Making a shed door - where to but wood

hooplah

Hi folks,

I'm planning to make a basic 'ledge and brace' shed door over the weekend.

I'm looking to do something quick and easy, and cheap. I know Woodies probably have tongue and groove timber but they're always a bit pricey.

Would a typical builders providers carry it too? Is there somewhere reasonable to get hinges? Any tip on suitable waterproof paint?

I'm based in Dublin.

Musketeer4

Why don't you just buy a braced and ledged door?

hooplah

I thought it would be cheaper to make one. And fairly easy. Larry's DIY in Drumcondra have ones made up for €75. Think costs will be over that?

Musketeer4

Unless you are actually good at woodwork and know what you're doing just go and buy a door.

In any case, a bought door will probably have a better standard of fit and finish than something cobbled together DIY style.

You certainly won't have much change of €75 when you buy materials. Then factor in your time and forget it.

Just save yourself the hassle and buy a door.

Oh and get a framed braced and ledged door. Much much better.

Right2Write

Would Larry's DIY door fit your shed? If you can get a ready made that fits, go for it - unless it's crap. If your opening is odd size, then you need to make up or get someone else. Builders supplies? You'll get rough or planed timber, I'd buy rough for a shed door. Look up somewhere like www.build4less.ie to get an idea but local merchants may be cheaper.

rourkek4

Musketeer4 wrote: »

Why don't you just buy a braced and ledged door?

Strange advice to give on a DIY forum!

I say if you want to have a go at making a door, no matter what your skill levels, go for it. The worst that can happen is that you are at the loss of the material costs.

Best of luck, post a photo if you getter done!

red sean

rourkek4 wrote: »

Strange advice to give on a DIY forum!

I say if you want to have a go at making a door, no matter what your skill levels, go for it. The worst that can happen is that you are at the loss of the material costs.

Best of luck, post a photo if you getter done!

The OP stated they wanted the cheapest option.

rourkek4

I'm not looking for an online argument, but they didn't say they wanted the cheapest option, they said they were looking for something quick, easy and cheap.
If we don't encourage DIY on a DIY forum, what's the point?

hooplah

I went DIY in the end. The dimensions didn't match the doors in Larry's DIY so I bought Tongue and Groove cladding, and a couple of 2 X 4s in Woodies and used bits of timber I had for the braces.

Cladding was on sale, isn't now: http://www.woodiesdiy.com/Product/evertrue-single-bead-tgandv-cladding-6-pack-244m/21937/6.13.0

Things went ok. The total cost was ~€60, that covered the wood, hinges, screws and nails, barrell bolt and paint. If I was doing it again I'd try to get the hinges and bolt from somewhere else - there's a premium on everything in Woodies, but then they're open at weekends so that's the tradeoff. The cladding linked to here is also very thin and not really suitable. I put a lot more bracing behind it than would be necessary with something a bit sturdier.

Musketeer4

You really ought to have gone to a builder's providers to get a proper range of door sizes. They might've been able to source the size you need.

And I'll tell you what, what you're at is only fooling because that door you make will warp and go all over the place when the rough 4x2s dry out. A good quality door will have proper mortice and tenon joints and the framing timber will be of a higher quality and it will be far stronger and last longer.

But hey.

Satriale

Musketeer4 wrote: »

You really ought to have gone to a builder's providers to get a proper range of door sizes. They might've been able to source the size you need.

And I'll tell you what, what you're at is only fooling because that door you make will warp and go all over the place when the rough 4x2s dry out. A good quality door will have proper mortice and tenon joints and the framing timber will be of a higher quality and it will be far stronger and last longer.

But hey.

I've seen brand knew "Engineered" factory doors warp and crack after a month.

Good man OP, thats what its all about, if we never tried anything ourselves we'd all still be scrambling about in caves.

Tabnabs

Musketeer4 wrote: »

You really ought to have gone to a builder's providers to get a proper range of door sizes. They might've been able to source the size you need.

And I'll tell you what, what you're at is only fooling because that door you make will warp and go all over the place when the rough 4x2s dry out. A good quality door will have proper mortice and tenon joints and the framing timber will be of a higher quality and it will be far stronger and last longer.

But hey.

Really don't think you get the whole concept of the DIY forum.

Do It Yourself

But hey...

OP, well done. I went out and bought a pre-made side gate once and it lasted a couple of years before it went to **** and fell apart. Then I made one my self (think they call it DIY?) with some oversized timbers and it's rock solid. You live and learn.

hooplah

Ah I'm pretty happy with it.

The shed is going to stay up for ~2 years by which time I'll hopefully have a bigger shed built and will knock this one. In the meantime I need to keep the rain out so that I can safely store some things inside. I think this will do grand.

doctorchopper

next time check out tj o mahonys, brooks, or chadwicks, you will get timber there at half the price of woodies.

Right2Write

hooplah wrote: »

Ah I'm pretty happy with it.

The shed is going to stay up for ~2 years by which time I'll hopefully have a bigger shed built and will knock this one. In the meantime I need to keep the rain out so that I can safely store some things inside. I think this will do grand.

Probably will last that long but don't put anything too valuable in it That sort of cladding is abt 9mm thick and intended for internal use. Ceilings and wall panels, I've used it in making cupboards - back and door panels. A child could kick through it handily! Scraps are good stuff for lighting the fire though!