood". Is this MDF, or something else? Does this whole process make any sense to you pros out there?