DIY plywood doors
If you have the necessary skills in working with plywood, you can make interior doors with your own hands. Firstly, it is cheaper than buying a ready-made structure or ordering a door from a manufacturer. Secondly, you can make a door that exactly matches the required dimensions, choose your design and decoration. Thirdly, you will be 100% confident in the quality and reliability of the design.
Difference from swing
Doors with a sliding mechanism have many more advantages than similar swing models. Let us list the main differences between these two types:
- Space saving.
This factor is the key difference. When planning the installation, you won't have to add a few extra square meters to ensure that the door can be opened freely, so this door option is ideal for small spaces. You will be able to use the space as rationally as possible. - Guaranteed tightness.
Sliding systems will not open due to a sudden gust of wind or strong draft. Such structures will be securely closed at any time of the year, regardless of the weather. The doors are securely fixed in any given position.
- Convenience and practicality.
Unlike swing doors, doors with a sliding mechanism do not scratch the floor or nearby furniture. Even curtains and blinds will retain their original appearance much longer, since the material will not constantly touch structural elements when opened. - Style and beauty.
Of course, there are also attractive models among swing doors. However, sliding structures look much more modern. There are design options without frames and lintels, which means that nothing will block the view. Such doors add grace and lightness to the facade, making its appearance more attractive. They can be installed even on the second floor. The variety of models will also please buyers. On sale there are options made of polycarbonate, with glass, as well as aluminum and wooden doors and even soft PVC doors. You can easily find a design that suits your design.
Some may think that glass doors are very fragile and have a short service life. But this is absolutely not true. The structures are made of high-quality, thick impact-resistant glass. The design is resistant to temperature changes and mechanical stress. Do not be afraid of the established opinion that glass is a very fragile and impractical material.
Thanks to modern developments, glass sliding doors will serve you for many years.
In what cases is it better to install
Sliding doors and sliding doors are installed between rooms. They are especially relevant in the following rooms:
- Kitchen where there is never enough space
- Interior space when two rooms are separated from each other
- Toilet and bathroom
- Dressing room, mirrored doors are often installed here
Doors can be made not only from plywood, but also from solid wood. However, plywood is preferable if you need to make a door leaf of a curved shape. Such designs are in demand mainly for dressing rooms. Plywood bends well, so giving it the desired shape will not be a problem. Radius doors are attached to the same curved profiles.
In addition, plywood is lightweight, it is resistant to high humidity and temperature changes, and is not afraid of direct sunlight. Plywood is easy to care for, as the material tolerates synthetic detergents well.
Plastic structures
An indispensable option for “warm” glazing. Advantages: high degree of tightness, the ability to install various fittings and anti-burglary mechanisms in the profile, a large selection of laminated surfaces of various colors and for different materials. The main disadvantage is too much weight. Therefore, it is not recommended to use it for external glazing (balconies, loggias). In some cases, the use of special lightweight structures is allowed. But any choice of PVC profile and double-glazed windows is allowed if the structure is strong enough. A more suitable option for glazing verandas and terraces in a wooden house, because you can install laminated PVC frames to look like wood.
Sliding
The sliding door opening mechanism has the following advantages over standard swing structures:
- Doesn't take up extra space
- Do not accidentally open when there is a draft
- They do not slam shut on their own, which is important in families with small children
Plywood sheets are also lightweight, so the load on the walls is minimal.
Types of doors by design and filling
Installation of doors in a gazebo
According to the design, they are distinguished:
- Single doors
- Single-leaf with side parts or with a fixed component
- Bivalve
- Double-leaf with movable or fixed leaves
- Radial.
Radius sliding glass doors fit perfectly into gazebos with round shapes. This is an expensive option, because you need to make curved rails and a curved door leaf. This sophisticated option impresses with its originality and comfort.
Various glasses are used for doors: tinted, frosted, stained glass, decorated. Canvases with patterns are also used, which are applied using various methods. A unique design can be created using a stencil or decor. An original decoration element: doors with mosaics and voluminous decorative elements. Sometimes a film is glued that differs both in texture and in a variety of colors.
Acrylic, tempered, impact-resistant, triplex are the types of glass used depending on the strength characteristics. The use of special glass, which shatters into small fragments upon impact, saves you from serious injuries. Durability and safety are important advantages.
Glass doors are framed in aluminum, wood, plastic, or can be frameless. An aluminum profile is used for the gazebo to enhance strength.
The aluminum sash has good load-bearing qualities. With its help, you can make structures of significant size and different colors, because painting is possible. Glazing without a frame: stylish, original, fits into a gazebo of any architecture and offers an excellent view.
Advantages and principle of operation of sliding doors
Self-installation of doors in a gazebo
The main advantages of glass doors:
- Space saving
- Easy opening
- No thresholds (if there is no bottom guide)
- Self-opening resistance
- Versatility
- Safety.
Sliding glass structures operate on the same principle as sliding wardrobes: they are held on top by carriages and moved apart in different directions. A sliding door is perfect for a gazebo. Reliability, practicality, and original design ensure comfort and safety.
The door structure consists of a roller mechanism, glass and guides. There may be several of them. The kit also includes fittings, decorative panels, trims. The fittings are used of a certain type: they should not protrude above the surface so that the structure can move to the side or into a niche. The guides and roller mechanism are selected taking into account the number of leaves, weight and type of door.
Glass doors are quite heavy and you need to choose a durable and reliable mechanism. The guides for the gazebo must be secured at both the top and bottom so that the structure ensures safety.
Coupe doors
A sliding door is one of the options for sliding doors. Before you begin its manufacture and installation, you need to study the main features. The structure consists of the following elements:
- Door leaf
- Rollers for moving the web along the guides
- Profile
- Stoppers limiting door movement
Sliding doors have all the advantages of sliding structures. The difference is that the sashes remain outside and move along the walls, rather than being “recessed” inside. The main advantage compared to swing models is the saving of space in the room by using the usable area that is usually left for opening the door.
Compared to sliding structures, sliding doors are easier to install. For those who plan to install doors on their own, this is an important advantage. For such doors, only guides and rollers are needed. Complex work on installing the box, which is usually planned at the repair design stage, is absent here.
Accessories
Do-it-yourself gluing of ceiling moldings, master class with photos
Locks of this type are distinguished by the type of bolt, made in the form of a hook, which in this case is pulled out by turning the key. The sliding door handles are made in the form of “shells” that form a recess in the door leaf.
Due to their unique design, sliding portuns require only a strictly defined type of fittings. Handles and locks for such planning solutions differ in many ways from standard ones. A characteristic feature of the handles is that they are recessed into the canvas. This is done so that the doors can slide to the side without any problems and, if necessary, enter the designated niche. Castles, in turn, are also interesting. If you compare them with standard locks that everyone is used to seeing on many doors, you will notice that their mechanism is designed for vertical latching.
The fittings are usually supplied complete with the canvas
However, if there is a need to install locks and handles yourself, then you should pay great attention and carefully select them. The best option would be to contact a specialist so that the latter can help you or search using the catalog number
Required materials and tools
Installation of sliding plywood doors begins with preparatory work. You need to stock up on the necessary materials and tools so that nothing later distracts you from your work. To create a simple door you will need the following materials:
- Beams in the amount of 5 pieces, length 3 m and cross section 45 x 20 mm.
- Waterproof plywood, coniferous varieties are suitable. The dimensions of the sheet depend on the size of the door leaf.
- Insulation or filler. For a regular interior door, you can choose an inexpensive option that does not have noise and heat insulation properties. But even in interior structures, inexpensive mineral wool or expanded polystyrene can be used as insulation.
- PVA construction adhesive
- Rail
- Profile to be used as guides
- Rollers
- Wood putty
- Acrylic sealant for wood
The tools you need to prepare are:
- Circular saw, hand or electric
- Jigsaw
- Sandpaper
- Spatulas of different sizes
- Screwdriver
- Electric drill
- Fraser
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Masking tape
- Tassels
If you are planning decorative surface treatment, then a milling machine and a miter box will be useful to you.
Other interesting ideas
Finally, I will make a small selection of options that evoked pleasant emotions and associations in me.
I would not say that it is very advisable to spend a lot of money on an ordinary summerhouse, especially if there is nothing of particular value inside. But for the sake of interesting impressions on guests, this can be done. I am sure that the summer residents whose doors were included in our selection succeeded
