29-04-2012, 10:51 AM
Hi,
Many thanks for your kind comments Rob.
I was up before 8 this morning with the intention of undercoating the new door panel on both sides before the monsoon set in again. Drat it though as I looked out of the kitchen window it was already pouring with rain.
For once though I've beaten the weather; the front door is recessed into the bungalow front and as long as it isn't windy I can wrap up like an Eskimo and get on with the job. I've now under-coated both sides of the panel. The outer in charcoal and the inner in brilliant white; the door is painted black outside. So the weather can now go and pester someone else but I did get wet each time I visited the garage to clean the brush.
I've mentioned before that many years ago I bought the "Dandy" paint brush and roller cleaning equipment which simply fits into an electric drill. This morning using the Dandy I was able to very quickly change from charcoal to brilliant white then when the painting was finished to clean the brush and put it away. I never liked cleaning brushes but now it's no longer a chore and my brush has lasted over seven years so far even though it's had a lot of use.
I totally agree with you Rob regarding modern doors; they look wonderful when new but I don't think the problem to be the actual door quality; I think it is the poor maintenance a door receives once installed. I'm of course referring to wooden doors as I would never resort to either plastic doors or window frames. Our window frames are the original softwood ones installed when the bungalow was new in 1964 and the frames are still like new although the double glazing sealed units are now failing.
The back door was the first thing I made when we moved in; the original wooden door had been sticking and the owner hadn't a clue what to do with it so on the day they moved out they wrenched the door open with such force that they broke it. I bought unsorted joinery quality softwood from our local timber yard in long lengths. It was then run through the planer/thicknesser and the rebates cut on the circular saw. The through mortice and tenon joints were cut entirely using hand tools and the door was assembled with glue and wooden wedges glued and driven in.
Standard glass beading was bought and used to secure the glass and plywood panel. Now for the bit that makes a wooden exterior door last. The new door was primed then given two undercoats covering all the exposed timber taking extra care to add a good thickness to the top and bottom edges in order to fully seal them. Two top coats of gloss completed the job.
Here are the pictures of the full door Rob. It still looks good even though it is wet.
Home made back door.
About every four years I spend at least six weeks and paint all the exterior woodwork; I go over the top with preparation then take my time to apply a really good finish taking as much care as I would in finishing a radio cabinet. I also remove the gutters in order to paint the fascia boards. I don't regard this work as a punishment other than having to work in the poor climate but once I get started and the equipment is to hand I settle down and enjoy myself. When I was working I used to do a lot of this work in my holidays; Bron and I have not had an holiday away from home for 35 years; at first because we were broke but in later years because we don't feel the need as we are happy to be at home and have days out.
Our neighbour had brand new plastic windows and doors fitted a few years ago; they are unable to open the windows because the windows drop closed as soon as released; I also noticed their back door is about 1/2" too short for the frame as I could put my fingers through the gap at the top. So much for modern energy efficient windows and doors that are covered by so many rules; regulations and planning restrictions; give me timber any-time. I admit I'm totally biased and would never consider plastic or even aluminium.
I'm quite a bit different to the average guy these days who lives for sport and booze. I prefer working on jobs around home or some interesting project. Each to their own but the number of guys I know who struggle to knock a nail in makes me think I'm missing nothing.
It's time I started to get serious about my new project which I'll be adding shortly. It can snow if it wants to because I'm full of enthusiasm and determination so the weather can get stuffed.
Kind regards, Col.
Many thanks for your kind comments Rob.
I was up before 8 this morning with the intention of undercoating the new door panel on both sides before the monsoon set in again. Drat it though as I looked out of the kitchen window it was already pouring with rain.
For once though I've beaten the weather; the front door is recessed into the bungalow front and as long as it isn't windy I can wrap up like an Eskimo and get on with the job. I've now under-coated both sides of the panel. The outer in charcoal and the inner in brilliant white; the door is painted black outside. So the weather can now go and pester someone else but I did get wet each time I visited the garage to clean the brush.
I've mentioned before that many years ago I bought the "Dandy" paint brush and roller cleaning equipment which simply fits into an electric drill. This morning using the Dandy I was able to very quickly change from charcoal to brilliant white then when the painting was finished to clean the brush and put it away. I never liked cleaning brushes but now it's no longer a chore and my brush has lasted over seven years so far even though it's had a lot of use.
I totally agree with you Rob regarding modern doors; they look wonderful when new but I don't think the problem to be the actual door quality; I think it is the poor maintenance a door receives once installed. I'm of course referring to wooden doors as I would never resort to either plastic doors or window frames. Our window frames are the original softwood ones installed when the bungalow was new in 1964 and the frames are still like new although the double glazing sealed units are now failing.
The back door was the first thing I made when we moved in; the original wooden door had been sticking and the owner hadn't a clue what to do with it so on the day they moved out they wrenched the door open with such force that they broke it. I bought unsorted joinery quality softwood from our local timber yard in long lengths. It was then run through the planer/thicknesser and the rebates cut on the circular saw. The through mortice and tenon joints were cut entirely using hand tools and the door was assembled with glue and wooden wedges glued and driven in.
Standard glass beading was bought and used to secure the glass and plywood panel. Now for the bit that makes a wooden exterior door last. The new door was primed then given two undercoats covering all the exposed timber taking extra care to add a good thickness to the top and bottom edges in order to fully seal them. Two top coats of gloss completed the job.
Here are the pictures of the full door Rob. It still looks good even though it is wet.
Home made back door.
About every four years I spend at least six weeks and paint all the exterior woodwork; I go over the top with preparation then take my time to apply a really good finish taking as much care as I would in finishing a radio cabinet. I also remove the gutters in order to paint the fascia boards. I don't regard this work as a punishment other than having to work in the poor climate but once I get started and the equipment is to hand I settle down and enjoy myself. When I was working I used to do a lot of this work in my holidays; Bron and I have not had an holiday away from home for 35 years; at first because we were broke but in later years because we don't feel the need as we are happy to be at home and have days out.
Our neighbour had brand new plastic windows and doors fitted a few years ago; they are unable to open the windows because the windows drop closed as soon as released; I also noticed their back door is about 1/2" too short for the frame as I could put my fingers through the gap at the top. So much for modern energy efficient windows and doors that are covered by so many rules; regulations and planning restrictions; give me timber any-time. I admit I'm totally biased and would never consider plastic or even aluminium.
I'm quite a bit different to the average guy these days who lives for sport and booze. I prefer working on jobs around home or some interesting project. Each to their own but the number of guys I know who struggle to knock a nail in makes me think I'm missing nothing.
It's time I started to get serious about my new project which I'll be adding shortly. It can snow if it wants to because I'm full of enthusiasm and determination so the weather can get stuffed.
Kind regards, Col.
Happiness is a wreck of a cabinet to restore.
