Door build questions

[calumet]

With ½” solid plywood walls, do I need to do any bracing in the area surrounding the door. Does the door need to be braced as well?
I found some affordable windows at Home Depot and was thinking about using them for the door and opposite side. The one I was looking at for the door is bigger than the 15x 18 hole. How much wood needs to be left between the window and door edge for the door to maintain its integrity?
Any detailed description of locking latch and handle installation?
Thanks.

Oh, I left a three inch lip from floor top to door bottom. Now I am changing mattress options ( 4" foam) and want to lower it by 1-1/2" Should I cut a new door or just use a wider aluminum plate at the bottom of the existing door to cover the gap?

[calumet]

The first post is from a week ago so most of those issues have been addressed.

I am using 1-1/2”plastic piano hinge and covering each side with 1/16 x ½ aluminum flat bar. and making my own T-molding by placing a 1/16 x 1.5” flat bar on top of 1/16x 1/2” channel running along the outside edge of the door. The door opening will be lined with 1/16 x ½ channel and weather stripping placed on the wall along its perimeter.

The weather stripping is approximately ¼” thick and soft enough to compress a bit. How do I get the door to lie flat when closed and the 1/16 x 1.5 bar is compressing it enough to seal properly? Bacause the bar is on top of the 1/16 x ½ channel and I am assuming the weather stripping will compress to 1/8”, it appears a 1/16” shim under the hinge on the wall side would work. Suggestions?

Is this the best method for sealing the door? Seems difficult and prone to error. Should I put any kind of adhesive in the channel before installing?

Is the 1/16 bar ridged enough or should I use 1/8? Are most using 1/16 for the channel and T-molding? The 1/8 looks like it would be hard to get to conform to the curve, and a lot more pricey.

[madjack]

...lets see...the weatherstripping should compress around 50% and should be applied to the door itself...this will protect it more than on the body

..you say "plastic piano hinge"...I hope it is the harsh environment or living plastic....

...you should have some sort of sealant in the channel...

...the shim under the hinge should work(add sealant under both)...as should the 1/16th trim.....

...you may have problems with a curve with the 1/2" leg wanting to buckle...this can be solved with a rubber mallet and a hardwood block to massage it or by annealing...we usually use a couple of feather boards on the table saw and rip the leg down to around 1/4"...
madjack

p.s. pictures man...we need pics...it truly feeds the need