Alternate Door Design?

Hi everyone, I'm about to make a "heavy soundproofing" door for a rehearsal room that I recently aquired. :D I don't intend to make a double leaf construction. Just match more or less door's STC to the wall's STC. The windows are to be closed with 3 layers of gypsum board & green glue.(There will be ventilation of course with silencers :) ) Simple stuff, Low budget and no need for extreme soundproofing. The weakest link in my construction is the door, The main features of the door design are: -Mass -Heavy duty Hinges (ARRONE AR8130-SSS) -Door closer (Dorma TS83 - [size 3-6 model]) -Lorient Magnetic Seals all around for seal. (IS6030) My question here is about the Mass Factor. The main example I've seen here is with layers of MDF. But, because I have plenty of 1"*4"s lying around I was thinking of using those on top of a plywood layer. So I'd like to hear your opinions on this matter. Simply put the door construction consists of three layers: 1. Plywood layer (thickness of 2 cm - 0.7 inches) 2. 1"x4"s (2cm x 4.5cm) vertically 3. 1"x4"s horizontally Green glue is to be applied in between these layers. Is this a good door construction? Or will there be a lot of loss through the joints of the 1"x4"s? If it is not a feasable construction are plywood layers better than MDF layers for this purpose? Thank you, vakis

To be honest, as long as you can seal the joints between the 1x4s really well, I don't see why that wouldn't work. I guess a bead of caulk or glue along the edge of each piece before you add the next piece, then everything screwed tightly together.... Sort of like a "butcher block" table. It should work fine, I think. - Stuart -

Vakis - it would be easier to use a layer of Auralex Sheetblok on the door. http://www.auralex.com/sound_isolation_ ... blokPL.asp It's a lead impregnated vinyl that adds mass to the door.

Hi john, I was thinking about that option as well, but the extra cost seems a bit to much. I've nearly spent all of my budget unfortunately.. :( (And still need to buy Amps!) Thus I need to finish this ASAP or my main studio construction can't get any further funding :P The positive thing about this room is that you get through 2 doors to get in. So I will be pseudo-sealing the other door as well. (More cheaply though Just airtightness-door closer maby later a sheet of MDF behind it.) I'll try to take some pics as I progress to make a diary thread later on. But for now The most important concern I have is that one door. Again doesn't have to be massive in weight but satisfying. My concern is, will the connections of those 1x4s be compromised in the future?

Vakis, Couple things. If you have just no money left and nothing but materials...rather than the vertical/horizontal attempt, set all the 2x4's vertical but lap the joints. This eliminates the leakage areas and gives the door the structural rigidity it is going to require since it will be heavy and 4 or 5 inches think. A more possible option, if you cannot do as John suggested, would be to install 2 layers of 5/8 fire rated sheetrock and mill the frame to accept the sheetrock on the interior in place of all the lumber. This would reduce your door thickness which will reduce your door jamb thickness resulting in either breaking even or at least having a thinner door with the same amount of mass, that the hinges can support and the door closure can move :)

Hmmm, excellent ideas! I wasn't going to make a frame, just layer the plywood and the 1x4s (Was a frame necessary?) I suppose if I'm to go with the drywall I'll definitely need a frame. (thankfully I've got lots of drywall hanging around) So let me summarize the layers of this idea: -Plywood behind frame -Frame -Fill with drywall inside (sheet rock) -Cover with plywood at front of frame? (Or did you mean to leave one side for drywall to show?) Also isn't drywall a bit "delicate" for a moving construction? Is there a possibiliy to crack in time? Is there someone who did this? I'd love to see some images of this! cheers!

... I'd also be concerned using plywood as the base. Wouldn't MDF be a more 'consistent' core ... you could maybe sandwich plywood on top of that ... then add slats. Plywood core seems like it could warp ... or could have a 'bad' layer inside of itself that you might never see ... :roll:

Ok, I had some cash flow from a recent job and so I went out and bought the plywood! One question if you please. If I screw the hinges directly on the sides of 3 layers of plywood, will it be OK? I's going to be pretty heavy so I need to know if doing this is safe? RJHollins I've heard for MDF warping easily if you don't store it well i.e. Don't know about plywood.. Any opinions on this? The way I see it I'm going with 2 doors one is to be plywood and the other the way described before.

I'm confused, the only way that an alternative door design would help someone get out of the car in tight spaces is if the doors could go straight . [SPAM SIGNATURE REMOVED BY MODERATOR]