Living Room Doors

The first step in making doors is to measure the opening. I always draw a paper square the size of the door opening and make my door on top of the drawing so I can keep it square.

Then I cut my pieces and strips out of 1/16" balsa or basswood and glue them together making sure they fit the pattern.

When I get the first side and separators glued together, then I paint them. I cut and add the thin plexiglas to the door after the paint is dry. I paint the rest of the door pieces before I glue them to the door. But first I add my hinges made out of metal tape and straight pins. I put the hinges on the layer closest to the side that the door opens into. These doors open into the living room. I clamp the layers together to dry using wooden clothes pins.

To fit the doors into the opening, I tape them together with masking tape and see if I need to trim a little off for a smooth fit. Before I put the doors up, I put a little strip of thin wood underneath them to give them clearance while the glue on the hinges dries.

Then I put the door frame (woodwork) around the doors to cover the hinges and finish the doors off. Sometimes I add a coat of paint or two where the doors come together to make them stick so they'll stay closed when I shut them. OOPS, I still need to add the door knobs!