My garage door served notice today that it's in need of replacement.
It's your basic 2-car sectional overhead type. Rather than buy
another one, I'm thinking that it would be fun to make one, using the
old one as a pattern--the hardware all seems to be good so no reason I
can think of not to move it over to the replacement.

The question is, what to make it out of. The old one was jummywood
and masonite and lasted 30 years or so. Was thinking about a
composite rather than all one material--maybe use ash for the top rail
that carries most of the load (and that let go on the existing door),
and cypress for the bottom rail that is a bit rotted and maybe spruce
for the rest to save weight?

Anybody have any other ideas? Or any reason I should _not_ do this?

Always _something_.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

J. Clarke wrote:
My garage door served notice today that it's in need of replacement.
It's your basic 2-car sectional overhead type. Rather than buy
another one, I'm thinking that it would be fun to make one, using the
old one as a pattern--the hardware all seems to be good so no reason I
can think of not to move it over to the replacement.

The question is, what to make it out of. The old one was jummywood
and masonite and lasted 30 years or so. Was thinking about a
composite rather than all one material--maybe use ash for the top rail
that carries most of the load (and that let go on the existing door),
and cypress for the bottom rail that is a bit rotted and maybe spruce
for the rest to save weight?

Anybody have any other ideas? Or any reason I should _not_ do this?


Cedar or better yet, redwood.

I built a house in '81 and had a plain flat sectional door put in. The
installer used some of the house siding - 1 x 6 vertical cedar, rough
side out and installed it over the plain ply faced door. He beveled the
cuts between sections, maybe 30 degrees at most, so water wouldn't get
in. When the door was closed, there was no noticeable gap between
sections.

I had an 18' wide door put in instead of two 8' singles with 2' wide
wall between. The 18' opening is the only way to go in new
construction, even though it required a glue-lam as a header. The door
was on the heavy side...

"J. Clarke" wrote:

The question is, what to make it out of. The old one was jummywood
and masonite and lasted 30 years or so.

Case closed.

SFWIW, where do you plan on being in 2038?

Lew

"J. Clarke" wrote in message
...
My garage door served notice today that it's in need of replacement.
It's your basic 2-car sectional overhead type. Rather than buy
another one, I'm thinking that it would be fun to make one, using the
old one as a pattern--the hardware all seems to be good so no reason I
can think of not to move it over to the replacement.

The question is, what to make it out of. The old one was jummywood
and masonite and lasted 30 years or so. Was thinking about a
composite rather than all one material--maybe use ash for the top rail
that carries most of the load (and that let go on the existing door),
and cypress for the bottom rail that is a bit rotted and maybe spruce
for the rest to save weight?

Anybody have any other ideas? Or any reason I should _not_ do this?

Always _something_.


Be careful of the springs, be very careful.

Something else to consider, what would it cost to build it your self? I
replaced my wood product door several years with an R12 Wayne Dalton Steel
door. It keeps things very comfy in the winter with no drafts they seal
tight with weather stripping. Additionally they sell a door opener that
mounts directly over the door opening with no steel bar or motor housing
running to the middle of the garage. Leaves wide open floor to ceiling
space between the door support rails.

"J. Clarke" wrote in message

Or any reason I should _not_ do this?

Probably a lot cheaper to buy one than to buy the material. Even if you
figure your labor at $1 an hour, automation can beat it. Think insulated
steel. maintenance free

OTOH, if you want a fancy showpiece with natural wood, custom carving on the
panels, etc, go for it.

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"J. Clarke" wrote in message

Or any reason I should _not_ do this?

Probably a lot cheaper to buy one than to buy the material. Even if
you figure your labor at $1 an hour, automation can beat it. Think
insulated steel. maintenance free

OTOH, if you want a fancy showpiece with natural wood, custom
carving
on the panels, etc, go for it.

Running the numbers, I'm inclined to agree with you. The only way it
makes any kind of economic sense is if I go the jummywood and masonite
route and even there it's close to the price of an installed steel
door.

Cost of my labor doesn't enter into it. On the other hand finding the
time to do it . . .

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

J. Clarke wrote:

Cost of my labor doesn't enter into it. On the other hand finding the
time to do it . . .

Another vote to buy, unless you're wanting something unique.

I went though the same decision process 5 years ago, and ended up with
the stamped steel door. It looks good, is relatively light, and won't
swell or shrink in the weather. I skipped the insulation, because my
garage is unheated, uninsulated, and is well ventilated.

Installation was ~ $150, including complete track replacement and
hauling away the old door.

"WD" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:43:04 -0400, "J. Clarke"
wrote:

Hi, You might want to do what I did before I moved. I made one side of the
two
cars garage. It took me more than a week as I took my own sweet time from
start
to finished. Total cost less than $120 excluding hardware and router bits.
If I
had bought the door and replaced it myself it would cost more than $600.
The
rail and stile are made from Southern Pine, the panels from HD. I picked
the
straightest, least knot 2x6 studs. Bought matching rail & stile router
bits from
Ebay to match the original shape.

I saved a bundle, and learned a lot from the experienced and have posted 4
pics
of the door in abpw.



And a fine job you did too!

D grade fir is another option. A local store has it and you can pick through
the pile. The store is in League City Texas.