How to Build a Door: DIY Door-Building Tutorial

There are several components of any door, all of which are important to understand to build a new door:

• Door frame: The door frame, also known as the door sash or casing, supports the entire door when it’s fitted into the rough opening or space in the wall. The frame is typically made from wood but can also be composed of fiberglass or aluminum. Door jambs are typically fastened vertically to the sides of the door frame, and the head, or head jamb, runs horizontally across the top of the frame. An exterior door will have a sill, or threshold, at the bottom of the frame (interior doors do not have sills). The door trim is a decorative covering placed over the frame that hides where the jambs meet the rough opening.
• Door hardware: Both interior and exterior doors use door hardware, which are metal parts that assist with operation. Most doors have three hinges, which are jointed parts that help the door open and close. The handles, which unlatch the door panel from the door frame, are part of a system known as a lockset (or handleset) that involves everything needed to lock and unlock the door, like the lock, latch, and strike plate, and is inserted into the door by drilling a borehole.
• Panels: A “door panel” or “slab” is the term for the door itself, which swings open on hinges. A standard door design features two stiles (vertical frames for the door panels) and top and bottom rails (horizontal segments between the panels). Interior doors are typically 80 inches tall, just over an inch thick, and between 30 and 36-inches wide. Exterior doors are slightly larger, and closet doors are smaller than interior doors. You can apply the frame-and-panel design to other types of home décor, including cabinet doors.

There are many different types of doors you can use for your home improvement project, including:

1. 1. Barn door: A barn door, or sliding barn door, is an interior door that resembles the exterior door of a barn or farmhouse but hangs on a track above the door frame. They are versatile and popular for making an open floor plan feel more spacious but allow for less privacy than a panel door. If you’re considering a DIY barn door, you’ll need more door hardware than a standard door.
2. 2. Batten door: Also known as board-and-batten doors, the batten door is constructed from several parallel boards connected by diagonal and perpendicular battens, or strips of solid wood used to hold something in place. The parallel boards can be simple boards from a hardware store or tongue and groove boards, which are boards with slots and ridges that fit together.
3. 3. Dutch doors: Dutch doors, also known as stable doors or split doors, are panel doors divided horizontally at the center of the door to create two hinged doors that can open independently of each other or together as a single unit. With the right know-how, you can cut an existing door to create a Dutch door with a circular saw.
4. 4. French doors: French doors are two matching doors with multiple panels of glass, or lites, in their panels and a single lock and handle to open one door while the other remains closed. Builders often use them as exterior doors for patios, porches, and rear entryways.

Here is a step-by-step guide to building a wooden door as a do-it-yourself project:

1. 1. Gather materials. You’ll need to handle some prep work before starting the build. First, gather the following tools: a router or chisel, planer, table saw, sander, and a mortise and tenon joint. You’ll also need wood glue, primer, and paint to assemble and finish the project. Next, choose the wood you’ll need for your door: many interior doors are made from plywood or medium density fiberboard (MDF), but hardwoods, like popular, maple, or white oak, are sturdy and relatively affordable for indoor projects, while cedar and mahogany are durable options for exterior doors. Finally, select a handle or knob and a lockset of your preference.
2. 2. Measure. Once you’ve chosen your tools and wood, lay out your door plans with care and measure either the old door you want to replace or the door opening where you plan to hang the new door.
3. 3. Build your panel, rails, and stiles. Next, you’ll need to build the door’s components. Most stiles are four- to five-and-a-half inches wide, while rails depend on the size of the door. Add an inch to the width and height of each panel to slide them into the stiles and rails. Once you’ve cut them to size—a miter saw will help you make accurate cuts—flatten and straighten the boards with a planer and jointer.
4. 4. Time for joinery. Joinery is the process by which boards are connected in a woodworking project, and your door’s joints must be strong and structurally sound. Use a router to cut a half-inch wide groove along the full length of the rails and stiles, which will allow the panels to float in the frame and give it room to expand and contract due to environmental changes. Connect the rails and stiles with your mortise and tenon joint, which is essentially a peg-and-hole joint; you can make the mortises with a router or chisel and use a table saw for the tenons.
5. 5. Assemble your door. Before you connect your door components, dry-fit them to ensure they all connect properly. After confirming the fit, use wood glue to connect the mortise and tenon joints, then fit the panels into the door. Glue the stiles to the panels as your final assemblage step.
6. 6. Add a lockset and hinges. Cut holes for your handle, locks, and latches. The standard handle hole is two-and-one-eighth-inches wide and two-and-three-quarter-inches from the edge of the door. Add your lockset.
7. 7. Sand and paint. Use a sander or sandpaper for sanding down any rough edges on the door. Paint the door using a primer (one coat) and paint (two coats); if your door project is a front door, add a coat of polyurethane to prevent warping. Attach the hinges to your door and mark where they meet the door jamb; fasten the door to the door frame.

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