SUPPLIES
- Measuring tape
- Four 8-foot long, 12-inch wide shiplap pine boards
- Pencil
- Circular saw
- 6-by-1 1/4 inch hot dip galvanized or ceramic coated deck screws
- Framing square
- Screw driver (manual or cordless drill type)
- 8-foot straight edge
- Two squeezable bar clamps
- Two sawhorses
- Straight edge/rip fence
Overview
Building a sturdy shed door is a fairly straightforward and satisfying project if you're well prepared, have an adequate work area and have the proper tools and materials at hand. The so-called batten door is tried and true and is perfectly suited for a small outbuilding. This style of door features vertical boards on the outer face and horizontal boards (battens) across the back or inside for structural support and stability.
Step 1
Measure the door opening, both vertically and horizontally.
Step 2
Add 2 inches to the vertical measurement you got from Step 1, then measure, mark and cut three of your 8-foot-by-12-inch shiplap boards to this length. Lay them out, finish side down, on a flat work surface, fitting them together and overlapping the shiplap joints.
Step 3
Cut three equal-length sections (battens) out of your fourth pine board to span across, perpendicular to the vertical boards.
Step 4
Place two of the batten boards you just cut onto the vertical boards, perpendicular to the vertical and 6 inches from what will be the bottom and top edges of the door, respectively.
Step 5
Make sure the vertical boards' shiplap joints are together tightly. Place the framing square so that one edge is along the batten boards and the other is along the edge of the vertical board. Adjust the batten board accordingly until it is perfectly square to the vertical board and an equal distance on each end from the edge of the vertical boards.
Step 6
Make certain the boards do not move out of position while you're doing this step. Check again that the batten boards are square, then drive the screws through the batten boards into the verticals, making a square pattern with the screws so that there are four screws going into each vertical.
Step 7
Measure to the center of the vertical boards and mark the center point along the edge of each door. Measure to the center on the edge of the third batten board and mark its center on each cut end.
Step 8
Lay the third batten board across the middle of the door, line up the center marks you just made, then put the framing square against this batten board as for the other two. Check to make sure it is square to the vertical boards, then drive screws as in the other two battens.
Step 9
Go back to the door opening, and carefully measure the exact opening dimension, horizontally near the top and bottom and vertically near the left and right sides. Make note of these.
Step 10
Lay your new door out on the sawhorses with the batten side down. Measure and mark onto the door's face the exact dimensions you just got from the door opening. Now place your straight edge/rip fence on the door and position it so that your circular saw blade will cut along one of your measured lines. Clamp the straight edge/rip fence firmly in place and carefully make your cut. Repeat for the other three edges.
TIPS AND WARNINGS
- TIP : Pick the straightest boards you can find for your doors.
The screw size recommended here should be optimal for the approximately 1 1/2-inch double thickness of the shiplap pine bards being used if the screw heads are driven to flush with the wood surface or just slightly below.
You can go back to the battens after the door is finished and drive additional screws for added strength. Putting one screw in the center of each of the four already driven through the battens into the vertical boards is a natural place to start. If you don't mind screw heads showing from the outside boards, you can choose some screw placements from that side, too.
Painting or staining all the boards' end-grain edges to seal them after the final cuts are made helps prevent the wood from warping, cupping and splitting once exposed to the weather.
These instructions result in a door that will trim down to a 32-inch wide door, a common standard size. If your door opening is wider, add additional vertical shiplap boards and adjust all dimensions accordingly.
- WARNING : Safety should be your first consideration when using the circular saw. Adequate clearance for the blade beneath the sawhorses is essential to prevent a dangerous kickback.
Make certain that the final trimming cuts in Step 10 will clear the batten board screws. If it looks too close for comfort and safety, you can remove the screws in question and relocate them inward a bit. The screw holes left behind will be minor and can be filled and painted if objectionable.
