Shed Door Construction Methods
There are many ways to build a shed door. If you have ever built a shed you know that the door is one of the tougher parts of a shed to get right. Shed door construction methods range from using a piece of plywood on hinges to a manufactured pre-hung insulated door. In between those two extremes of shed door construction there are many ways to build, and hang, a shed door. This article discusses some of the most popular shed door construction methods. For instructions on how to build a shed door read the article How To Build A Shed Door. There is also a great series of articles on How To Build A Shed.
Picking the best door for you shed
- Batten shed door: A batten shed door is the classic door construction method. Batten shed doors are built using wood boards posititioned vertically and attached together using a horizontal board. The key to keeping a batten door from sagging is an angled board that goes from the hinge to the lock edge of the door.
- Single Ply plywood shed door: A single-ply plywood door is probably the easiest shed door to build. It is made by cutting out a piece of plywood the size of the opening and then installing rails and stiles around the edges to stiffen the door. Using the same style of plywood used on the exterior of the shed makes the door match the look and construction of the shed. The rails and stiles can be put on either side of the door depending on the look of your shed, just make sure that the plywood door panel lines up on the same plane as the siding on the shed. This will also keep the hinges and lock positioned on the same plane.
- Sandwich Double Ply shed door: using plywood and 2×4’s to make a double ply sandwich door is one of the most solid shed doors you can build. It is made by sandwiching a 2×4 frame inside two pieces of plywood or O.S.B. the outer piece of plywood should be the same siding material as the shed or covered with the same siding material as the shed. Trim boards can be installed around the outer edges of the outside piece of plywood to match the shed.
- Pre-Built manufactured shed door: Many homeowners simply purchase a door slab or a pre-hung door and install it on the shed just like you would in a house. A pre-built door allows you to easily have a door with glass and you don’t need to build a door.
Sliding doors are often hung on sheds when the door is so large that a swinging door would be too heavy or when you simply want the door to not be in the way when it is open. Sliding doors on sheds or barns are almost always hung from the top. Sliding door hardware can be purchased from most stores that sell door and gate hardware. Sliding doors are usually a few inches larger than the door opening so there is no gap when the door is closed. Most door openings will not need to be trimmed when a sliding door is used because the door will cover the trim and the trim will make the door stand away from the building farther.
- Sliding Door Hardware: There are two types of sliding door hardware assemblies: a hanging track trolley or a cannonball hanger. The cannonball hanger is a round ball roller with a hanger hanging from it that fits inside a pipe with a slot cut along the bottom to allow the hanger to hang down and attach to the door. the hanger to go through. Dutch Doors: A Dutch door is a door that is cut in half at about its center.Each half of the door has its own two hinges allowing the top and bottom halves to swing and open or close on their own. The two halves of the door can be locked together so they can be used as a single door.
Parts Of A Shed Door
- Panel: A door panel is the main body of the door
- Stile: A door stile is a vertical support board around the edges of a door. They are named by their location on the door, Hinge Stile, Lock Stile.
- Rail: A door rail is the horizontal support boards on a door. They are also named by their location on the door; Top Rail, Lock Rail and Bottom Rail
- Angle Brace: Shed doors often have a angle brace to keep the door from sagging. The angle braces start at the top and bottom hinge on the outer edges of the door and lay on an angle ending up at the door knob or lock location.
- Hinge: Shed door hinges are the mechanical part of the door. A hinge allows the door to open and close. They are usually larger than regular home door hinges and they screw directly into the face of the shed door and on the face of the shed.