Hi,

I have just build an exterior gate ( or door)
with six panels and fanned slats at the top. It
is redwood and all very pretty with a mexican
flair.

Here is my question/problem:

Panels in a door need to float so as to respond
to changes in humidity. Here in Arizona it change
from very hot and very dry to hot and damp
quickly.

But it would be nice to seal the seam at the
bottom of each panel to keep the rain out of the
dado that receives the bottom of the panel.

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Roger Haar

Roger Haar wrote:

Hi,

I have just build an exterior gate ( or door)
with six panels and fanned slats at the top. It
is redwood and all very pretty with a mexican
flair.

Here is my question/problem:

Panels in a door need to float so as to respond
to changes in humidity. Here in Arizona it change
from very hot and very dry to hot and damp
quickly.

But it would be nice to seal the seam at the
bottom of each panel to keep the rain out of the
dado that receives the bottom of the panel.

No way to keep a watertight seal and you're better off (particularly in
a mostly dry climate) to simply leave it so it can dry out.

Option is to not have a full dado but a quarter-moulding on the exterior
side so there's a small space for the moisture to wick through. I've
seen doors built w/ a few drilled holes through the bottom rail into the
panel groove to allow for a weep but it's fairly uncommon practice as
far as I know.

Roger wrote: I have just build an exterior gate ( or door) with six
panels and fanned slats at the top. It is redwood and all very pretty
with a mexican flair.Here is my question/problem:
Panels in a door need to float so as to respond
to changes in humidity. Here in Arizona it change
from very hot and very dry to hot and damp
quickly.
But it would be nice to seal the seam at the
bottom of each panel to keep the rain out of the
dado that receives the bottom of the panel. Any thoughts?


You've started well by choosing redwood for this application. I'm
betting it'll be fine, but perhaps on the bottom, you could ride the
panels on a spline, instead of in a groove (if you've got enough panel
thickness.). That might allow any moisture to escape a little more
easily. Tom in Tucson

On 2005/8/3 12:33 PM, "Roger Haar" wrote:

Hi little brother (:-)

I have just build an exterior gate ( or door)
with six panels and fanned slats at the top. It
is redwood and all very pretty with a mexican
flair.

Sounds very nice. Do you have a photo?


But it would be nice to seal the seam at the
bottom of each panel to keep the rain out of the
dado that receives the bottom of the panel.


Are you concerned about moisture getting into the wood? If so, how about
putting sealer on the panels before assembling the door (maybe it is too
late anyway.)

You might also put a rubber tube inside the dado so that is compressed by
the wood panel but have enough 'give' to keep contact with the panels while
allow expansion and contraction.

- Bob

Roger Haar wrote:
Hi,

I have just build an exterior gate ( or door)
with six panels and fanned slats at the top. It
is redwood and all very pretty with a mexican
flair.

Here is my question/problem:

Panels in a door need to float so as to respond
to changes in humidity. Here in Arizona it change
from very hot and very dry to hot and damp
quickly.

But it would be nice to seal the seam at the
bottom of each panel to keep the rain out of the
dado that receives the bottom of the panel.

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Roger Haar

forget trying to keep the water out. configure the door so that water
that gets in can flow through and finish all trapped surfaces before
assembly. consider holding the panel in with removeable stops rather
than fixing it in a groove.

418. Engineers centre markers for lining up holes, screw into one item
and mark its pair for accuracy, also used for pin-point mounting
loud-speakers...
419. No idea.
420. The mother of all cone-cuts!
421. No idea.
422. Portable sun-dial/calender?
423. Hand shears.