Make your own Oak door bar/ transition strips

[tfs]

Since joining the forums back in 2007, I have read various posts regarding timber door bars and how to make them etc. I have decided to put together a little step by step ‘how to’ guide on making your own Oak door bars/ transition strips.
I purchased a 3mtr length of 20x120 Oak (PAR), Planed all round. With this I cut a batton at 900mm. I will use this one batton to show you two types of door bar. One door bar will be flush type with a curved profile on each side and the other will be an over lapping door bar which has a curved profile on both side but also has a rebate on one edge to allow the door bar to sit over the tile.
DSC00596.jpgstep 2a.jpgstep 3a.jpg
Step 1. , I cut 900mm off the timber.
Step 2. Select bit to router profile on each top edge of timber (this could even be done with a block plane of by sanding a curved edge with sand paper)step4 a.jpg
Step 3. Mark the centre of the timber to cut into two stripsstep 4b.jpg
Step 4. Cut the timber down the length to creat two strips (I used my festool saw for this, you could also use a hand saw or a table saw)step 5a.jpg
Step 5. Select rebate bit to router a rebate on the under side of one strip of timber. Mark the depth using a tile as a guage, take underlayment and adhesive into account. step 5b.jpg(if you don’t have a router you can achieve a decent rebate by passing timber over the table saw a few times adjusting the blade depth and tabl;e fence/guide until you have removed enough timber to form a good rebate)step 5c.jpgstep 6b.jpg
Step 6. Once you have finished profiling the timber you will need to prepare it for finishing. I preffer to use 120grit sand paper top sand the timber and after this I go over it again with 240 grit to achieve a good finnish. If you need to fill any imperfections in the timber I recommend Metolux a two part fast setting fillerstep 7a.jpg.
Step 7. Apply a finishing coat to the timber. I preffer to use Patina. step 7b.jpgPatina is a gel that is used to finnish the decks on boats etc. You could choose to oil the timber instead or any other finnish that you preffer but, I feel that thinks intensifies the grain in the timber and leaves an amazing finnish.step 7c.jpg
Step 8. Install the door bar. This can be donw many ways which include,
pin to timber floor with 16g brads (apply silicone to underside of door bar to help bond)
Use plug cutter bit to cut out hole half way through timber, screw fix to substrastep 4b.jpgte and fill hole with a dowel. (specialesr drill bits will be required for this)
On concrete you can stick down with silicone or adhesives.
On concrete you can also glue and screw using same method described when using plug cutters.
You can install these bard any way you choose dependistep 7c.jpgng on the type of finnish you desire. If you don’t need to be subtle when fitting door bar then you could simply just screw/ nail the fixing down.ste8rebatedoorbar.jpg
I hope you find this how to guide usefull, you don’t need specialist tools to make a simple hardwood door bard but if you have them it helps. You will at least need the following;step 8c.jpg
Tape measure
Pencil
Hand saw
Sand paper or electric sander
Nails or screws
Finnishing oli, gel or varnish

[tfs]

Sorry folks, for some reasons I cant get the pictures to correspond to each step of the process. The pictures should go the other way around.

Can you help admin/ moderators?

[Sir Ramic]

Great Thread .

[tfs]

Cheers mate!

[peckers]

very informative and well explained. I am sure many people will find this thread useful

[enduro]

Good post. Thanks

[Sir Ramic]

Just one point. i would have profiled the whole 3metre length then cut to size.

[tfs]

so would I but , I just cut of the 900mm peice as this was all that I needed to use for the demonstration at this time.

It is deffo easier and allows you to keep work more consistent doing all profiling at once.

[Sir Ramic]

so would I but , I just cut of the 900mm peice as this was all that I needed to use for the demonstration at this time.

It is deffo easier and allows you to keep work more consistent doing all profiling at once.

Yep that was my thinking too and this is something I have been meaning to do for a while. I have a router table and all other tools which would make it quite easy to do.

[tfs]

With one length you would have enough to do a few door ways. For anyone who has the tools it would workout cheaper than buying door bars each time. Especialy, when you struggle to get them with the rebate as the depth of tile and underlayment is usualy deeper than standard trims that you find in most tile shops etc.

Oak looks stunning too!

[faithhealer]

thanks for taking the time, good thread

[Sir Ramic]

Tried to sort pics out but didnt get on too well.

[tfs]

cheers for trying mate!

They basically went in the exact oppostie order e.g. if you looked at each pic from the bottome upwards it would have correspond to the text from the top downwards

if that makes sense

[Sir Ramic]

Yeah but i have messed them up now !!

[tfs]

I will try and repost the pics

[tfs]

correct order of pics

[SandyFloor]

Great thread. Well illustrated with the pics. Worth mentioning these cost from about £16 - £25 and with limited sizes.

[tfs]

Great thread. Well illustrated with the pics. Worth mentioning these cost from about £16 - £25 and with limited sizes.

exactly mate, if you make yourself, you can do so to whatever thickness you choose, if rebating you can also do this to the depth of any tile you use and you can get lengths of timber upto 4.6mtr in any decent merchants.

[kilty55]

great post kris

[aph257]

good thread.

[Burnsy]

I've done exactly the same in the past but i cheated a bit. Got my measurments and took them to Buildbase and they ran it through a saw. Cost about a fiver and looked really good. I don't have the tools but if you do then that is a brillant idea. Custom made and looks brilliant. Well done

[aph257]

I've finished jobs til after new year, so went to local timber yard this morning bought some 20x120 and went to garage to have a practice but couldn't find router anywhere, managed to cut 1 peice into two strips. Just found out bruv came around at w/e and borrowed the router should get it back tomoz so should have some made by w/e. could't find a source for "patina" on the interweb, where do you get it from?

[tfs]

I get it from a local Paint Supplier mate 'Peffer Paint Co'

The Patina is made by Langlow here is a link to an online supplier

Buy Aqua Marine LANGLOW PATINA WOOD FINISHING 320G Teak Cleaners at Marine Megastore Chandlery 15% off orders over £300!*

Best to give a few coats if you can!

[tfs]

If you dont have the router handy then shape the edges with a block plane and sand to a smooth consistent finnish.

If you need a rebate on the underside to overlap tile;

Set a table saw to the depth of the rebate required

Set the fence guide to 2mm and pass the underside of the timber over the table saw

Set the fence to 4mm and pass over again

Repat this until you achieve the desired overlap on the rebate!

Upload some pics mate when you get done!

[aph257]

i get it from a local paint supplier mate 'peffer paint co'

the patina is made by langlow here is a link to an online supplier

buy aqua marine langlow patina wood finishing 320g teak cleaners at marine megastore chandlery 15% off orders over £300!*

best to give a few coats if you can!

tvm.....
i getting router back tomorrow
Thx

[Sir Ramic]

If you dont have the router handy then shape the edges with a block plane and sand to a smooth consistent finnish.

If you need a rebate on the underside to overlap tile;

Set a table saw to the depth of the rebate required

Set the fence guide to 2mm and pass the underside of the timber over the table saw

Set the fence to 4mm and pass over again

Repat this until you achieve the desired overlap on the rebate!

Upload some pics mate when you get done!

This would require the safety guard and kerf blade removing though and we could not condone such an act !

[tfs]

Yes, lol

obviously do so at your own risk. lol

[tfs]

On another note,

Langlow is owned by Palace Chemicals, the company that also makes tile adhesives etc

[tfs]

This would require the safety guard and kerf blade removing though and we could not condone such an act !

You are on the ball tonight mate!

[Sir Ramic]

You are on the ball tonight mate!

i used to love the new Yankee workshop