Making a shed door from softwood

[Jupiter01]

I’ve got two sets of double doors that I need to build for this. Not sure how well you can see in this image but there are two sets of openings on the front. The openings are completely plumb.



Each set of doors is around 180cm high and 160cm wide.

I was planning to use softwood round and groove boards with timber braces on the back side, including the diagonal support to prevent sagging.
I will also put in a door jam and finally, give it a coat of ronseal fence treatment.

I want to prevent the door becoming stiff from expansion and contraction during different seasons. When cutting this door down to size, how much gap should I have in the frame and is it on all four sides?

I would appreciate any advice and tips you can provide for this.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jupiter01]

@Admin, not sure why this has been moved out of the garden shed forum?

 

[Odds]

It's a shame J&K had enough of the forum trolls.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Yes shame he left, not sure he was trolled much was he? Probably spent too long on here like some of us do.

 

[Odds]

Yes shame he left, not sure he was trolled much was he? Probably spent too long on here like some of us do.

Not so much personally, i think, but he tired of the spoof threads started by some folk.

 

[Jupiter01]

I’d appreciate any thoughts on this please. Thanks again.

 

[Deluks]

5mm all round should be ok.
32mm thick timber for your rails and braces, will be a bit stiffer and gives more depth for fixings.

Use ring shank nails or 'clenched' galvanised nails.

 

[Notch7]

I’ve got two sets of double doors that I need to build for this. Not sure how well you can see in this image but there are two sets of openings on the front. The openings are completely plumb.

View attachment 353213

Each set of doors is around 180cm high and 160cm wide.

I was planning to use softwood round and groove boards with timber braces on the back side, including the diagonal support to prevent sagging.
I will also put in a door jam and finally, give it a coat of ronseal fence treatment.

I want to prevent the door becoming stiff from expansion and contraction during different seasons. When cutting this door down to size, how much gap should I have in the frame and is it on all four sides?

I would appreciate any advice and tips you can provide for this.

Thanks in advance.

you need to leave a gap between each board

ideally you should put the boards outside, in a stack with gaps between them for air flow and covered to protect from rain -leave for a couple of weeks in dampish Sept weather

I guarantee T and G boards will be too dry for outside use (unless they have been stored at the timber yard outside) and will expand once made into a gate

 

[Jupiter01]

you need to leave a gap between each board

ideally you should put the boards outside, in a stack with gaps between them for air flow and covered to protect from rain -leave for a couple of weeks in dampish Sept weather

I guarantee T and G boards will be too dry for outside use (unless they have been stored at the timber yard outside) and will expand once made into a gate

I was planning to leave some gap for intraboard expansion. Would 2mm between boards be sufficient?