Replies

1. 
   cussnu2 | Jan 11, 2011 09:19am | #1

   Go look at your local stores for a damaged exterior door (especially fiberglass) and cut it down.  Be sure to ask the guys in the window and door area and tell them what it is for.  They may have one that they think is too damaged to sell or they run across them every now and again.

2. 
   DanH | Jan 11, 2011 09:49am | #2

   An important point is to paint well all sides of the door.  Doors in this situation frequently warp due to the considerable difference in humidity on one side vs the other, and the paint will help prevent that.

3. 
   calvin | Jan 11, 2011 06:37pm | #3

   Bulb / wood weatherstrip.

   In NW Oh. we have a couple suppliers offering both a bullnose and a teardrop heafty wood stop that has a flexible/foam rope core weatherstriop bead applied on the closing edge.  Works well.  If picture framed, you can use it on all 4 sides.  I've done it both ways-when a threshold is used, I'll put down an adjustible wood (or metal) one.  Makes for a good seal.  How you insulate the door/panel is whatever is necessary for the Rvalue you wish to achieve.

   Remember, the thicker and narrower a door is, the more bevel cut is necessary on the latch edge.  Don't bevel so much that it defeats the purpose of the bulb.  Pad out the stop if necessary.

4. 
   Clewless1 | Jan 12, 2011 12:11am | #4

   Get a used ... or as the other poster said ... new damaged and cut it to size. Treat like an exterior door. You could add insulation to it. I wouldn't do plywood w/out some stiffeners ... and that ends up more work than installing a regular door.

5. 
   PKelton | Jan 24, 2011 03:25pm | #5

   I've installed two of these in my home:

   http://www.midmadeloftladders.com/hatches.html

   They were purchased from here:

   http://www.conservationtechnology.com/building.html

   Hope this helps.

   PK