How to install door on outdoor shelving?

[bodega]

Hi,

I recently built a cupboard/shelving area for my assorted tools and garden tools. We live in a small terrace home so we need I need to make the most of whatever free space I have. This also proved as a great project to learn more wood work stuff so I took it on instead of buying prebuilt shelves.

I'm at the point where I'd like to place a door on the front of the shelving, and unsure what type of wood to use? Do I buy a sheet of MDF, Plywood? I have no idea.

I currently have used a Power Saw to cut all the wood for the frame, what would you recommend to cut the door to ensure I get the straightest cut possible?

The space for the door is roughly 830mm W x 2180mm L x 350mm D (coloured green in images).

Any suggestions appreciated! Thanks again!

[JacobZ]

Hi @bodega,

As your shelving appears to be outdoors, where it would be exposed to the elements, I would completely rule out MDF and go with plywood that is well sealed with paint or varnish suitable for outdoor use.

I'd suggest your plywood should be at least 15mm thick so it is solid and doesn't flex much. This Ecoply 2400 x 1200mm 15mm Plywood Pine Structural CD Grade would be a good option.

You can use the technique shown in How To Cut Laminate Benchtop, using two clamps and a straight edge, such as a spirit level, to ensure you get a nice straight cut. As you would need to cut it to width along a 2180mm long edge, you'd need a 2.4m spirit level, which would be a bit pricy. You could substitute a spirit level with something long and straight, such as this 30 x 30 x 1.15mm x 2.4m Galvanised Pressed Angle.

When you measure the opening, make sure you measure the width at both the top and bottom of the opening to ensure your panel fits the opening perfectly. A few millimetres of variance can make the door look a bit off.

Once cut, make sure you seal all sides of the plywood with either 3 coats of exterior paint or exterior varnish, paying close attention to the bottom edge, as pooling water can absorb through it and swell the plywood.

As you will be hanging the door between the two uprights, you can use standard butt hinges, but due to the outdoor location, I would use either galvanised or stainless steel hinges to prevent rusting in the future.

Let me know what you think, and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob

[bodega]

@JacobZ thanks so much for your help. Can happily say the plywood suggested above was purchased and installed successfully today. Images below.

I went with 19mm thick ply just to be on the safe side, they cut the piece for me at the store which was handy as well.

I went with butt hinges for now, as I'll be painting over them and if I need to change in the future then so be it, it's all learning!

One more question, as you can see I've done my frame nice and plum next to the old brick pillar, which would be about 100 years old and is very crooked, leaving a large gap between my pine frame and the bricks. I was thinking of using expanding foam as you can see down the bottom, but thinking there must be an easier way to close this gap?

I was thinking a long piece of flat aluminium? Then I screw it in the frame to cover the gap? Does Bunning stock this? Have highlighted the gaps in the images.

Thanks again! Huge milestone for me.

[EricL]

Hello @bodega 

Using a piece of flat aluminium is possible, but since the brick pillar is out of alignment there will still be a gap between the aluminium and the brick. I suggest going with the self-expanding foam and just taking your time. I recommend doing it in sections and waiting for it to reach maximum expansion before you put on the next layer at the top. The expanding foam can be trimmed using a Stanley knife. My best advice in regards to your door is to paint the top and bottom edges of the panel so that its totally sealed against moisture.

Eric

[bodega]

Thanks @EricL - I will reassess and see how I go. Thanks for your help!