# Suitable Timber For Making Louver Doors?



## Gaia (Feb 20, 2010)

I'd like to make louver doors, storage for the first floor rear and front bedrooms. I think I'll be making, using a louver jig that was featured in Woodsmith magazine. 

I'm on a limited budget, though I have a tablesaw and Dewalt thicknesser/planer etc. 

I'm wondering would I be alright to make the doors from this Planed Whitewood Planed Whitewood - Timber -Building Materials - Wickes I'd use some type of pine stain on it. 

If this timber wouldn't produce a nice job. Would any of their other timbers do? Or would I be better off going to to a timber merchant if can get timber to rip down at a good price. I'm very new to all of this I don't have a clue how to go about selecting suitable timber from a wood yard.
Cheers.


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

I would be concerned about warpage with that white wood. A better choice may be oak or another readily available hard wood.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

I would suggest Basswood,see the video(s) and see how easy you can make them with the right wood and jig. 
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=30953&site=ROCKLER

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Gaia said:


> I'd like to make louver doors, storage for the first floor rear and front bedrooms. I think I'll be making, using a louver jig that was featured in Woodsmith magazine.
> 
> I'm on a limited budget, though I have a tablesaw and Dewalt thicknesser/planer etc.
> 
> ...


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Peter; just a suggestion, but how about making a smaller pair of louvers, first? Shutters for example. 
Over here, on the other side of the Big Pond, the door mfgs. use Hemlock as their 'paint grade' stock material. D. Fir for exterior doors, if you specify it. In the '50s and '60s, mahogany was what you'd expect in Interior louver cupboard doors and hollow core room doors. 
In any case, if you can find clear 1/4 sawn KD lumber, that's what you'll have the best success with. 
Wood Species


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## Gaia (Feb 20, 2010)

DaninVan said:


> Peter; just a suggestion, but how about making a smaller pair of louvers, first? Shutters for example.
> Over here, on the other side of the Big Pond, the door mfgs. use Hemlock as their 'paint grade' stock material. D. Fir for exterior doors, if you specify it. In the '50s and '60s, mahogany was what you'd expect in Interior louver cupboard doors and hollow core room doors.
> In any case, if you can find clear 1/4 sawn KD lumber, that's what you'll have the best success with.
> Wood Species


Hi and thanks,
Before My original post I looked up Whitewood. 
" According to Wikipedia, whitewood is another name for the wood from a spruce tree. Yet further investigation reveals that it is a generic term for multiple species. Just like whitefish, whitewood is a generic for spruce, hemlock or fir produced from a mill that takes in all the above species. " I think I should get back to Wickes and ask if they can be more specific. Oak is the most commonly 1/4 sawn timber. I know Louvre doors are often made from pine, Wickes do them. Pine I don't think is 1/4 sawn and I don't think the doors are subject to warping?
My other name is.... none the wiser


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## Gaia (Feb 20, 2010)

Gene Howe said:


> I would be concerned about warpage with that white wood. A better choice may be oak or another readily available hard wood.


Thanks, see my reply to Dan.


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## Gaia (Feb 20, 2010)

bobj3 said:


> I would suggest Basswood,see the video(s) and see how easy you can make them with the right wood and jig.
> http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=30953&site=ROCKLER
> 
> ===


Cheers Bj and see my reply to Dan. What do you think?


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Gaia; largely because of the mind boggling devastation caused by both the Spruce Bud worm and the Pine beetle (and a few other nasties) B.C. and the Yukon have had to salvage massive quantities of dead or dying trees, ie lumber.
We went from D.Fir up till the '80s, into Hemlock, and now SPF...Spruce/Pine/Fir ...any form basically, as our standard framing lumber. The D. Fir and HemFir are still available, but you need to order it specifically. 
Finding clear Kiln Dried Fir (Hemlock normally) is a p.i.t.a; most of the finish racks are filled with finger jointed SPF or Ultralite, all pre-primed.
I can get 1/4 sawn D.Fir. HemFir, and Red Cedar all from small independent sawyers...but it's green and wet!


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