Hi folks,
While the slab doors we have in our ADR/dub stage are heavy, solid and functional, they're pretty ugly, with a "finish" ply of 1/8 hardboard. Usually. I see studio doors with great-looking birch, maple, or even metal door skins. How are these made, how are they attached and trimmed out, how thick are they, does one buy them pre-made (are there custom manufacturers), or is it just a matter of getting the plywood or metal and gluing it on?
So many questions, such ugly doors....
Thanks in advance!!
More than one way to skin a door?
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JoeMilner
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2003 7:15 am
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
More than one way to skin a door?
Joe Milner
Puget Sound, Inc.
Los Angeles, CA
Puget Sound, Inc.
Los Angeles, CA
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Deluks
- Posts: 68
- Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2005 1:55 pm
- Location: London, UK
You can get plywood and MDF products that have been laminated with oak, beech etc, thiese could easily be glued/pinned onto the existing doors. Tonge&groove cladding boards are also effective, cheap to buy and easy to treat with woodstain or varnish.
You could get a carpenter in to have a look, or have a go yourself. I recommemd the latter, only getting the chippie in if you make a *?"&!!*
up of it
You could get a carpenter in to have a look, or have a go yourself. I recommemd the latter, only getting the chippie in if you make a *?"&!!*
up of it
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knightfly
- Senior Member
- Posts: 6976
- Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2003 11:11 am
- Location: West Coast, USA
Hey Joe, long time no hear; you can buy 1/4" veneer plywood in oak, birch, etc, and just remove the doors, lay them on sawhorses, and laminate the ply onto the face - what you do around the edges would depend on what kind of seals you have in place. One way might be to just trim the veneer ply small enough to allow whatever cleats, etc, that are around your jambs to seal against the original door surface and just cover the REST of the door with laminated veneer.
Otherwise, this will make the doors thicker and you'll need to rehang them , which can be a big pain. I'd DEFINITELY get some experienced door hanging help in that case.
For finish - wipe the panel with a damp cloth; if you like the way it looks, just apply a clear finish; something like satin Varathane is durable and not too shiny. IF you'd like it darker than it looks when wet, you'll need a varnish stain and more time to decide.
If you're into the "industrial" look, you could just use a large drywall knife and smooth out the dings with fixall plaster, sand, and paint 'em either gray or some primary colors... Steve
Otherwise, this will make the doors thicker and you'll need to rehang them , which can be a big pain. I'd DEFINITELY get some experienced door hanging help in that case.
For finish - wipe the panel with a damp cloth; if you like the way it looks, just apply a clear finish; something like satin Varathane is durable and not too shiny. IF you'd like it darker than it looks when wet, you'll need a varnish stain and more time to decide.
If you're into the "industrial" look, you could just use a large drywall knife and smooth out the dings with fixall plaster, sand, and paint 'em either gray or some primary colors... Steve
Soooo, when a Musician dies, do they hear the white noise at the end of the tunnel??!? Hmmmm...
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JoeMilner
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2003 7:15 am
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
Thanks for the tips, Steve! What type of adhesive would I use to laminate the veneer? And would I just wight the panel down as it dries?
A guy down the street from me took a standard steel door and wire-brushed a swirling pattern onto the surface;' looks very cool, so I thought I might even try to pick up a sheet of steel or.....?
Yes, it's been quite awhile. The stage has been up and running 2 years now, but (you'll laugh) only YESTERDAY did the LA Building Inspector come by and sign off on the framing, drywall and insulation. The interior had been long finished off and covered in fabric, but the exterior was just un-taped drywall in case they wanted me to remove a panel (or many). I'd mistakenly thought I needed a bunch more things completed before I could call for an inspection, but I finally just went for it, and it took all of 3 minutes.
So, whoo-hoo, I can finally finish off the exterior!!
BTW, I suck at taping. I think I'll have to put acoustic panels up on the exterior just to cover my bad drywall work;)
A guy down the street from me took a standard steel door and wire-brushed a swirling pattern onto the surface;' looks very cool, so I thought I might even try to pick up a sheet of steel or.....?
Yes, it's been quite awhile. The stage has been up and running 2 years now, but (you'll laugh) only YESTERDAY did the LA Building Inspector come by and sign off on the framing, drywall and insulation. The interior had been long finished off and covered in fabric, but the exterior was just un-taped drywall in case they wanted me to remove a panel (or many). I'd mistakenly thought I needed a bunch more things completed before I could call for an inspection, but I finally just went for it, and it took all of 3 minutes.
So, whoo-hoo, I can finally finish off the exterior!!
BTW, I suck at taping. I think I'll have to put acoustic panels up on the exterior just to cover my bad drywall work;)
Joe Milner
Puget Sound, Inc.
Los Angeles, CA
Puget Sound, Inc.
Los Angeles, CA
-
knightfly
- Senior Member
- Posts: 6976
- Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2003 11:11 am
- Location: West Coast, USA
What type of adhesive would I use to laminate the veneer? And would I just wight the panel down as it dries?
You can use something like Titebond woodworker's glue, it's strong and lets you adjust things better than contact cement - and yes, weights would be good. As evenly as possible for better adhesion. If you support the door on saw horses, use at least three; otherwise the weight may bow the door and make it not fit the frame as well as it once did. IF the masonite can be removed, I'd do it - I know it'd cut down on mass, but that stuff gets ugly and flaky in time.
If it's part of the original door, or if it's been glued, forget it; just smooth it with a fairly large "cheater board" and sandpaper.
IF you don't have access to sawhorses, you could remove the hardware and lay the door flat on the floor - either way, a fairly heavy sheet of plywood between the veneer and your weights (books, magazines, barbells, toolboxes, whatever) will make the surface more level without putting dings in the veneer.
IF you let the Titebond glue dry overnight, it'll be fine to turn over and do the other side - a small heater (not too close) will speed the cure.
A guy down the street from me took a standard steel door and wire-brushed a swirling pattern onto the surface;' looks very cool, so I thought I might even try to pick up a sheet of steel or.....?
IF your door isn't already steel, you could probably still add a sheet; steel is good mass if it's damped. I'd use 1/8" steel, drilled and countersunk every 8-10 inches along the edges (about 1" in from the edge so the wood doesn't split) - and before sinking the screws I'd spread the door with something like floor cement (for laying vinyl tile) so the steel gets a "no air" bond to the door.
Once it's on, swirl to your heart's content, paint, etc - remember, however, that even 1/8" steel weighs 5.156 lbs per square foot so a single side would add 102 pounds to the weight of a standard 3'0" door - you'd want to add two more hinges to the (hopefully 3) that are already there, and probably get longer screws to replace the ones already installed.
Unless you know your framing is really solid, the extra weight may even cause your door to quit fitting so well - if you're NOT sure about this, I'd stick to the veneer - it'll only add about 15 pounds per side... Steve
You can use something like Titebond woodworker's glue, it's strong and lets you adjust things better than contact cement - and yes, weights would be good. As evenly as possible for better adhesion. If you support the door on saw horses, use at least three; otherwise the weight may bow the door and make it not fit the frame as well as it once did. IF the masonite can be removed, I'd do it - I know it'd cut down on mass, but that stuff gets ugly and flaky in time.
If it's part of the original door, or if it's been glued, forget it; just smooth it with a fairly large "cheater board" and sandpaper.
IF you don't have access to sawhorses, you could remove the hardware and lay the door flat on the floor - either way, a fairly heavy sheet of plywood between the veneer and your weights (books, magazines, barbells, toolboxes, whatever) will make the surface more level without putting dings in the veneer.
IF you let the Titebond glue dry overnight, it'll be fine to turn over and do the other side - a small heater (not too close) will speed the cure.
A guy down the street from me took a standard steel door and wire-brushed a swirling pattern onto the surface;' looks very cool, so I thought I might even try to pick up a sheet of steel or.....?
IF your door isn't already steel, you could probably still add a sheet; steel is good mass if it's damped. I'd use 1/8" steel, drilled and countersunk every 8-10 inches along the edges (about 1" in from the edge so the wood doesn't split) - and before sinking the screws I'd spread the door with something like floor cement (for laying vinyl tile) so the steel gets a "no air" bond to the door.
Once it's on, swirl to your heart's content, paint, etc - remember, however, that even 1/8" steel weighs 5.156 lbs per square foot so a single side would add 102 pounds to the weight of a standard 3'0" door - you'd want to add two more hinges to the (hopefully 3) that are already there, and probably get longer screws to replace the ones already installed.
Unless you know your framing is really solid, the extra weight may even cause your door to quit fitting so well - if you're NOT sure about this, I'd stick to the veneer - it'll only add about 15 pounds per side... Steve
Soooo, when a Musician dies, do they hear the white noise at the end of the tunnel??!? Hmmmm...