Home DIY

I've a bunch of victtorian pine floorboards available in the classifieds. around 18m2 i think - thinking £150 collected from highbury?

For making doors out of?

Converting it into a double garage?

I have thought about that, but it means communicating with the managing agent, and I'd rather rub tabasco into my raw helmet.

I would consider cost, others may not. I would also have a good look at the roof - it looks flat and felt covered. The areas beneath the foliage should be checked. Personally, I would remove the foliage.

What should I consider ahead of this project

That you're meant to be buying a place in Edinburgh?!

(Seriously, how does this fit in now?)

I would also want to remove that foliage, and the render.

I'd also consider whether it would be better to pay a good carpenter to copy the originals.

Most carpenters wouldn't do it the way you have because they'd be starting from scratch. The main issue you normally encounter is finding straight material for the rails. MDF sometimes warps when you glue it up with the panels in especially with floor to ceiling doors. It used to be quite popular to use pine for the rails as you can then use normal hinges without them pulling out over time.

The more I think about it the more it makes me think he had a point. If you try to make them quickly on site there are definitely issues that can result in warped doors etc. Your method is pretty reasonable and without too much risk but most carpenters would worry about delamination of the thin mdf.

I've made a few 8ft doors panelled in MDF but used thicker mdf rails and still had a few mm deflection in the middle which is annoying but near impossible to avoid or fix. Now I try to design cupboards with smaller doors but there are times when that's not what the customer wants.

Length wise either would do it. I prefer a lighter ladder every time. I did buy a 2 part recently from Lyte ladders and the light weight made the job a lot easier. 3 part is useful in some niche situations and a less flexible if you are tall or heavy!

I don't go above gutters but you should probably look at a stand off which gets the ladder top past the gutter while providing you with a bit more balance against the wall.

https://www.toolstation.com/ladder-stand-off/p88242?store=DB&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&mkwid=s_dc&pcrid=515847200318&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=CjwKCAjwkvWKBhB4EiwA-GHjFspqNEeQg_dh4UttIwYNS1LGO3PJ7ro59CKY_jD2yq58PpwKRR1JwRoCDv4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Always a good idea to have someone at the foot of the ladder if you can as well.

That you're meant to be buying a place in Edinburgh?!

(Seriously, how does this fit in now?)

I would also want to remove that foliage, and the render.

I'd also consider whether it would be better to pay a good carpenter to copy the originals.

Having two garages to store stuff in or resell is not going to make moving more of a problem, rather I think it will make it less of one.

The render is removing itself, and I agree on the foliage - I can say with confidence that the roof isn't leaking as I've been leaving my car in the left hand garage for some time.

The point in making the doors would be in making the doors - paying someone else to do it is not what I'm after.

It's not an easy job. There are lots of things to consider and you will likely need a joiner to supply you with prepared timber or invest in something to prepare it yourself as it's unlikely you will pick up stock from a joinery supplier that suits the design.

You need a pretty chunky router and bits to create the profiles for the type of door in your photos. you will be processing large pieces of wood so you need infeed and outfeed + high volume dust extraction. Then you need a decent set of clamps to create the panels. If you manage on your first attempt to make 2 matching pairs that are not warped you would be doing very well!

I don't generally need an excuse to buy tools.

I'd be doing it outside I expect, due to space constraints which probably makes it a job for spring/summer '22.

The point in making the doors would be in making the doors - paying someone else to do it is not what I'm after.

I would strongly suggest that you don't have the required skillset or toolset to knock up a couple of large wooden doors from scratch.

Not knocking you but these things cost £££ for a reason. Board and batten shutters or an internal 'barn' door, sure, but there's so much to consider for something like this, from the type and cut of lumber, preparing the wood, measuring and building accurately, hanging them etc, as well as preparing the garage to accept them too.

^ I say all this as someone who has all the tools to achieve the task but absolutely not the skill level.

I would strongly suggest that you don't have the required skillset or toolset to knock up a couple of large wooden doors from scratch.

I would agree. But I would also point out that one way of acquiring both would be to give it a go, acknowledging that the first go may be a disaster.

I think it would be fun to give it a go.

Hard pass on that, unless you're prepared to give up the garage space to a good table saw, jointer, and thicknesser. And a bandsaw, because why not.

The idea for garage 2 is for it to be a workshop.

There's no better way to learn a new skill than to do it, sure, but that's like learning to drive by entering a rally.

But now you've insinuated it's easy enough to accumulate the proper tooling and get it right even on the second go I want to see you back that up :)

Seriously, even if you take the weeks off work and dedicate thousands to tooling you are going to have a very steep learning curve. I wonder if you have the skill to hang one ready made hardwood door that size on your own and that is in no way a slight against you. It's just not that easy.

Am I not allowed to get a friend to help? This situation has rules I wasn't aware of before I committed to it.

There are a lot of rules you are not aware of :)

But seriously. If you already had a few of the tools required and some experience on smaller projects and a space to work in and no other job to do I would say have a crack at it.

Having made quite a few close to that size and you did ask for a heads up. There's a lot to it. Like I said though, don't take my word for it or Soul's just crack on and show us how it's done as you seem pretty sure we are underestimating you or overestimating the job. I look forward to seeing the project unfold and wish you all the best.

If the FB group I just joined is to be believed, there is going to be a maker space opening up in South Norwood and some of the tools suggested by me and others as being of use, are listed by @TW

If that comes through, I'll keep you posted as it's somewhere I'd like to make use of myself.

Having made quite a few close to that size and you did ask for a heads up. There's a lot to it. Like I said though, don't take my word for it or Soul's just crack on and show us how it's done as you seem pretty sure we are underestimating you or overestimating the job. I look forward to seeing the project unfold and wish you all the best.

I don't think that you're underestimating me, or overestimating the job, I just wasn't looking for a "it's too hard, pay someone else" type of answer. Rather, I was looking for "you'll need to consider the following".

I acknowledge that I'll likely make a mess of it, but I don't see why that's a reason not to do it.

At least you get a laugh from my misfortune, without having to resort to grammatical contortions to get your jollies.

Mate, you need too much information, tools and experience to reach your goal based on my experienced estimation. Pick an easier project to start on, those garage doors are too hard for a beginner.

Clear enough.

I never laugh about people wasting joinery supplies and my grammar is just poor and contorted but my doors are not.

Clear enough.