Doors for outhouse options

[danlightbulb]

Hi.

Picture attached.

I have a brick outhouse with 2 compartments which I'm refurbishing as the brickwork needs repair and the doors/frames are rotten and broken.

The openings are the same at 850mm wide and 2020mm high.

Initially I was thinking of making a gate style door out of 2x4 with diagonal bracing. But I would need to clad the outside and the door needs to open outwards as well which makes it a bit tricky with the hinges.

I could sheet clad the door with plywood and paint it instead, would look more like a proper door. But then it's getting a bit thick, say 4x2 framing with 12mm ply over is a door 60 ish mm thick.

Building out of timber is going to cost let's say around £100 by the time I've bought the framing material, the cladding, the hinges, screws, lock or padlock, the external wood stain/treatment.

Should I just chump up the extra and buy a pre made steel door eg Lathams? These are £240 and come with everything I think.

Anyone see any other alternatives or suggestions for making a wooden door in a way I haven't thought of please?

Obviously I need two the same of whatever I decide.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

A Latham door in that will probably see the rest of the building shaken to bits every time its shut, they're great doors but completely over the top for that IMO. You'll also need to add on delivery and possibly a fixing kit, then it won't seem quite so attractive .....

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

You might want to consider a fire door blank, which can be cut down to suit, a hardwood lipping is added to the perimeter before fitting. eg https://www.builderdepot.co.uk/44mm-plywood-fd30-fire-door-blank-2135mm-x-915mm-7ft-x-3ft

 

[danlightbulb]

You might want to consider a fire door blank, which can be cut down to suit, a hardwood lipping is added to the perimeter before fitting. eg https://www.builderdepot.co.uk/44mm-plywood-fd30-fire-door-blank-2135mm-x-915mm-7ft-x-3ft

Thanks that looks promising. The default size is 950mm wide, can I definitely cut it down enough to be 750mm wide which is what I will need after the frame is added into the opening?

And what do you mean by hardwood lipping, where do I get that from?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Yes they're solid doors designed for when you can't find a suitably sized door. https://www.builderdepot.co.uk/12mm-x-47mm-planed-hardwood-meranti-par-timber-2440mm-2in-x-0-5in You'll likely have to find a local supplier or someone who can deliver to you at a reasonable cost.

 

[danlightbulb]

Any idea on where I can get these from locally to Birmingham?

Howdens sell them but I'm not trade so can't buy them or see the price.

Builderdepot is London so quite far away.

 

[danlightbulb]

What if I got some second hand solid pine 4 panel doors, painted them. Would they survive outside?

 

[foxhole]

Lots of second hand external doors around.Cheap option is pallet timber ledger and braced door.
This is external door made with osb clad with pallet timber .Around 24mm thick.

 

[danlightbulb]

Lots of second hand external doors around.Cheap option is pallet timber ledger and braced door.
This is external door made with osb clad with pallet timber .Around 24mm thick.

Easy to say but some of the 'second hand' examples, such as the one you gave, require fine joinery. I bet that door above has got mortice and tenon joints and tongue and groove infill.

I need a real world diy budget option.

 

[foxhole]

Easy to say but some of the 'second hand' examples, such as the one you gave, require fine joinery. I bet that door above has got mortice and tenon joints and tongue and groove infill.

I need a real world diy budget option.

Zero joints , just off cuts of osb with strips of pallet timber screwed on from reverse. Couldn’t be much simpler , no skill required .

 

[danlightbulb]

Zero joints , just off cuts of osb with strips of pallet timber screwed on from reverse. Couldn’t be much simpler , no skill required .

Will it survive properly outdoors exposed if it's made from osb and pallets?

It's an idea but getting hold of pallets is quite difficult round here. There's never any on the streets locally and I can't fit them in my car.

How many pallets would I need per door?

 

[foxhole]

Will it survive properly outdoors exposed if it's made from osb and pallets?

It's an idea but getting hold of pallets is quite difficult round here. There's never any on the streets locally and I can't fit them in my car.

How many pallets would I need per door?

The one in the photo was 4 years old , you can sometimes get hardwood pallets . One large pallet would be enough or two standard size .
Have no problem finding pallets , picked up 30 last week advertised on Facebook market place for free.
Tend to find them on local commercial sites and roofing supply companies around the country give them away free .
Used to get four or five in a Honda Jazz, you must have a small car .
Currently I get 5 in my estate car and 5 more on the roof rack.