T&G Shed door

[Stringman_uk]

Hi all,
I am just about to fit a shed door to my shed/summerhouse.
The shed is made from T&G shiplap timber and I was going to use the same wood for the door.

Every photo/design always shows the door with the T&G vertical as opposed to horizontal ( which is the format of the shed cladding)

Is there a reason for this? Is it just that its a bugger to line up , and it may sag? or is there a technical reason?

I thought it would look really nice if the door aligned with the wall , but if its going to be a nightmare and will mis align after a few months I wont bother!!

Thanks in advance

 

[Burnerman]

I think if the T&G boards are vertical it will be easier to brace and batten the door, which will help to minimise warping.
John

 

[Stringman_uk]

I think if the T&G boards are vertical it will be easier to brace and batten the door, which will help to minimise warping.
John

Ah ok
I have actually built a rectangle frame including the diagonals to strengthen the door, so maybe it could work

 

[JohnD]

They will still look vertical even after the door sags.

 

[Stringman_uk]

They will still look vertical even after the door sags.

???
I am talking about if I use them horizontally

 

[Burnerman]

Consider three horizontal battens - top, middle and bottom - and two diagonal braces rising from the hinges upwards.
The door won't droop if done correctly with the T&G vertical.
If you use the T&G horizontally, you'll be relying on the braces almost totally.
I was taught to drive clasp nails right through, and then clinch them on the inside.
Screws and glue now!
John

 

[JohnD]

???
I am talking about if I use them horizontally

They will look slanted when the door sags.

 

[Burnerman]

Horizontal boards will allow rainwater to sit where it isn't wanted - especially as the timber moves a bit.
With vertical boards, drainage is much better.
John

 

[Stringman_uk]

They will look slanted when the door sags.

well thats what I was asking! why dont people do it? Also with the frame the door shouldnt sag!

Horizontal boards will allow rainwater to sit where it isn't wanted - especially as the timber moves a bit.
With vertical boards, drainage is much better.
John

Although that makes sense.... That makes no sense! Since every shed/ summer house / home office is always built with the wall cladding horizontal.
Are you saying that the walls of all theses are less protected than the door? ( the door is also under a roof "extension" of 50 cm so shouldnt even get wet)

 

[Stringman_uk]

Consider three horizontal battens - top, middle and bottom - and two diagonal braces rising from the hinges upwards.
The door won't droop if done correctly with the T&G vertical.
If you use the T&G horizontally, you'll be relying on the braces almost totally.
I was taught to drive clasp nails right through, and then clinch them on the inside.
Screws and glue now!
John

That is a very good answer- in fact the answer I was looking for..... but
.... if the door had a frame that also included vertical's and enough horizontal braces that prevented it from being forced out of true and was then screwed from behind ( oooh err missus) and nail gunned from the front , would it not be viable for the frame to support the slats horizontal?

for reference the door is 176cm high and75cm wide.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

well thats what I was asking! why dont people do it? Also with the frame the door shouldn't sag!

Although that makes sense.... That makes no sense! Since every shed/ summer house / home office is always built with the wall cladding horizontal.
Are you saying that the walls of all theses are less protected than the door? ( the door is also under a roof "extension" of 50 cm so shouldn't even get wet)

Both vertical and horizontal, if done correctly will last well, however if you live in a very wet area or are really looking to absolutely maximise the cladding life then vertical will win. Horizontal is just more common because it's the conventional choice and what Joe Public typically expect for their shed, so that is the dominant of the two and shed suppliers don't give a hoot a few years down the line.

 

[Burnerman]

Only my opinion, but T&G shiplap is a pretty flimsy material and it will need a sturdy frame behind to keep it stable.
I’m more used to making garage and similar doors with flooring grade T&G so stability is important- hence the hints to batten and brace.
By all means go ahead with your design, just expect the shiplap to move a fair bit, and appropriate timber treatment will help a lot.
Perhaps using an outdoor pva adhesive would also help, especially if you could hold the door with sash cramps as you construct it.
Good luck with your project!
John

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

If you really want horizontal on the door, perhaps clad the inside with a sheet of plywood to minimise/negate it dropping.

 

[JohnD]

the door shouldnt sag!

It will.

 

[big-all]

Horizontal boards will allow rainwater to sit where it isn't wanted - especially as the timber moves a bit.
With vertical boards, drainage is much better.
John

yes and no
dependant on board shiplap for example horizontal you can not have ingress iff fitted properly as the drip drops down the face and rolls in at the bottom to meet a smooth face with around a 6mm upward tounge
now even just txg "V" groove will have a say 3mm ledge but still a say 5mm upward tounge so no path through
where as vertical will 100% be greater for shedding buuutt any rain can fully find its way in through capillary action although less likely only gravity fights the natural action to go back through the txg overlap

any finish that stops water being absorbed will stop any penetration to the inside as gravity will be 100% effective and capillary action wont work