Home DIY

Does anyone have any knowledge/experience of replacing a plastic front door & frame with a more old-fashioned or original looking wooden one?

I think I have the capabilities to source a door & screw it into the wall but am not sure about installing the actual door frame - is it an easy DIY or for security reasons would it be better to just pay someone to do it? Any ideas of how much a carpenter/door frame installer would cost?

I'm painting and it's impossible not to imagine I'm also practicing my Karate Kid defensive blocks.

My left block needs more training

It's fairly straightforward, however if you are wondering about it then for peace of mind (and given that it is your front door) you might want to shop it out?

As it's exterior you'll be using hardwood, which requires more powerful and sharper tools than typical softwoods- something to bear in mind if you only have (as I do) a little router, for example.

Does anyone have any knowledge/experience of replacing a plastic front door & frame with a more old-fashioned or original looking wooden one?

I think I have the capabilities to source a door & screw it into the wall but am not sure about installing the actual door frame - is it an easy DIY or for security reasons would it be better to just pay someone to do it? Any ideas of how much a carpenter/door frame installer would cost?

I looked into this when I thought I'd have to do it myself, but then decided that I'd rather pay the money and get someone to do it for me, think it was about £800 with a painted door, hardware, installation, everything.

I think I must be Scottish- I look at £800 and reflexively think "I'll do it myself!"

This bit of charming racism aside (my Grandad is Scottish I'll have you know, I can't be racist, plus the Scottish are not a race (blue skin and orange hair notwithstanding)) it's probably worth it from a "getting it done by nightfall" point of view.

That was my first thought, then my second thought was 'it's a front door, it needs to look good and be secure, and I don't have the time or any experience' and limbered up my chequebook

That was my logic - I think I'm capable of doing the actual work but in the back of my mind there is the idea that I'd either forget something or there would be a problem & I'd be left with no front door over night.

For example these look alright & it's only £300 to remove old door & fit new one...

http://www.yaledoor.co.uk/config/

Based on my experience of DIY so far though I'd start at the crack of dawn and have a back-up plan if it takes longer than planned, as everything I do seems to

Ikea hacking! I've got a daft idea in my head that I'd like to make this thing about 250mm narrower so the speaker will fit between it and the chimney breast...

Recent attempt at making an extra shelf for it using a general purpose saw, g-clamps and metal spirit level for a guide suggested it would definitely not be a good idea to use the same method on the whole thing.

It's obviously not difficult stuff to cut through, so I'm wondering about getting hold of a jigsaw and using that against the previously mentioned g-clamped spirit level. Am reasonably confident that once the pieces are cut down I can accurately measure and drill the necessary holes for reassembling it.

Are there any obvious flaws in this plan, or better ways to go about it? Appreciate a saw table would be the proper way of doing things, but that involves transport which isn't very practical cos I don't have any.

Brun

There is no reason whatsoever that your plan won't work, but trust me it won't work, this is IKEA stuff we're talking about, it doesn't perform as you'd hope, the foil covering will rip as you cut it and it'll be all wonky no matter how careful you are.

What might be a better idea is to wall hang the upper part of the unit, maybe with some nice lights behind and then get rid of the lower cabinet and put your speaker in the gap.

Or get some nice shelving made up that fits snuggly in the alcove.

IKEA stuff is great in certain applications (actually is shit but I don't wish to offend anyone) cutting it down like you suggest will make it even shitter.

You'll thank me later

Cheers

He makes a valid point. From experience, even taking it apart will involve something required breaking.

Let's face it, Brun's just looking for an excuse not to go on the TNRC.

Ha, cheers!

I did wonder if I might be on a hiding to nothing. Bit annoyed that I obviously didn't think this through before buying it. Think the best option might be to relocate this to somewhere else and get hold of something more appropriate for the living room.

Ideally I'd like some sort of AV cabinet (or at least something with decent cable routing options cos there's fucking loads of them), but I've struggled to find anything that's narrow+tall. Getting something custom-made sounds like a nice idea, although potentially spendy.

Can you post a full photo of that wall? And dimensions if possible ..

Edit: Cant make out the TV position; or is that a TV in front of the fireplace?

Let's face it, Brun's just looking for an excuse not to go on the TNRC.

It's true. I've never been able to find a reliable excuse on a Tuesday night and this is what I've had to resort to.

I won't remember to take a photo when I get home but I recently built some lovely shelves with hidden fittings across a much wider alcove - bit of 2x1 baton some 12mm MDF and away you go. I got all clever and installed hidden lights so it looks proper nice.

Not difficult to do, seriously not difficult.

As long as you plan what you want to do and where you might need to hide cables etc it is fairly simple.

Good luck

Can you post a full photo of that wall? And dimensions if possible ..

Edit: Cant make out the TV position; or is that a TV in front of the fireplace?

The space to the right of the chimney breast is just over 800mm wide and 2.7m high, give or take.

Here's a really shit photo. There's no actual fireplace there it's just tiles, makes a good location for discrete centre speaker. Stone Roses print is on the mantelpiece cos it needs reframing and I've not decided where to put it.

My TV bracket fixing skills proved surprisingly good.

Ikea hacking! I've got a daft idea in my head that I'd like to make this thing about 250mm narrower so the speaker will fit between it and the chimney breast...

+1 on the "not worth it" theme, but also won't putting a speaker in the alcove next to some cut-down shelves make it really bassy and boomy?

I just received a quote for building the brick wall I was talking about a while ago- £1,460 no including the bricks.

I think you're overcharging yourself, quite frankly.

Seems expensive to me.

no including the bricks.

Is that the Scots coming through?

Chap (who is Irish, not Scottish) who gave me the quote said that bricks could vary from £0.50 to £1.75/brick, so he didn't want to quote for them until he knew what I wanted.

I was unaware that bricks could be so spendy.

I'm certainly tempted to build the wall myself now.

How big is this wall? That sounds expensive to me too.

4mX2m, I suppose it is possible that they are using Beluga caviar as mortar.