If I can build a teardrop, can I build a door?

[thobbs]

Totally off teardrop topic, but I figured you handy guys could help me out. I want to build the interior doors for our new house. The door I want is like $250 and I need 16. So I figured I might be able to make them for around $100. It is a craftsman style, 3 panels, no curvy stuff, simular to this http://www.trustile.com/catalog/paneldoors/Default.asp?product=61
We would be painting them so they will probably be MDF. Mine would be square sticking and flat panel.
So my question is, how hard would this be, if I can tackle my teardrop could I do this.

[sweetnotes]

I have found that anything you really want to do you will find a way. It may take a little practice to get it totally right but I believe you can do it.

Measure 2 or 3 times cut once.

Lynn

[tonyj]

My opinion, for what it is worth. . .

Sure you can do it. All doors were hand made once upon a time, and with human powered hand tools, no less. You will have to be meticulous in building the doors square and flat, and MDF is good in that regard, but be prepared--MDF in a custom built door will be heavy, so don't skimp on the hanging hardware (hinges). Build yourself a perfectly flat work and assembly table and spend your time building jigs for duplicating the parts for each door, and assembly jigs to aid in assembling the doors flat and square. You should be able to find plans for craftsman style doors, if you are not designing them yourself.

The main hurdle may be tools, but a great excuse to increase your tool collection. Making raised panel doors requires either a good router or a shaper. The shaper is basically a heavy duty routed suited to this kind of work, but they are very powerful, and tools that command your respect for safety. You could also use a 2-3 hp table mounted router with raised panel bits. The process will be a little slower, but a cheper route than a shaper.

Just like these trailers we build, most anything you see that is manufactured can be hand built. Start out with one and see how it goes, and then buy the material for the rest if you are up to the challenge. You might find, however, the 150 dollar cost saving to be insignificant when compared to the time and effort to build that many doors.
It should be very rewarding, should you attempt it. And if you build one, post some pics!!

[rbeemer]

thobbs,
I am sure you can do it but here is my 2 cents.

Normally bits for routers to make raised panels do 3/4" thickness as a minimum - I do say normally - with a 1/4" groove for the panel, you can adjust the bit height to changethe location of the groove but I think you would have to plane your rails and stiles(frame of door) of your door so that you could nail them to the MDF piece and you might have to also plane the top so that your finished door is the correct thickness for your door frame(house). Lots of planning

Also MDF does not performe well for holding your hinge screws as solid wood(since they are going into the side of the door). You would also have to use solid wood for the rails and stiles.

This is assuming that you want those nice square corners (where the rail and stile meet)that the picture in your link has. If you don't mind the those corners being rounded then this is easy, personally I think the rounded corners look cheap and do not show the craftmanship that you are putting into the rest of your(I hope)

[Micro469]

INVHO.....I'd bite the bullet and buy the doors...Building your own house is a lot of work, and alot to worry about. The amount of time it would take you to build the doors you could spend teardropping.....

[ALAN GEDDES]

You will have a hard time finding Good dry wood that won't warp at the box stores. Shop around for better prices on a 15 door purchase. Using MDF or plywood is definately the wrong way to go. Buy them or buy the best woods and tools or you will regret it later.

[Larwyn]

Seems some may have missed the "square stickng/flat panel" statement as well as the "interior" aplication.

MDF should be fine for interior doors, it is flat, stable and machines well, just keep them dry (no pets mistaking them for fire hydrants).

Seems to me you could build these doors with little more than a good jointer/planer, a table saw and maybe a router. Power sanding might come in handy too..... If you have enough shop space to handle the project, I'd go for it.

If you are looking at a $2400 savings on the 16 doors it seems like it just might be worth the trouble.

[Elumia]

I suspect there is only one of you... What does building the doors take you away from? I have no doubt you can build them though!

Mark

[halfdome, Danny]

I've made style and rail raised panel house doors before and it is a lot of precise work. The last door I made the guy was happy to pay the $3,000 I charged him. It is a lot of work if you do it by the book. If you want to do it on the cheap you could start out with a 1/2" rough blank and then make 1/2" coped face frames to attach on both sides ending up with a 1 1/2" door with a similar looking door that you are showing. You could also make square edged face frames and apply a routed molding on the inside edges to give the appearance of a raised panel but in actuality it will be a recessed panel. You will need to hog out each stile to insert a full length hardwood block for hardware. If you have never done this kind of work you are in for a big production and I would advise to just pay the guy and concentrate on other chores. There are other ways one could make these doors but it would be difficult to explain. My home has those phony wood grained hollow core doors and I plan on replacing all them with Red Oak cope and rail raised panel doors some day when I have lots of spare time to kill. Danny

[thobbs]

We have the tools to do it. I'd have my husband and father helping too. Now we are trying to determine the value of our time. We are also doing the plumbing, electrical, a portion of the exterior, finish work, painting, landscapiong blah blah blah... Maybe I'll just settle for stock, boring doors. But I really really really want these. I'll sleep on it a few days and let you know.

[Miriam C.]

Seems some may have missed the "square stickng/flat panel" statement as well as the "interior" aplication.

MDF should be fine for interior doors, it is flat, stable and machines well, just keep them dry (no pets mistaking them for fire hydrants).

Seems to me you could build these doors with little more than a good jointer/planer, a table saw and maybe a router. Power sanding might come in handy too..... If you have enough shop space to handle the project, I'd go for it.

If you are looking at a $2400 savings on the 16 doors it seems like it just might be worth the trouble.

What he said with the exception of the MDF. Plain stick and flat panel shouldn't be any harder than the cabinett doors some here have made, just bigger. Maybe try one and see if it is time consuming and what you really want. My penny's worth

[Arne]

With the price of wood, I don't see you doing it for the price you state. And, you'd be working for 60 cents an hour....

4x8x1/8 ply is 12 bucks a sheet.

[asianflava]

Don't foget to add in the price of the bits (if you don't already have them). It'll probably be a couple hundred bucks for a set of good ones.

[Ira]

No, you can't build a door.

Well, you ASKED!!!

[thobbs]

Well, it is a good excuse to get new bits, isn't it?
Thanks for your confidence Ira.