Crofter Posted October 6, 2017 Posted October 6, 2017 Ah the wonders of online user reviews! Perusing the Wickes and B&Q websites to get a feel for door lining kits (I'm aiming for the basic pine which I will prime and paint white) and the reviews paint a picture of twisted, warped, knotty, badly sized timber. Is this a DIY-shed problem, or am I just as likely to encounter this at the BM? I'm not convinced on the solidity of MDF for door linings- I guess I'd need plenty of packers (I have a 45mm gap to play with inc the width of the linings themselves)- how well do the hinge screws bite into the MDF? I only actually need three of these- maybe I should just do a bit of cherry-picking?
ProDave Posted October 6, 2017 Posted October 6, 2017 I have yet to get this far but it is something I just know is going to give me grief. On my last build, the house was built of standard stuff, mostly 4*2 or 6*2 frames, clad in plasterboard. But could I find door liners to fit? NO. the standard offerings were a few mm too big or too small. This time round with some 8*2 framing and an OSB racking layer as well as the PB I am expecting to similarly find no standard door liner fits. And yes I had problems with wood warping. This time around SWMBO wants white painted "woodwork" which means I can use MDF skirting and architrave and eliminate the warping issue. If I could do the same with door liners I would . I might even consider making my own from scratch if, as I expect, the standard offerings don't "work" "Cherry Picking" did not work. I personally went to the timber merchant and selected all my skirtings and architraves to get nice straight ones. With in a few days of being on site they resembled bananas. What I see professionals do is bring all the linings into the house and ratchet strap them all together (with a LOT of straps) to force them to stay straight while they aclimatise to the buildings environemnt. They often leave them like that 2 weeks before they dare unstrap them and start using them.
Crofter Posted October 6, 2017 Author Posted October 6, 2017 I think the standard kits are sized for block or brick walls, not timber frame. I've got two doors in a wall framed in 2x4 (with 12.5mm PB that works out to about 120mm) and one in a wall made with 3x2 (so that comes to about 95mm). Standard sizes seem to be 108mm, 125mm, 131mm, and larger. However I have a table saw and I'm not afraid to use it! Like you, I'm going with white MDF skirts/arcs, but solid pine for the linings, which will also end up white. Yes it would all look lovely in oak or oak veneer but it trebles the cost, and you can't just fill defects/nail heads/joints and paint over them.
ProDave Posted October 6, 2017 Posted October 6, 2017 I have just measured some of mine and I will be needing 180mm, 130mm and 95mm thick liners. Some hope. I wonder about making mdf liners, with ply backings glued on where the hinges will go so you screw through the mdf into the ply?
jamiehamy Posted October 6, 2017 Posted October 6, 2017 I got the door linings and stops from a timber merchant - these were cut to fit 95x45 +12mm +12mm. They are primed MDF and fit perfectly. I've not ordered the architrave yet but will be using MDF as well. The timber merchant was pretty helpful and they cut the linings to a rough size for me and ripped the depth which is a perfect fit. They have been sat in the house for 6months and all nice and straight :-) which I suppose you would expect from MDF?
Crofter Posted October 12, 2017 Author Posted October 12, 2017 Any more fans of MDF linings? I'm leaning towards it as the best option- better paint finish, no warping, but will need plenty of packing. One problem I can see is that it will be a little trickier to cut out the notches for hinges. I suppose the 'bodge-it' approach would be to use a multitool and then fill the inevitable gashes. But MDF must be quite easy to fill and make good. Alternative would be a router, or maybe a very very very sharp chisel?
Tennentslager Posted October 12, 2017 Posted October 12, 2017 B&Q have a big saw and will cut to any size you want to within half a mil. Use 25mm MDF and good screws with flush hinges and you're in DiY heaven. 1
Simplysimon Posted October 12, 2017 Posted October 12, 2017 On 12/10/2017 at 19:21, Crofter said: Any more fans of MDF linings? I'm leaning towards it as the best option- better paint finish, no warping, but will need plenty of packing. One problem I can see is that it will be a little trickier to cut out the notches for hinges. I suppose the 'bodge-it' approach would be to use a multitool and then fill the inevitable gashes. But MDF must be quite easy to fill and make good. Alternative would be a router, or maybe a very very very sharp chisel? Expand in a wood burner running a lot of air, it burns with a good heat . horrible stuff, very difficult to scribe internal corners for skirting, unless you do the bodge and internally mitre filling needs to be done with a filler specifically for mdf. if you are using bearing hinges, try to borrow a hinge jig and router them. if you decide to use timber you could buy larger and wait for them to move and stabilise then surface/thickness to straight and size
Oz07 Posted October 12, 2017 Posted October 12, 2017 Wouldn't want mdf linings myself. Can see the advantage with being more stable on a tight program but less workable imo
jamiehamy Posted October 12, 2017 Posted October 12, 2017 On 12/10/2017 at 20:28, Tennentslager said: B&Q have a big saw and will cut to any size you want to within half a mil. Use 25mm MDF and good screws with flush hinges and you're in DiY heaven. Expand Second that with flush hinges. Working great for me, save a lot of effort and looks as good.
PeterW Posted October 12, 2017 Posted October 12, 2017 On 12/10/2017 at 22:23, jamiehamy said: Second that with flush hinges. Working great for me, save a lot of effort and looks as good. Expand Got any pics ...?? Really considering this now ..!
jamiehamy Posted October 13, 2017 Posted October 13, 2017 On 12/10/2017 at 22:40, PeterW said: Got any pics ...?? Really considering this now ..! Expand I'll get some at the weekend and post them up. 1
Ferdinand Posted October 13, 2017 Posted October 13, 2017 (edited) Slightly OT, but I have just posted Wickes clearance Table Saws to the offers thread. Edit - shot down in flames by @PeterW and @Barney12. Ignore. Edited October 13, 2017 by Ferdinand
Crofter Posted October 13, 2017 Author Posted October 13, 2017 Having searched what feels like the entire internet, I have concluded that nobody makes lining kits to suit a timber frame partition. Which is madness. The sizes are obviously designed around brick and block. So, given that anything I buy would need ripped down on the table saw anyway, is there really much to be gained in buying a kit? The alternative would be to just buy some dressed-all-round softwood and make them up myself. The big advantage here is that there is a wider range of widths available, including the 120mm that I need for most of the linings, and crucially I can cherry-pick the timber myself at the BM and buy straight bits. I've only got three doorways to do so it doesn't seem like too much extra work. Having just re-read the start of the thread, this is the same conclusion that @ProDave seemed to be veering towards as well.
ProDave Posted October 13, 2017 Posted October 13, 2017 Yes, I think I will be making my own liners. Thanks for checking the market and confirming still nobody makes it in the right sizes. I used all flush hinges in my last house (except for the fire door) but thought you would call me a bodger if I suggested that.
bassanclan Posted October 13, 2017 Posted October 13, 2017 Have you looked at Benchmarx and Howden for the sizes you want (not MDF)
jamiehamy Posted October 14, 2017 Posted October 14, 2017 On 13/10/2017 at 06:06, jamiehamy said: I'll get some at the weekend and post them up. Expand
Crofter Posted October 14, 2017 Author Posted October 14, 2017 On 13/10/2017 at 13:18, bassanclan said: Have you looked at Benchmarx and Howden for the sizes you want (not MDF) Expand Aha! After some more searching, it turns out that what us TF people need are CLS lining kits. I don't know how I missed this before.
PeterW Posted October 14, 2017 Posted October 14, 2017 On 14/10/2017 at 09:27, jamiehamy said: Expand Thanks @jamiehamy Any of those on fire doors ..?
Ferdinand Posted October 15, 2017 Posted October 15, 2017 Far from being my specialist subject, but I am about to buy replacement doors plus one door set. Todd Doors are directing me to *this* product for a pre-primed MDF door lining kit for £30.00. Quote https://www.todd-doors.co.uk/white-door-lining-kit-108mm-wide Door lining kit - available in 100mm, 108mm, 123mm, 133mm & 150mm wide options Kit comprises: 2 x 2070mm legs & 1 x 910mm head plus stop bead Paper wrapped MDF moulding - designed for easy onsite finishing Lining kits are 30mm thick Expand Ferdinand
jamiehamy Posted October 15, 2017 Posted October 15, 2017 @PeterW. They are not fire doors however planning fitting Batwing seals for noise reduction and a softer close - from what I can see these are used for fire and smoke as well of that helps?
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