converting to french

[helga]

I have scored two matching doors, each with a large and small panel of glass in an (guessing) oregon frame. Just completed paint removal and they're looking hot. Each door is 890mm wide and I want to convert them into supersized french doors.Anybody done this before?thanks

[ozwinner]

No.

[helga]

thanks anyway.very enlightening!

[helga]

Where the doors meet in the middle, can I nail on a strip half the depth of the door to form an overlap or will that just be pissweak?Do they need to overlap or can I just use some kind of bolt across and also into the floor?- security is no issue but wind might be.I have only done furniture restoration before, no building.

[knucklehead]

The doors need to meet securly otherwise they will not stop when closed.The french doors will become saloon swing gates.
If the doors are solid or have enough meat left on the edge you can route a matched set on eachdoor to do this. Alternativley you could just add a bead of timber to one of the doors.

[knucklehead]

P.S don't worry about Al he has recently lost all colour (and shirt) and hasn't been the same since.http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon10.gif

[journeyman Mick]

Helga,
you need to rebate the doors where they meet. Buy your handle/lock with a rebate kit and cut the rebate to suit. Normally the stationary door gets a barrell bolt top and bottom. Also I'm guessing they're western red cedar rather than oregon.

Mick (who's laid bugger all bricks but has hung a few doors, unlike Al ;) )

[helga]

Thank you for the information.At least I get the idea it is possible.The frame around the glass is about 100mm wide and the door is about 40mm thick, just estimates as it is down in the shed. They seem very heavy, two person job to move them, they are from a nursing home in Lismore.I have just discovered this forum. Am I allowed to know what SWMBO stands for???

[journeyman Mick]

She Who Must Be Obeyed

[helga]

made me laugh

have you seen the fridge magnet that says I can't Be Fired, Slaves Have To Be Sold ?

I grew up in the rainforest in Kuranda, but I haven't been there for years, it has probably changed a lot since 1983!!!

[Rusty]

The french doors will become saloon swing gates.
Heh, heh. I can just imagine a brooding figure kicking open the doors and staring down a barroom full of French cowboys..."Mon Dieu! C'est Le Sherriffe!"

Regards,
Rusty.

[helga]

cue Fist Full of Dollars soundtrack

[keith53]

:D sack ray blur

[helga]

jokes like that are a sack a bull a fence

[speedy]

The frame around the glass is about 100mm wide and the door is about 40mm thick,
This may help you, this is a set for french doors I made to replace a window. They are 900mm x 2000mm each, the frame is approx 100mm wide and they weigh about 20 kgs each and are made of silky oak. I also made two other sets the same size but with out the horizontal braces. I would advise using three hinges on each door to hold the weight.

[helga]

speedy gonzales, what do you have above the door? it looks like steel c section? I like that there is not a lot of architrave etc, our place is not Victorian, it's a Logan home. Have you heard of them? Basically looks like an asbestos lunchbox! we've just had all the Asbestos removed.thanks

[speedy]

The blue bit is some wall insulation as I've not finished off. The top will be done with a wide piece of natural edged timber, when I get around to it.
I once owned a "ROUND TO IT" but I lent it to a friend and haven't got around to getting it back.

I have heard of logan homes I almost bought one once. :eek::eek::eek:

[conwood]

Hey Speedy,
I've got your ROUND TO IT. I'll get a round to sending it back you.

Cheers,
conwood

"I used to be indecisive, now I'm not sure"

[seriph1]

Big Doors by the way .....

Helga - I have done what youre considering - all the advice (when actual advice was given) is spot on ...... I love French Doors (or should we call them Freedom Doors now???? :D )

To further reinforce what the others have said:

A nailed on timber weatherstrip will not stay there long I fear ...... Also, I am no fan of Mushrooms - they are the "T" shaped strips that modern double doors have as a weather strip - rebating is the way to go - and once! I did all my rebating on my first French Door project and got it all beautiful - THEN bought the lockset, so my doors started life as covering a 1790 opening and finished up being suitable for a 1735 opening. Bloody dill that I am.

Fixing one side, top and bottom is the way to go - use decent French Door bolts as the lighter/cheaper ones are very easy to push through as I discovered one day when I came home.

Do you have an existing opening or does it have to be made?

can you post a pic?

[helga]

Our house currently has roof, floor and steel frame, so we will be making a door frame to hang the doors in. I priced a double rebate finger jointed primed pine door frame at local building supplies and wasn't that pleased particularly about having to paint it, so we might have a go at making the frame ourselves. When I work out how to do it i will post a picture of doors. Because the doors are recycled, they already have a round hole where a handle once was, I am wondering if rebating will affect this, make it too close to the edge.
Did you use cathedral hinges on yours so they can be pinned right back? Thanks a lot, sorry i took a while to reply, i was freezing my butt off camping.

[seriph1]

hi again

It's good that you dont have to increase openings and that sort of thing ..... I envy you - EVERYTHING I am doing to my place first involves removing what's there and not only is it a pain, it means waste. Anyway enough of that tirade..... Framing material can be expensive but it means buying-fitting, then getting on with life. It isn't that hard to make .....

I think those hinges are called Parliament hinges and yes I did use them on the second set - I didnt do it on the first set and regretted it but learned to live with it as the doors were rarely opened anyway.

above all have fun!

:D

[helga]

We are on a family farm in a beautiful location but please don't be too jealous! We have a long way to go but I have a three bay shed to play in, my fella doesn't mind at all if I use his tools and I am definitely having fun. Thank you Steve!