Posh front doors - DIY or not?

[joe90]

@Tony K find a picture of what you would like, then we will come up with suggestions how it can be made.

[Onoff]

I can't help thinking...buy a commercial, metal door and repaint it! Meant to take photos at work of the edge/corner details but this might help. Ours are all interlock seamed:

 

 

 

[Tony K]

15 hours ago, joe90 said:

@Tony K find a picture of what you would like, then we will come up with suggestions how it can be made.

 

In either timber or some sort of metal this kind of thing appeals, though it need not be a swivel door:

 

Edited May 12, 2021 by Tony K

[joe90]

1 hour ago, Tony K said:

In either timber or some sort of metal

If timber you could route the slots as seen in a solid door blank and paint, is that copper or bronze?, need to source metal sheet but don’t know how you would treat the edges but could be bonded on with an appropriate adhesive. Handle you would have to source somewhere.

[Tom]

possibly investigate worktop fabricators?: https://www.stainlesssteelworktopsuk.co.uk/made-to-measure-copper-worktops-sinks-and-drainers/

 

stick it on it's end, add a few hinges, job done!

[Tony K]

4 hours ago, Tom said:

possibly investigate worktop fabricators?: https://www.stainlesssteelworktopsuk.co.uk/made-to-measure-copper-worktops-sinks-and-drainers/

 

stick it on it's end, add a few hinges, job done!

 

That's interesting. I could see what that costs vs the other options. 

 

Another idea I've had is to buy something like this:

 

https://www.screenwithenvy.co.uk/products/larbre-corten-garden-screen?variant=31461792284715&currency=GBP&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&cmp_id=11450961827&adg_id=112868478460&kwd=&device=c&gclid=Cj0KCQjws-OEBhCkARIsAPhOkIblkVsPP-kzA9Ij7Yx0-C8vWjBpqH48jWDsFNcavPyhIxqWYGJTzB4aAuUuEALw_wcB

 

...and pin it to a blank door. If I set it about 10mm from the face of the blank door I could even backlight it in some subtle way. 

 

[SimonD]

On 10/05/2021 at 14:06, Tony K said:

I wonder if anyone has any advice on the following:

 

1. Are they always as expensive as I have found so far (thousands rather than hundreds for a door)?

 

2. Is there any merit in taking a standard old timber door and seeking to attach sheet material to it, thereby achieving a similar effect?

 

Thanks

 

I've recently received an expensive front door which is 2.1m high by 1.2m wide. I'd seriously thought about making it myself but my wife talked me out of it. I'm glad she did. Ours is made with Accoya and is well insulated. I has a steel reinforcement frame, necessary due to its size, plus multi-point locking etc. The door weighs 107kg. It's also manufactured as a door set with inset heavy duty hinges, three at the top, one at the bottom.

 

Overall, I wouldn't have managed anything even remotely close to this and I do think it takes a lot of skill (and tooling) to produce something like this diy that will last.

[craig]

I have to admit, entrance doors can be eye watering in price, especially once you factory in things such as LED lighting, electrical locking, finger print scanners, keypad access, numbering, etchings etc. However, I have not come across a proper main entrance door from any of our suppliers that doesn't make that "clunk" sound that makes you smile and feel safe.

Worth the money imho if you have it in your budget.

[tanneja]

My Camelglass liquid metal door should go in Monday, will post a picture if we are successful.

[joe90]

Well I had my front door and frame made by the same company that made my windows and conservatory. It’s oak, insulated, multi point locking and much cheaper than on line “posh” door suppliers. If not DIY try to find a local wood shop and see what they can do!

[Bitpipe]

1 hour ago, craig said:

I have to admit, entrance doors can be eye watering in price, especially once you factory in things such as LED lighting, electrical locking, finger print scanners, keypad access, numbering, etchings etc. However, I have not come across a proper main entrance door from any of our suppliers that doesn't make that "clunk" sound that makes you smile and feel safe.

Worth the money imho if you have it in your budget.

 

We have Gaulfhoffer windows and minor doors but the front door is RK as it met the aesthetic.

 

It is a feat of engineering and arrived in a fully installed door set - there must be about 4 grub screws to balance every hinge and get the 900mm wide door perfectly level and flush. I think this would be the challenge from a DIY perspective.

[Tony K]

I suppose the difference in my case compared to some is that I don't want an oversized front door, or one that turns on a pivot. I can imagine that the engineering requirements for either are significant and almost certainly beyond my DIY skills, but I could have a crack at modifying a standard front door, probably by cladding it, to give it a non standard appearance. 

 

Thanks for all the discussion and ideas all. 

[JOE187]

 This company advertise also on ebay as well and do 3 thickness of doors. I would be interested to have a lok at the quality as looks pretty solid!

 

https://globarro.co.uk/doors/specification/

[Tony K]

7 hours ago, JOE187 said:

 This company advertise also on ebay as well and do 3 thickness of doors. I would be interested to have a lok at the quality as looks pretty solid!

 

https://globarro.co.uk/doors/specification/

 

Seems like the kind of thing where you'd want to see one in person. At those prices they are obviously not pretending to be top of the range, but that doesn't mean that they aren't up to scratch.