Building a Door from MDF (1 Viewer)

[Brett Spulnick]

Just wondering it it would work to build a door of MDF or even particle board. It would be a very heavy door. Also would it be better to use both particle board and MDF just to have different densities. What if there was a space between the 2 halves.

Has anyone tried this before and what are the results like?

 

[MikeWh]

I've built several small (kneewall) doors, using 1/2" MDF on front and back surfaces, with a sandwiched layer of poplar 1x4s (as I recall) around the edge. The middle of the sandwich was filled with foam board. If this isn't clear, I can draw a picture....

Anyways, the doors are EXTREMELY heavy, even for their relatively small size. I weighed one, because I was amazed at how heavy it was... about 40 lbs for a 4-foot high door.

That being said, there are two major concerns that I have with the MDF doors--

1. Weight (make sure hinges are appropriately sized).
2. Poor screw-holding ability--- the sandwiched poplar is what holds the screws for the door hinges. This might be a problem as the door size increases. Regardless, I would advise against a solid MDF door, due to the problem of not being able to screw into the edges to apply the hinges. You might be able to engineer around this problem, but if the door is going to be used as the main door to the HT, you'll have to be very careful with hinge application.

I should add that the doors I've made are extremely solid and sturdy feeling.... and very sound and heat insulated. They are possibly over-engineered, but they have served the purposes I had intended and aren't used frequently.

 

[Brett Spulnick]

I was considering using a piano hinge. based on what you said i'll probally use half inch MDF on either side, if that worked good enough. The reason i'm trying to so this is I cant seem to find a used solid door for a good price, and though this would be more soundproof anyways.

one question? What is foam board?

thanks

 

[MikeWh]

I'm sorry... 1" rigid foam insulation, like--
http://owenscorning.com/around/insul...s/foamular.asp

If you go with a piano hinge, just make sure it's wide enough to allow the screws to be installed into the center piece of wood. I'm not sure a standard 1-1/2" piano hinge will be wide enough, but you'll have to make sure.... BTW, I think standard brass hinges may work, but you'll just have to check the weight specifications.