Making metal doors with your own hands: technology, drawings, equipment, as well as how to properly make heat and sound insulation

Despite the fact that there are many models of entrance doors on sale, in some cases it is quite difficult to choose the right option. Some are not satisfied with the dimensions due to the non-standard opening at the installation site, others are afraid of hidden defects in the product, and others are embarrassed by the high cost of the kit.

Making a metal door yourself, with proper organization of the process, has a number of advantages. For example, you don’t have to worry about the quality of the design; it can be assembled according to any acceptable drawing, and there won’t be any problems with the design - there are many techniques. In addition, the costs of assembling and finishing the block will be minimal.

Is it possible to make metal doors with your own hands?

Reliable metal doors have long won the sympathy of consumers. They are used wherever additional protection is needed: in houses, garages, apartments, warehouses. According to the demand, the supply market has also grown; a great variety of ready-made steel doors can be found on the pages of newspapers and Internet resources.

There are various types of metal doors on the market.

However, many craftsmen prefer home-made doors to purchased products. Their advantages include lower financial costs and independent choice of design and materials. These factors allow you to assemble a door of any shape, including non-standard options, and also give confidence in the quality of the finished product.

Thin steel on the front surface of finished metal doors is cut without much effort

Self-assembly of a metal door requires not only special equipment, but also certain skills. This is especially true for welding joints. To apply a seam of the required quality, you need skill and a certain dexterity. The cost compared to a factory door will be 30–35% lower, but the quality may be higher.

Conclusion

In a forum thread dedicated to making metal doors yourself, the opinion was expressed that the costs of homemade products would be significant, and the savings would not be so significant that the game would be worth the trouble. However, for skilled hands, the manufacturing process is quite feasible, and the ability to choose decent materials, and not guess what’s inside the purchased structure, is an important factor. Therefore, while some are talking about the feasibility, others are doing and sharing real experience to make the task easier for beginners.

You can learn how to save on wooden entrance doors from the article about transforming budget blanks. How to insulate an already finished metal door is also on our portal. The video contains an overview of popular new doors from the famous exhibition.

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Metal door manufacturing technology

When making metal doors, the main emphasis is on reliability. This factor depends on:

door leaf and frame designs;
materials used;
installation quality.

Reliability also implies the strength and durability of the doors. Additional devices - closers and electronic eyes - make the operation of the structure more comfortable.

Varieties of door hinges and locking devices allow you to select the necessary components depending on the specific situation

All these innovations are also used for self-made doors. First of all, when drawing up a project, it is important to think through in detail all the elements included in the future design and select the necessary materials. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the technological sequence, the order of assembly, installation and finishing of the door block.

Drawings for making a metal door with your own hands

To create a working drawing, you need to take measurements of the doorway. The sketch is drawn on paper at the selected scale. Using a tape measure, the width, height and depth of the opening are measured.

Doorway parameters: W-width, H-height, T-depth

There is a certain standard for metal doors. It is undesirable to make the dimensions of the door leaf more than 200x90 cm. This is due to the fact that the weight of the structure increases and, accordingly, the requirements for the quality (or quantity) of hinges increase. If the doorway is larger, it is more advisable to install an additional top or side block. The top block is often equipped with glass inserts for additional lighting. The side can be hinged or blind.

The drawing must reflect in detail the design features of the door

All these nuances are reflected in the drawing. The dimensions of the box are usually taken into account the installation gap, which allows you to align the structure in the horizontal axis. It is subsequently filled with foam. To adjust the door position and eliminate distortions, a gap of 2.5–3 cm is sufficient.

To evenly distribute the weight of the door leaf onto the frame, 2 to 4 hinges are used. Awnings can be of indoor or outdoor design. External loops are used more often. The distance from the edge of the leaf to the hinges at the top and bottom is 15–20 cm. If the door is heavy and there is a need for additional suspension, one or two auxiliary hinges are installed between the main hinges. The exact location of the canopies is noted on the drawing, taking into account their own dimensions.

The support ball inside the sleeve softens the working stroke of the hinges

Any door is equipped with stiffening ribs. They are metal corners or pipes with a tetrahedral cross-section, located along, across or diagonally to the canvas. When placing them, two factors are taken into account:

location of the lock and door handle (for ease of installation, the stiffening ribs do not intersect with the location of the locks);
a method of insulating a door (since the heat-insulating material is attached in the recesses between the ribs).

The insulation is located between the door stiffeners

The drawing needs to show the exterior decoration of the door and the structural components necessary for this. For example, if one of the sides is planned to be covered with clapboard, wooden blocks are placed inside the canvas, to which the cladding is subsequently attached. If the sash is covered with paint or laminated film, there is no need to install bars, but more attention is paid to the plane of the canvas. The surface is thoroughly polished, eliminating metal leaks that form during welding.

Necessary materials, tools

The most expensive thing you will need is metal. All other components and materials will not be too expensive, of course, excluding decorative finishes. If you roughly estimate the amount for all expenses, then you will need no more than 100-150 dollars. At this price it is impossible to purchase even dubious Chinese products.

As for the materials needed for work, there are few of them. You need to purchase a profile pipe - suitable with a cross section of 20x40 mm. The pipe should be purchased in quantities of 20 linear meters - this volume is quite enough to produce a block of standard sizes (about 1 m wide and 2 m long). It is not difficult to calculate the amount of material for other dimensions. In case of any incomprehensible situations, it is worth looking at the sketch - today you can find a lot of drawings of metal doors and use them for assembly.

Sheet metal is also required. Its thickness must be at least 2.5 mm. The overall dimensions are the size of the future door, or rather the opening.

You should also prepare the hinges; you should choose models that are equipped with a bearing. These components are purchased in quantities of three. The canvas will be quite heavy, so three loops are the most reliable option.

In addition, additional fittings, thermal insulation, and materials for decorative finishing are required. Don’t forget about consumables – these are circles for power tools, welding electrodes, drills, consumables for jigsaws.

The tools you should prepare are a welding machine, a welding table, a grinder, an electric drill, and a jigsaw.

Thermal insulation of a metal door

During the cold period, ice, drops of water or frost sometimes appear on metal doors. This indicates that the structure is freezing. Warm air inside the room hits the metal surface and cools sharply. As a result, condensation forms, which either drains or freezes and turns into ice. To prevent this from happening, the door leaf is insulated. Previously, they used synthetic winterizer or dermantin, but this did not bring effective results. Today the arsenal of insulation materials includes:

Styrofoam;
mineral and basalt wool;
polyurethane.

Styrofoam

It is considered a very good insulation material, since it contains 98% air, “sealed” in plastic bubbles. The advantages include ease of installation, low price and absolute resistance to corrosion. Most industrially manufactured doors are equipped with foam plastic or its modification - penoplex. In addition to thermal insulation properties, the material has good sound absorption. Disadvantages include low fusibility and the release of large amounts of toxic gases during combustion and heating. Therefore, it is not recommended for installation directly in residential premises. The ideal location is the entrance doors of garages, warehouses, multi-story buildings.

Polystyrene foam reduces the thermal conductivity of metal doors in garages and utility rooms

Video: insulating a garage door with foam plastic

Mineral wool

This category includes basalt and glass wool. They differ in the source raw materials - basalt is made from rocks, and glass wool is made from sand and glass, stretched into thin long fibers. There is no noticeable difference in thermal insulation properties, but glass wool is more environmentally friendly. Both materials are characterized by high fire safety and ease of installation.

When laying mineral wool inside metal doors, certain rules must be followed. For example, you cannot crumple mats between the stiffening ribs - this reduces the thermal insulation characteristics. The material must be cut with an accuracy of 1–2 mm.

Mineral insulation is available both in the form of mats and in the form of rolls of various thicknesses

A significant disadvantage of mineral wool for insulating a metal door is its hygroscopicity. The fact is that with a large difference in air temperatures on both sides of the door, the dew point shifts into the inner space of the door leaf. This leads to the fact that condensed excess moisture is immediately absorbed by the fibers. Over time, water accumulates and the thermal insulation characteristics decrease to 80%. This scenario can be avoided by using an additional vapor barrier film, which is attached over the entire area of the sash. A hydrobarrier neutralizes the effect of moisture accumulation, but there is no complete guarantee. It is for this reason that mineral wool insulation is recommended for doors that are not exposed to significant temperature changes. For example, at the entrance to an apartment.

Video: insulating a metal door with mineral wool

Polyurethane, or inflatable insulation

Quite expensive, but effective technology. The internal cavity of the door leaf is filled with polyurethane foam. Cured polyurethane is a synthetic substance that is not subject to corrosion and is an excellent heat insulator. The difficulty is that for inflation you need special industrial equipment that combines a diffuser and a compressor. But using foam from household spray cans is too expensive.

The polyurethane coating is not afraid of water and is a hard, sealed layer

Regardless of the chosen material, preparation for insulation consists of planning the locations of the stiffeners. Experts recommend placing them in such a way that the insulation is securely held inside the sash without additional fastening. That is, the crossbars are placed not only vertically or horizontally, but they are also combined so that the insulation does not sag over time.

The cotton wool is placed tightly between the stiffening ribs inside the door leaf

Stages of installing insulation on the door leaf

Experts advise installing insulation in doors that are in a horizontal position - on a table or trestle. The key to successful thermal insulation is careful laying of the entire surface and minimization of gaps. The process is performed before sewing up the inside of the fabric:

The dimensions of the frame cell are measured.
Insulation blanks are cut out with an error of maximum 2 mm (in the larger direction).
The material is placed in the sash:
when insulating with mineral wool, a waterproofing film is first laid over the entire area of the door, with a release (reserve), then the insulation is laid out and covered with another layer of film, the edges of which are rolled up into a single “cocoon”, only after that the door is sewn up from the outside (to enhance the impermeability air, the edges of the membrane are carefully taped).

Video: how to insulate a metal door with foam plastic

Insulation of the door frame

For good insulation, it is necessary to insulate the door frame. The method depends on the design of the frame, which may consist of an all-metal frame or a hollow profile. This is not difficult to do. Polyurethane foam from a household spray can is poured into the profile. If necessary, holes are drilled on the surface along the diameter of the tube into which polyurethane is blown. It fills all free space.

The internal cavity of the frame is filled with foam

It will not be possible to insulate an all-metal frame in this way, so you need to carefully treat the gap between the frame and the doorway with foam.

An innovative means of insulating a metal door is the insulating paint of the “Akterm” series, produced on the basis of modern nanotechnology. The composition includes microscopic ceramic balls (several microns in size). A 1 mm layer of paint is equivalent in its thermal insulation characteristics to 5 cm of polystyrene foam. The disadvantage is the rather high price and difficult application of the composition to the metal surface.

Video: insulating door frames with mineral wool

Door leaf

The height and width of its frame must match the size of the door frame minus 5 mm on each side for the door to move freely.
After cutting the sheets (this can be done with a grinder), we clean the edges from burrs with a file or grinder with emery.
Metal sheets are attached to the frame so that they protrude 10 mm at the top, bottom and side of the lock. The allowance on the hinge side is made slightly smaller - 3-5 mm.
After “grabbing” the sheets, we check the correctness of fastening, and then weld the seams completely. If the sheets do not move, we proceed to final welding. First, we “sew” them to the main frame, and then attach them to the intermediate stiffeners. There is no point in making continuous seams - it is enough to weld the sheets in small sections.
The cutout for inserting the lock must be provided before the sheathing.
At the same stage, you can attach a wood frame to the door leaf to secure the trim. To do this, holes are drilled in the metal in the right places.

Single sheet metal door design

Soundproofing a metal door

An important property of an entrance door is its ability to contain noise from outside. Metal doesn't help in this regard. On the contrary, it enhances sounds. Therefore, the door is supplemented with special internal and external coatings that reduce the level of penetrating noise.

External covering

This is done using sound-absorbing and vibration-proofing materials. These include:

polystyrene;
vibroplast;
bitoplast;
bimast.

These are synthetic coatings, they are a canvas that actively dampens any sounds and vibrations.

Sound-absorbing materials consist of several layers of different densities

The work order is as follows:

The material must be spread over the surface to be insulated and smoothed. Some types are equipped with an adhesive layer; it is enough to remove them from the protective film and press them against the plane of the door.
For others, you need to first clean and degrease the canvas. Then evenly distribute the waterproof glue, cover the surface with the material and wait until it dries completely. It is advisable to paste both from the outside and from the inside.

Installation of seal

The product is simple but effective. Previously, felt was used as a sealant; today there is a wide range of ready-made rubber and caoutchouc products. There are no installation difficulties, you just need to remove the protective covering and carefully stick the profiled strip along the perimeter of the sash. Its width should not be more than 25% of the size of the door frame support strip. The thickness is chosen so that when compressed (with the doors closed) the seal is reduced by half.

The seal consists of rubber tubes of a special section

How to avoid mistakes?

To prevent unforeseen situations from taking you by surprise, you must:

take correct measurements;
create a drawing of an object;
carefully measure angles and parallels;
adjust the frame and canvas;
treat materials with protective compounds.

Making a front door takes time and patience. Only by carefully following all the recommendations can you achieve a good result. Accuracy is important in the work, so you need to measure the doorway in several places. If it is uneven, it should be strengthened with cement mortar.

Sources

https://ODveryah.ru/montazh/izgotovlenie-metallicheskih-dverej
https://filippovdoor.ru/dveri/dver-iz-profilnoj-truby-svoimi-rukami.html
https://dekoriko.ru/dveri/vhodnye/svoimi-rukami-kak-sdelat/
https://o-dveryah.ru/metallicheskie/zheleznaya-svoimi-rukami/
https://aystroika.ru/remont/metallicheskie-dveri-kak-sdelat.html
https://rezhemmetall.ru/metallicheskaya-dver-svoimi-rukami.html
https://melt-spb.ru/oborudovanie/dveri-iz-profilnoj-truby.html
https://gorodverey.ru/izgotovlenie-zheleznoj-dveri-svoimi-rukami.html
https://vitdoors.ru/dveri/izgotovlenie-metallicheskoy-dveri-svoimi-rukami.html
https://stroy-podskazka.ru/dveri/vhodnye/metallicheskie/svoimi-rukami/
https://novamett.ru/dver/vhodnaya
https://krrot.net/zheleznaya-dver-svoimi-rukami/
https://VseoDveri.ru/vhodnye-dveri/vhodnaya-dver-svoimi-rukami/

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Metal door finishing

The exterior decoration of the door performs two important tasks. Hides the unsightly appearance of bare metal and protects the canvas from exposure to adverse factors. It is especially important to protect the steel surface from excessive moisture, as this can cause corrosion.

The choice of finishing materials is huge. But the most popular are:

MDF panels;
leather vinyl;
solid wood.

Microwood fiber (MDF) is a mixture of wood and carbide chips compressed under high temperature and pressure. The material retains the color, texture and tactility of wood, but is not inferior to plastic in strength and elasticity. The big advantage of MDF panels is their low price. However, this type of finishing belongs to the “premium” class and, from an aesthetic point of view, is not inferior to natural solid wood.

An entrance door finished with MDF is difficult to distinguish from natural wood

Professionals also note a number of other advantages of MDF:

high heat and sound insulation;
increased fire resistance, fire safety;
combination of high strength and ease of processing;
resistance to the influence of biological factors: mold, mildew, dampness;
environmentally friendly, the boards do not contain toxic and harmful chemicals.

In retail chains you can find four types of MDF panels:

painted with RAL dye;
coated with a polymer-based composition;
laminated panels;
veneered products.

In addition to products in the form of sheets, there is a wide range of additional decorative door elements - platbands, extensions, etc.

Leather vinyl is a type of exterior finishing made from artificial materials that imitate natural leather. This group also includes vinyl artificial leather and dermantine. If the covering technology and operation are followed, the cladding retains its properties for a long time. Kozhvinil is a champion among inexpensive ways to protect doors from noise and hypothermia. Easy to clean with regular cleaning products.

With proper care, vinyl leather coating can last for many years.

Disadvantages include the flammability of the material and vulnerability to vandalism. It is customary to drape a door in this way in interior spaces. Contact with open air and direct sunlight quickly leads to loss of color and gloss of the coating.

One of the solutions for finishing a metal door in the middle price range is covering the door with anti-vandal film. This wonderful product is not produced in Russia, so its price is high. The most popular is the film from Israel from Vinorit. PVC coating has a variety of colors, textures and thicknesses. Resistant to ultraviolet radiation, mechanical damage and fire.

Natural solid wood is the most expensive type of finish for iron doors. The overlay panel is made by gluing lumber and further processing it: sanding, milling, polishing, etc. Expensive wood species are used for production - oak, beech, mahogany, alder, ash. As a rule, the form of release of a solid wood panel is an 18 mm thick overlay. This allows you to inlay the surface with various “subjects”. Often the outer metal cladding imitates the paneled structure of the sash. It is possible to apply ornaments, drawings and other decorative elements. In the factory, wood is not only coated with paint or varnish, but also impregnated with special compounds, thanks to which the material becomes resistant to the adverse effects of the atmosphere, does not dry out and almost does not burn.

Solid wood compares favorably with other finishing materials:

elegance of appearance;
absolute naturalness and environmental friendliness;
durability;
increased performance in terms of thermal insulation and sound absorption;
possibility of restoration.

Oak flooring only becomes more beautiful over the years

The entrance metal door, lined with natural wood, is a symbol of respectability. Most often found in expensive restaurants, five-star hotels, reputable organizations and offices of large companies.

Video: interior decoration of a metal door

Product cladding

Whatever method of finishing the door you choose, first it must be protected from corrosion - primed and painted. To do this, you need to remove slag from the welds, clean them and degrease the entire surface, and then apply 2 layers of primer. After drying, paint the product 2 times, starting from the back.

You can decorate your entrance doors in the following ways:

insulate the inside with polystyrene boards, placing them on glue, and cover them with plastic panels;
screw the outer and inner wood lining, in particular lining, with self-tapping screws;
cover the canvas with leatherette, laying a layer of insulation under it;
buy and install a ready-made kit for MDF doors.

You can make platbands from iron and paint them the same color

The finished product is installed in the entrance opening using anchor bolts, and the cracks are traditionally sealed with polyurethane foam. Here it is important to maintain horizontal and vertical lines so that the door closes well and the loot is not “piled up” inside the apartment. To hide the foam, the outside and inside of the box is lined with platbands made of wood, metal or plastic. The correct painting of the door leaf is described in detail in the latest video:

What type of wood to choose

One of the most critical stages is the choice of source material. Each type of wood is endowed with special mechanical and physical qualities. It is necessary to know the features of different types in order to determine which one is ideal for solving a particular problem. All wood can be divided into two categories - deciduous and coniferous.

Hardwood

This series contains the most valuable species, endowed with extraordinary strength, high density, expressive texture and attractive natural shades.

Wood has the highest value:

beech;
nut;
mahogany.

If there is no reason to spend money on expensive raw materials, you can get by with more affordable ones. Pay attention to the advantages:

cherries;
oak;
ash

These rocks also have high strength, but will not require such significant costs as representatives of the first category.

Oak wood is very durable and resistant to rotting. Due to the content of tannins, which react with dyes during etching, it allows you to achieve intense color effects. Processing the material is not difficult - it lends itself well to simple tools. Making parts of unusual, curved shapes from it is not a problem.

Ash is as hard and durable as oak. However, this material requires regular treatment with antiseptic compounds. Otherwise, when the first wet season arrives, it will begin to rot.

Conifers

Coniferous wood never loses its popularity. This is explained by its availability and a wide range of positive qualities. The most popular materials are those made from pine, followed by spruce.

The strength characteristics of pine are slightly lower than those of deciduous trees. This disadvantage is more than offset by high resistance to biodegradation, mold and mildew, excellent thermal conductivity and extraordinary flexibility during processing. High air and moisture permeability guarantees decent quality of treatment with protective compounds.

Spruce is more susceptible to rotting compared to pine, but has less hygroscopicity and thermal conductivity. Products made from this material retain their original shape much longer.

If you choose between these two species, you should give preference to pine.

Deciduous tree wood is ideal for making interior doors. And for entrance structures, pine would be the best choice.

Loops

Iron door door hinges must be designed to withstand heavy weight and long-term use. The weight will have to withstand at least 100 kg, so ball loops are usually used. The door movement will be easier if they are on bearings.

The optimal number of loops is two. With a larger number, it is difficult to center them, which will affect their service life. Two loops of normal “load capacity” are enough. If it costs more, most likely the factory did not have normal hinges and installed the ones that were available.

Hidden (right) and outdoor sang

By design, door hinges can be open or hidden. Hidden ones are considered more reliable, since they are invisible from the outside and cannot be cut off. But they have a number of disadvantages:

They are more expensive.
The door opening angle is limited - about 90°, while for external hinges it can be 180°, therefore, there may be problems with large items entering.
When opening a door, a significant force is generated. Trying to open the doors wider may cause the hinge to become skewed.
When installing such hinges, the door frame is cut, which reduces its strength.
It is difficult to properly position the insulation in the place where the hidden loop is installed.

In general, a rather ambiguous choice. If you have a limited budget, it is better to choose external hinges, but with the obligatory presence of anti-removal elements (labyrinth or pins).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMpq1gkT3jQ

What determines the thickness of the sash?

A door leaf can have several classes of protection against penetration and burglary, which affects the number of steel elements of which it consists. Manufacturers produce three main types of sashes:

In the standard version of the classic entrance door, the thickness of the structure, consisting of a profile frame, a steel sheet on the outside and an MDF panel on the inside, is 60 - 75 mm, which is due to the design decision of the finishing on the room side.
This rule works if the door is installed between the apartment and the staircase-elevator hall, that is, a room with a slight temperature difference. When it comes to constructing a door bordering an outdoor space, then, in accordance with the thermal engineering calculations and determination of the heat transfer resistance of the enclosing structure, more effective insulation is placed in the body of the leaf. In this case, the frame profile is artificially increased, and the door can have a thickness of 100 to 120 mm.

Rice. 6. Door to the cottage

When a homeowner wants to protect his premises as much as possible from unauthorized entry, the sash can consist of two metal plates - an outer and an inner one, onto which, in turn, an MDF panel is attached. The thickness of such a door can be about 80 - 90 mm.

It should be taken into account that increased burglary resistance always significantly increases the mass of the canvas, which leads to increased inertia in the event of its slamming. If an element on bearing suspensions weighs 200 kilograms or more, then the force of inertia can seriously injure a person, therefore the operation of such elements requires compliance with safety precautions.

Ideas and options for processing and decoration

Before decorating a wooden door, you need to thoroughly sand its surface. The next very important stage is treating the product with an antiseptic solution. After the product has dried, you can begin decorating.

First, cover the door with primer or putty in two layers. After this, the door can be painted or a couple of layers of varnish applied to the surface. If you have the necessary available tools, minimal artistic abilities and decorating skills, you can decorate the canvas with carvings, polyurethane stucco molding, stencils, and mosaics.

Interior doors can be “revitalized” with wallpaper, fabric, and vinyl stickers.

Why are stiffeners needed?

If there is an attempt to break into the door, but the lock or hinges do not budge. Attackers may resort to brute force and try to deform the canvas with strong blows with a sledgehammer. In order to withstand such influences, developers introduce stiffening ribs into the design of the canvas, which have the following design features:

Reinforcement can be made along the long side - along the height of the canvas - profiles are welded from the bottom to the top of the frame in the amount of 1 - 2 elements.
The transverse arrangement of the ribs is in increments of 400 - 500 mm along the width of the sash, fastening is carried out to both frame posts.
The most effective is the mutually perpendicular arrangement of the stiffening ribs, when they are fixed both in the longitudinal and transverse directions.

Rice. 7. Stiffening ribs

Each new model released into production must undergo bench tests, on the basis of which the product receives a certificate of compliance with a certain protection class, and the presence of stiffeners allows the consumer to be confident in increased strength characteristics.