You can buy a pre-cut door at any home improvement store.If you need to cover an oddly-sized doorway, what do you do?It's possible to make your own door.Picking up a sheet of 2 in (1.3 cm) plywood and cutting it to correct dimensions is as simple as that.If you want to give your door a little extra visual appeal, you can use your scrap plywood to cut stiles, center panels, or other accents.
Step 1: Take a look at the doorway where you will be installing your door.
Before you start working on your door, you need to know how big it is.You can find the height and width of your doorway by stretching a tape measure across the top.Make a note of your measurements.You have to refer back to them when you cut the panel for your door.
Step 2: Purchase a sheet of 2 in (1.3 cm) plywood.
Purchase a sheet of plywood at your local hardware store or home improvement center and use it as the main panel for your new door.It's best to use 2 in (1.3 cm) plywood for a standard interior door.A solid piece of plywood will create a door that is much stronger than the hollow-bodied variety installed in most homes.
Step 3: Use a pencil to mark the doorway dimensions on your plywood sheet.
Draw one line down the length of the plywood to correspond to the doorway height and another line across the top to indicate the width, using the measurements you recorded earlier.This will make a rough outline of your door panel.To confirm that your lines are straight, use a ruler or straight edge.You could end up with a door that isn't right.
Step 4: The plywood needs to be cut.
Guide the saw blade slowly over the plywood sheet you drew to trim the excess material from the edges.When it comes time to make your second cut, you will need to position the plywood or the saw.Laying a separate piece of lumber along your measurement lines will help prevent mistakes.The standard size of an interior door is 80 inches by 200 cm.
Step 5: The entire door panel needs to be sanded.
The outer surface of the panel should be smooth and level with the use of an electric sander or sheet of high-grit sandpaper over both sides.Turn your attention to the edges of the panel once you have sanded both faces.While you sand the edges, you may have to brace the panel against another object to hold it steady.If you are satisfied with a plain, flat door or a few more pieces of plywood, you can move on to painting and installing the mounting hardware.
Step 6: Cut your remaining plywood into strips.
Depending on how much plywood you have left over, you could fashion a set of simple stiles and rails to give your door some added depth.If you have a main door panel that is 80 inches tall and 25 inches wide, you should have enough material left over for 4 to 6 sections.You will need to put rails and stiles on both sides of the door.If you want to account for possible waste, consider buying a second sheet of plywood.
Step 7: Attach the edges of the panel with construction glue.
Down the length of the panel, apply a few stripes of glue.Line up an 80 in (200 cm) x 4.5 in (11 cm), strip over either edge and press them down into the glue.Until the glue has set enough to hold them in place, keep steady pressure on the pieces.The door panel may be fastened using a vice or a pair of table clamps.It will leave you with both hands free and keep pressure on the plywood pieces.Attach the 2 remaining pieces to the opposite side when the panel is turned over.
Step 8: Cut your remaining plywood strips into sections.
The sections will be your rails.If you cut them, they will fit between the stiles, which should be exactly 41 cm apart.Make sure your rails are the same size by cutting them separately.
Step 9: Attach the rails to the door panel.
Put 1-2 lines of glue on the backside of your rail pieces and position them in between the stiles at the top, bottom, and center of the door.Take one set of rails at a time and move onto the next set.You will need to do this on both sides of the door.If you want to make sure your center rail is positioned correctly, draw a line widthwise through the middle of the panel, or the 40 in (100 cm) mark, and use it as a reference when setting and gluing the rail.To maintain pressure on the center rails, use a heavy object with a flat bottom.
Step 10: Adding decorative trim will give your door more visual appeal.
If you want to give your door a more polished look, purchase a few feet of wooden moulding in your preferred style and cut it to fit along the inner edges of the panel.You will need 8 33.25 in (84.5 cm) pieces and 8 16 in 41 cm pieces for each side of the door.Glue them beside the rails.The end of the trim was seen at a 45 degree angle.It will be easy for all of the pieces to fit together.Adding 1.25 in nailpolish to your construction glue will give you added security.
Step 11: There are holes for the lockset.
To open up a hole along the end of the door, use a drill with a 2.125 in (5.40 cm) hole saw attachment.After boring through the opposite side, flip the door and drill halfway through one side.Once this is done, you can use a hole saw to drill into the edge of the door to make room for the latch.
Step 12: Paint or stain your door.
You can focus on giving your door an eye-catching finish now that you have assembled it.Use a handheld sash brush to smooth on 1-2 coats of water-based alkyd paint in your shade of choice.Apply stains with a foam brush or rag and add or remove the stain a little at a time until you achieve the desired depth of color.Water-based paints take 24 hours to dry.It should be ready for a follow-up coat in 12 to 24 hours if you stain your door instead.The most uniform finish is possible if you use at least 2 coats.
Step 13: If your door opens to the outside, apply a water- resistant sealant.
If your door is intended for a garage, shed, workshop, or similar structure, it is a good idea to waterproof it before putting it up.The outer edges of the door should be brushed with a clear coat of wood varnish.The tip of your brush can be used to work the sealant deeper.Exposure to the elements can cause your door to warp, crack, or split over time, ruining all of your hard work.Even if you hang your door inside, a clear coat will keep it looking new for years to come.Powerful fumes can come from Sealants and varnishes.If you can, open doors and crack a window to improve the air quality in your workspace.
Step 14: The knob or handle should be installed.
The latched door should be fastened using the included screws and a 1 in hole in the interior edge of the door.Align the knob or handle on either side of the 2.125 in hole, then tighten the screws around the faceplate to secure it.If your hardware does not sit flush with the edge of the door, you may need to cut a shallow mortise for it.It will be able to sit directly into the wood.To make sure the rounded edge faces the door, be sure to insert the latch.You have to turn the knob or handle to get the door to close if you put it in backwards.
Step 15: Attach the hinges
To find the distance between the hinges, use a tape measure.Place the new hinges on the inner edge of the door and trace them with a pencil.Then, use a hammer and chisel to carve out a shallow hole.Attach the hinges to the depressions using a drill.You need to install both sets at the same time if there aren't already hinges in the doorway.To determine where your door frame hinges need to go and how far apart they should be, consult a door installation guide or online hinge calculator.
Step 16: Attach your door's hinges to the door frame.
All you have left to do is hang the door.Lift the door high enough to interlock both sets of hinges, then slide the hinge pins into the opening at the top of each hinge and tap them down firmly.You are done!If you want to hold the door at the correct height while you fit the hinges together, you can create improvised shims from wood scraps or folded pieces of cardboard.After hanging your door, open and close it a few times to make sure it moves smoothly.If you feel resistance, you may have to take it down and try again.