# Door skin?



## L Town Graphics (May 24, 2012)

Hey guys, I am looking for some suggestions. I have an old stone house, built in 1932. My outside door is in need of some help. The bottom is rotted pretty good. I know most of you would say just buy a new one.... Here's the problem, to replace it will cost about $2500. Reason being it is round at the top and tapered on the sides. We had a family friend who is a contractor take a look at it. What he suggested is to have the door reskinned. In terms of cost efficiency it makes sense. With all of that being said I'm looking for suggestions on what type of wood to do the skins. Something that looks nice finished and durable. The door faces the south east and is in direct sunlight atleast half of the day as well as the natural elements of rain and snow. Thanks in advance for any input.


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

The skin material is probably less important than the glue used and the finish you apply. 
Use a water proof glue such as Titebond III. 
I would apply a skim coat of glue to the very bottom of the door, also.
For a final finish to the door skin, I've had great luck with McClosky's Man-O-War varnish. I'm sure there are others just as good, though.


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## L Town Graphics (May 24, 2012)

Gene Howe said:


> The skin material is probably less important than the glue used and the finish you apply.
> Use a water proof glue such as Titebond III.
> I would apply a skim coat of glue to the very bottom of the door, also.
> For a final finish to the door skin, I've had great luck with McClosky's Man-O-War varnish. I'm sure there are others just as good, though.


Gene, I will be sure to let the contractor know to do those things. 

Does anyone have have a recommendation on what type of wood?


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Dan; you maybe limited in what's available with an exterior rating (the laminating glue).


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

L Town Graphics said:


> I have an old stone house, built in 1932. My outside door is in need of some help. The bottom is rotted pretty good.
> 
> Reason being it is round at the top and tapered on the sides.


Dan-

(Restoration Carpentry) Most exterior doors from that era are oak or mahogany.

You described the shape of the door, but... No-one asked this. What is the construction of this door? Solid? Panel? Ledge and Brace? Etc.

The cheapest repair if it is a paint out is also the best weather resistance wise. Treat the rot, fill the voids, skin it with fiberglass and paint it.

If a stain and finish, the repair all depends on the construction. 

Even if a solid door, the bottom could be trimmed, routed or shaped with a spline joint and a bottom piece attached. Make the spline joint so joint sheds down and there you go. Add a few dowels and bolts to add some strength. Just like a glueup- you can make it look like the joints are seamless.

If a panel door or ledge and brace, remove the bottom panel (cut and chisel) Replace the panel... If the stiles are rotten then make the joints at different places than the panel joints, to give it strength. Ledge and Brace is the same repair. Ledge and Brace construction is braces jointed vertically supported between 2 Braces. 

Etc.

Have a photo handy of that door?


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Dan; did you check out the 'used building material' outlets? They usually have hundreds of old doors in stock.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Why a door skin they are easy to make with the right bit set.

Short cuts just don't worked out well the norm,the hardware you now have on the door may not fit with a door skin.. ;(

2 pc 1/2" SH Entry Door Matched R&S Router Bit Set | eBay

===+++++++


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## elrodqfudp (Sep 5, 2011)

Birchwood Best,http://www.birchwoodbest.com/doorskins.php, should be able to answer all of your questions. They manufacture doorskins.


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## mgmine (Jan 16, 2012)

Around my area there is only one place that sells door skins and they are made of luan. I'm guessing that you won't have much better luck finding a skin. I think the best you could hope for would be 1/4" marine grade plywood. Once yo put that on you will have to rest your hinges and lock as was Bob eluded to. I would try what Mike suggested and fix the rot, Minwax sells a product that will do that. If the bottom is somewhat solid instead of cutting it completely off you could route out the bad part and insert a new thin section. Even if you had to take it down an inch you would still have enough left to hold things together. Since you would most likely be routing the tenon away you would have to route the complete width including the stiles. To cover things you could then attach a brass door bottom panel.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

No, I wouldn't say buy a new one. Unless you wanted to repair the old one, I'd say make a new one. It's not rocket science, and there are instructions on door making on-line if you're not sure about how to do it. Solid door for outside. 

It would be a definite help if you had pictures, your description is lacking detail. The Devil is in the details.


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## L Town Graphics (May 24, 2012)

If it helps any here is the construction of the door and jam.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

....that $2,500 is starting to look like a bargain.
You'll need to make a temporary door while you take this one into the shop, if you intend to repair it. If you decide to start from scratch that actually makes it simpler.
Me? Given the choice, I'd make a pattern from the existing, and just build a new one, 1/4 sawn Cedar or Hemlock.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

It looks like a 1/4" thick plywood or 1/4" thick wood strips "skin " are now in place I would suggest you remove the old one's and put a new one in place...you may not need to replace the one on the inside of door..

==


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Saw pic's. Looks like flush door type with a frame filled style frame. But none of that really matters. 

Like Bob said- Remove the outside skin/covering. That could be done with jig-rails and a long dado jig on the rails, to plane it down with a bottom cleaning bit... Replace the bottom part of the frame (also looks like there may be rot there). Put on a new skin- either 1/4" ply or 1/4" planks to get the same look. Onsite roughly 24 hours labor, depending on the tools and materials used? Longest time is getting off the outside skin. Would be a lot less if it was done in a big shop that had big expensive machines that could rip it right down... (A millwright shop)

That's a really nice distinctive looking door. You could put plywood up in the entry while it's being worked on. That's what we usually did.


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## L Town Graphics (May 24, 2012)

Ok I guess I need to rephrase the original question..... Based on the pics I posted, if you were going to reskin this door and leave it a natural wood color, what 1/4" would wood you use? I'm not interested in the how to end of it. A family friend who is a contractor is doing the work, all I am doing is selecting the wood that is being used!


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

L Town Graphics said:


> Ok I guess I need to rephrase the original question..... Based on the pics I posted, if you were going to reskin this door and leave it a natural wood color, what 1/4" would wood you use? I'm not interested in the how to end of it. A family friend who is a contractor is doing the work, all I am doing is selecting the wood that is being used!


I would say Red Oak or Nootka Cypress. But that's based on my preference (finished stained grain), durability, weather resistance (after finish) and what's readily available here. 

Then again, I have a major door plant only 3 blocks away and in their catalog for most of their exterior door styles, the available wood species for them is: Western Hemlock, Douglas Fir, Eastern White knotty Pine, Poplar, Maple, Red Oak, Cherry, Western Red Cedar, Knotty Alder, Ash, White Birch, Hickory, Quartersawn Red Oak, Nootka Cypress, African Mahogany, Sapele Mahogany, Bamboo, Walnut and Ponderosa Pine.

I'm sure it's a different list in the mid-west or east coast. Someone said Beech?


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## L Town Graphics (May 24, 2012)

MAFoElffen said:


> I would say Red Oak or Nootka Cypress. But that's based on my preference (finished stained grain), durability, weather resistance (after finish) and what's readily available here.
> 
> Then again, I have a major door plant only 3 blocks away and in their catalog for most of their exterior door styles, the available wood species for them is: Western Hemlock, Douglas Fir, Eastern White knotty Pine, Poplar, Maple, Red Oak, Cherry, Western Red Cedar, Knotty Alder, Ash, White Birch, Hickory, Quartersawn Red Oak, Nootka Cypress, African Mahogany, Sapele Mahogany, Bamboo, Walnut and Ponderosa Pine.
> 
> I'm sure it's a different list in the mid-west or east coast. Someone said Beech?


this was the type of answer i was looking for, thank you!


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Ah, now I see. If it was me I'd want the door kept as close to original as I could. I'd repair the bottom with epoxy or something, and put a kick panel over it.


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## elrodqfudp (Sep 5, 2011)

Now that is a beautiful door! 
That door needs to compliment the existing exterior components of the house. That being said, my choice of wood would be red oak without a stain, just a clear finish. 
Red oak will stand up to the weather and is hard enough to handle wear and tear. Just lightly sand it before it looks like it needs it and apply another coat of finish.


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