DIY Door Frames - Joints

tedimc

For a few reasons, it looks like I may need to go down the route of custom made door frames - likely to be walnut or oak.

I'm using a shadow gap around the frames, so won't be covering them with architrave. Obviously, the joint between the header and legs/jambs needs to be spot on and I think the usual butt jointing method may not look great.

I like the look of the router option below, but I can't see a bit suitable for the thickness of a door frame. Are their other router options I should look at?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbJszKqyfBA

Or is a 45 degree cut miter my best option. Is it very difficult to get them right?

Also - any tricks for concealing fixings? The frames may be quite wide (6+ inches) and fixing them just behind the door stop may not be ideal if they warp slightly.

Any advice is appreciated!

recipio

I use the miter lock to make boxes and it takes quite a few test cuts to get it right. One component has to be milled in the vertical so I think you would find it pretty hard to pass a 6" board across the cutter vertically.
If you have the the tools I would consider making the frames in softwood and then laminating a 3 mm sawcut veneer over them with a miter joint. A lot more work but also a lot cheaper than using solid walnut !

tedimc

Thanks Recipio.

I probably don't have the tools, or the experience to try the veneer approach. What would be involved?

recipio

tedimc wrote: »

Thanks Recipio.

I probably don't have the tools, or the experience to try the veneer approach. What would be involved?

Well, you would need to cut a 4mm veneer off a board firstly. That needs a good saw. You then need to run it through a thicknesser to get 3 mm veneer. Then you glue it on to the softwood to make up the door frames to the required dimensions.These are minimium dimensions - you can go a bit thicker.Its a process of building the frame up in layers as opposed to taking a hardwood board and milling it down. With hardwood running at 50 - 60 euro per cub/foot it is a lot cheaper - but only if have the tools and value your labour at zero.I agree that butt or half lap joints wouldn't look too good and this would allows ( the appearance of ) a miter joint as the 3mm veneer cuts nicely.
A small rebate on the vertical edge will create a shadow line.
If you stick with solid hardwood probably the easiest option is to butt joint the wood with screws from the top but with those two woods I would use stainless steel screws. Best of luck !

tedimc

Thanks for this.

I might try to source the veneer somewhere and see if I could run with it that way......

recipio

tedimc wrote: »

Thanks for this.

I might try to source the veneer somewhere and see if I could run with it that way......

Ummm.......commercial veneer is only 0.6 mm thick. I don't think it would be robust enough for door frames. You might get away with cutting up veneered MDF and glueing on real veneer edging tape on the exposed edges.It would be a long job !

tedimc

I might have to go back to the drawing board on this one.....

I got a quote of 4600 and 4000 for Walnut and Oak respectively, prefinished 40mm 8ft lengths in the required widths.

For 8 inch rough sawn planks - it would be 3000.

Still need doors on top of this.......

recipio

tedimc wrote: »

I might have to go back to the drawing board on this one.....

I got a quote of 4600 and 4000 for Walnut and Oak respectively, prefinished 40mm 8ft lengths in the required widths.

For 8 inch rough sawn planks - it would be 3000.

Still need doors on top of this.......

It would be cheaper to buy a planer thicknesser and good bandsaw and go the sawn veneer route !