How to weld a metal door with a grate inside. Iron door: how to make, insulate and install with your own hands

Despite the fact that there are many models of entrance doors on sale, in some cases it is rather difficult to choose a suitable 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 still others are embarrassed by the high cost of the kit.

Hand-made production of a metal door, with the correct organization of the process, has a number of advantages. For example, you don't have to worry about the quality of the structure, you can assemble it according to any acceptable drawing, and there will be no problems with the design - there are many methods. In addition, the costs of assembly and finishing of the block will be minimal.

Preparation phase

Work should start with dismantling the old door and completely cleaning the opening. Only after a thorough examination of the state of the base can we conclude whether it is suitable for installing a metal structure or not. It may be necessary to narrow (expand) it in accordance with the required dimensions, further strengthen it. The latter is typical for buildings made of aerated concrete, wood, as well as other materials with a significant degree of deterioration. Consequently, the necessary technological operations are carried out.

After obtaining a passage in the wall with the correct geometry, you can start making measurements. Based on this, a drawing of a metal door is being developed. In addition to determining the dimensions of the frame and sash, you should also choose a design scheme. First of all, in which direction it is more convenient to open the canvas, where it is better to install locks, hinges (their number) and accessories (handle, peephole) on it. Sometimes it is advisable to make a version of the "lorry". In it, the small sash is rigidly fixed, but if necessary, temporarily expand the opening (for example, when moving oversized loads), it is easy to open it.

• The scheme of a metal door is drawn up taking into account the fact that there should be a small gap between the jamb and the base (about 15 - 20 mm). It is called editing. It allows, firstly, to correctly position the frame, adjust its position, and secondly, to additionally insulate the opening around the perimeter.
• The hinges on the door are placed at an equal distance from each other, and their number is determined by the mass of the canvas; with its low weight, two canopies are enough. But in any case, their distance (upper and lower) from the sash cuts is chosen to be about 150 mm (for openings of standard height).

Materials and accessories are being prepared. When working with iron, welding is imperative. Plus to this - a perforator (electric / drill with a bump stop) and a "grinder". Everything else is an ordinary household tool, a square, a tape measure. With materials it is a little more difficult, you have to choose.

• Corners or profiles (with a side of 4 cm) are suitable for the frame. Here it is worth focusing on the purpose of the structure, the requirements for its stability and the option of further finishing. If high-quality insulation, increased strength is assumed, then a door from a profile pipe is the best solution. But the stiffeners can be made from the corner.
• The frame cladding is made of sheet steel. It is necessary to optimally combine such indicators as the total weight of the web and its strength. But in any case, it is not recommended to use metal with a thickness of less than 2 mm.
• Fastening elements. Any iron door, even a homemade one, even a purchased one, is fixed in the opening with anchor bolts. The only exception is for models mounted in wooden (frame) buildings. As a rule, when self-installing doors at their entrance, they are attached to special frames or to the base using welding or large hardware.

Everything else - seals, heat-insulating and finishing materials, fasteners, accessories - is at the discretion of the master.

With a lack of experience in making steel doors with your own hands, it is better to limit yourself to overhead hinges. Concealed awnings are much more difficult to install, and a professional approach is needed here.

The procedure for the manufacture of metal structures

An iron door with your own hands, regardless of its scheme and drawing, is assembled according to one algorithm. Initially, individual elements are made.

Box

There are no problems with it, but on condition that all measurements and cutting of the blanks are made correctly, in strict accordance with the drawn up drawing. Welding the individual parts into a single structure with the correct geometry is not difficult. It is only necessary to carry out work on a perfectly flat, rigid surface and constantly monitor the corners. At the end of the assembly of the jamb, all seams are carefully ground with a diamond disc.

Without fail, hinges and fastening strips with drilled holes are welded to the box. With the help of the last details, it is fixed on the wall from any material.

Door leaf

• The frame manufacturing technique is absolutely identical.
• For reinforcement, stiffeners are installed according to the selected scheme.
• A groove is cut for the tongue of the lock.
• Frame sheathing on one side. It is made by means of fastening by welding steel sheets, with a slight overlap. In the area of ​​the hinges it is about 5 mm, along the length of the frame is about 10 - 15. It is recommended to "grab" the cladding with several seams, no more than 40 mm long. To ensure the reliability of fastening, the intervals between adjacent sections are selected within 20.

• Depending on the scheme, at this stage of assembling the metal door, the fastening elements of the lock are installed, the hinges are welded (those parts that are attached to the canvas) and a window for the peephole is cut out.

• If the sash is supposed to be insulated, then an insulating material is immediately laid; it fits between the stiffeners to prevent it from sagging under its own weight.

• It remains to weld the second sheet of metal to the seamy side of the frame and also cut a hole in it for the peephole and the lock cylinder.
• The last thing to do with the sash is to carry out a control check of its geometry and grind all joints, welds and paint with primer to exclude metal corrosion.

If the "lorry" scheme is chosen, then all technological operations for the small canvas are absolutely identical, with the exception of the peephole and the door lock. But the upper and lower stops, for fixing in a fixed position, should be provided.

Finishing

Making a metal door with your own hands is not all. It is necessary to arrange it accordingly. With blocks installed in ancillary buildings, it is quite simple; as a rule, they are colored. But if we are talking about a door at the entrance to a residential building (apartment), then it is desirable to decorate it. The choice of option is at the discretion of the owner, and some recommendations will help with this.

How can the canvas be finished:

• Solid materials - multilayer plywood, fiberboard, vinyl plastic, wooden lining, laminate, MDF, followed by varnishing (colorless or with tinted components).
• Leatherette and kozhvinil are used to cover the sash.
• The door on the water to the apartment can be pasted over with decorative foil. Since the influence of atmospheric factors is minimal, this finish will last a long time. And given the low cost and ease of design, this is one of the best solutions.

Assembling the structure

In fact, it all comes down to hanging the sash, checking its position, constipation and adjustment (if necessary). All that remains is to install the handle, lock and peephole. If in the door scheme there are crossbars, lower (upper) stops, then you need to make a markup.

The sash is covered, and the places for drilling holes are outlined on the jamb. After readiness, their coincidence with the fixing elements is controlled. This applies to both the main canvas and the additional, small one.

The final "touch" is the installation of the manufactured door in the opening and lubrication of all rubbing parts (which many people forget). After that, we can state that everything, the work is done completely.

For those who have the skills to work with metals and want to get a high quality iron door at low cost, making it on their own is the best option. Moreover, the drawing, scheme, exterior finish is chosen not by the manufacturer, but by the master. This means that the entrance to the house will not only be reliably protected, but also decorated in an original way, and the block structure will perfectly fit into the interior of a particular building.

The front door is the hallmark of any home. Therefore, it should not only look beautiful, but also provide good thermal insulation, harmoniously approach the design and architecture of the building. The safety of the property, as well as the protection of housing from the penetration of cold air, precipitation and noise from the street, directly depends on the strength and reliability of this structure.

To date, the choice of doors is provided in a wide range, while each model differs in its configuration and external forms. The entrance structure can be bought ready-made, made to order, or made by yourself. This may surprise many, but there is nothing complicated about it, you just need to make the correct measurements, choose the right version of the model and be patient.

At the same time, it is worth noting that the home-made construction will be distinguished by its original design and will emphasize the entrance to the room in a special way.

Features and models

Entrance doors are installed both in an apartment and in a private house. Regardless of the location of this structure, its direct purpose is considered to be reliable protection of housing from cold, noise and burglary. Therefore, when choosing a particular model of an entrance door, you must take into account many nuances. Recently, home-made structures made of metal and wood have been very popular, while metal doors differ in their functionality and design features, they are resistant to explosions, burglaries, fireproof and bulletproof.

As for the wooden options, they are characterized by an original aesthetic appearance; doors with sliding systems also deserve special attention.

Today, there are many types of entrance doors. According to their purpose, they are:

• Fireproof and bulletproof. Such products are made of high strength metal. In addition, these types of doors are additionally treated with strengthening compounds.
• Shockproof. They are the most reliable option for protecting your home.
• Soundproof. Prevents noise and sounds from entering the house.
• Sealed. They are often installed in outbuildings.

Entrance doors can be opened in different ways. There are swing and sliding models of structures. In addition, doors are classified by the number of leaves and are:

• Single leaf. Manufactured from a single piece of fabric.
• One and a half. They are a structure consisting of two parts, where only one opens.
• Bivalve. Large doors with two opening wings.

All entrance doors differ in appearance and shape, therefore, rectangular and arched products are distinguished. Deaf transom designs are also popular.

Recently, manufacturers have been trying to make the entrance to the house unusual, so they often decorate the doors with glass.

Materials (edit)

Entrance doors are made from different raw materials, while metal and natural wood are most often used for independent production. It is worth noting that the functional properties of the structure will depend on the chosen material, since a good and high-quality door should not allow cold air to pass through and completely isolates the house from extraneous sounds.

Despite the fact that metal products are very popular, wood still does not lose its advantages and is often used in the manufacture of doors. Such models are found both in modern apartments and in country houses. As a rule, such wooden structures are made from solid oak, as well as from birch and pine. Doors made of wood do an excellent job of insulation and retain heat well.

Due to the unique characteristics of wood, plank products protect housing from the penetration of cold air currents.

In order to ensure that such products do not rot and become moldy during operation, they are additionally treated with special solutions that reliably protect the canvas from wood pests and increase the service life. In addition, wood is easy to handle and decorate with various inserts or carvings. The only drawback of this raw material is the high cost, therefore, plywood panels are often used as an alternative.

Unlike wood, metal structures have more advantages. They are strong and durable, and in order for such products to provide optimal insulation, they are covered with a protective layer. Metal doors are also painted with enamels and varnish, this protects their surface from rust and allows installation both indoors and outdoors in country houses.

For self-production of entrance structures, as a rule, steel sheets are chosen.

Recently, you can also find plastic or metal-plastic doors. They are intended for buildings where there is a possibility of vestibule heating, because plastic does not retain heat. In addition, such products will require additional protection in the form of alarms or grilles. Although plastic is easy to install, it is still not suitable for homes.

A huge selection of colors, the presence of decorative inserts and ease of maintenance allows the use of plastic doors to enter various organizations and offices.

Dimensions (edit)

Before starting work on the manufacture of the entrance structure, it is worthwhile to first determine the dimensions of the future product and correctly measure the doorway. It is worth paying attention to the fact that in each apartment or house the dimensions of the openings may differ. If you plan to install a standard single-leaf door, then it will need 860 × 2050 mm or 960 × 2050 mm canvases. Custom panels can be made if required. For simple double-leaf doors, sheets of 1200x2050 mm or 1400x2050 mm are used, but for office premises and private houses it is best to choose larger designs - 1500x2100 mm or even 1600x2100 mm.

Often, when installing front doors, one has to deal with such a problem as non-standard dimensions of the openings. The most optimal solution in this situation would be to expand or bookmark the opening itself.

Step-by-step instruction

Home renovation takes a lot of time and money, so often many owners decide on a desperate step and carry out finishing work with the installation of entrance doors on their own. Of course, the structure can be purchased ready-made, but if there is a desire to save money, then it is quite possible to make it yourself. Before you start making a door, you need to decide on the external shapes and the load that will be on the product.

You will also need to prepare the following tools:

• Roulette;
• Pencil;
• Hacksaw;
• Hammer;
• Self-tapping screws;
• Screwdriver;
• Jigsaw;
• Glue.

In addition, upon completion of the work, the doors should be beautifully decorated, therefore it is important to correctly measure the extensions, place the box, and decorate the doorways with platbands or additional elements.

To perform such work, you can choose a different material., but natural wood is considered the most affordable. To make a quality product, you should give preference to a bar 5 mm wide and no more than 4 mm thick. Such canvases will provide excellent sound insulation. In addition, it is easier to install a threshold and steps in wooden doors. As for the technology of installation work, they are based on correct measurements of the door frame, it is from them that the maximum connection of the bar to the frame will depend. And for outdoor construction, you will also need to weld the hinges and paint the surface.

For the manufacture of a standard door, a leaf with a length of 205 cm is assembled, while its width can be different. First, a blank frame is made, which will look like a frame. Then, according to the size of the frame, a fiberboard sheet is cut out and fixed with self-tapping screws. After assembling such a structure, the fiberboard is glued. It is advisable to strengthen the beams not only with self-tapping screws, but also with glue.

The finished door is thoroughly dried, and then the hinges are screwed on and the lock is inserted. In order to make the product look attractive, it is recommended to additionally finish it with dermantine on the gasket. Thus, the door will be beautiful and insulated.

When installing the structure, special attention should also be paid to the insert of the lock. Its thickness should correspond to the thickness of the blade. In addition, the lock is a delicate mechanism, therefore, during its installation, a distortion of even 1 mm is not allowed.

As for painting, this is the final stage of work, and it is carried out only after the box is installed.

How to insulate?

One of the purposes of the entrance structure is considered to be good thermal insulation, so the canvas should be well insulated. For this, various technologies are used. If the box is made of metal, then first of all you need to fill its inner unused cavity. In this case, it is filled with a special insulating material in the form of mineral wool or foam. Also, to keep the door warm, it can be sheathed with wooden beams. The only drawback of this technology is the formation of cold bridges.

The front door is well insulated with dermantine. With this technology, the door leaf is upholstered on only one side, and a thin layer of insulation is applied to two openings. Thermal insulation is glued directly to the door, and then it is decorated with dermantine or natural leather.

Protection of the structure from drafts is considered equally important. For this, two methods are used:

• Insulation of gaps between the box and the canvas. A rubber or foam seal is well suited as thermal insulation. It is attached with a self-adhesive base and applied both to the box itself and to the canvas.
• Opening the door frame. The outer and inner sides of the slopes are upholstered, and the gaps between the opening and the structure are filled with insulating material.

In the event that none of the types of thermal insulation is suitable, an alternative solution may be to install a second entrance door.

How to weld canopies?

Before installing the entrance doors, it is required to weld the hinges (awnings). As a rule, to hold the standard structure, you will need two loops, the distance between them should not exceed 20 cm. Before starting work, the sheds are thoroughly cleaned and treated with a special solution. It is advisable to weld the hinges horizontally with respect to the door frame. In the event that the opening has already been installed, then the weld is welded vertically.

Time makes you save. The same time makes increased demands on the protection of the home. Metal doors are an invariable attribute of every city apartment. The alternative to them in terms of reliability is only the entrance doors from the array, but they are fabulously expensive and themselves provoke an intruder into breaking. A good metal door, along with the installation, is also expensive. An alternative is a metal door with your own hands.

Of course, a home-made door cannot be a full-fledged analogue of a factory one: in artisanal conditions, it is unrealistic to comply with the manufacturing technology. But it is quite difficult to open a metal door, and it will produce the necessary psychological effect.

Drawings "Do-it-yourself metal door":

Manufacturing features

Attention: when measuring the opening, you must proceed from its real perimeter, i.e. clean off all paint and plaster from concrete slopes.

To make metal doors with your own hands, you need:

1. Measure the opening.

2. When calculating the dimensions of the box, it is necessary to lay two centimeters on all sides on the mounting gaps.

Video "Making fireproof metal doors with your own hands":

3. A steel corner is suitable for making a box. The recommended width of the shelves is 5 by 2.5 centimeters. The corner needs to be cut into pieces according to the size of the future box.

4. Lay out the workpieces on a flat surface with a rectangle. Control measurement - along the diagonals: they must be of the same length.

Video "How to make steel doors with your own hands":

5. Weld the door with your own hands or ask a professional.

6. The frame of the canvas should be made two centimeters less than the box in height and one and a half in width. For the frame, you can use a 4 x 2.5 cm corner. Weld in the same way as a box.

Video "Manufacturing of non-standard metal doors":

7. Cut a hole for the lock in one of the uprights.

8. Weld the hinge profile to the other post.

9. Tie a steel sheet with a thickness of at least one and a half millimeters to the frame by spot welding. The sheet should overlap the frame by a centimeter (from the side of the lock - by one and a half).

Video "Self-made doors":

11. Weld the sheet.

12. For the hinges, a 2 cm thick steel bar is suitable. Place the balls from the bearings into the hinge blanks.

13. Mark the attachment points of the hinges and their counterparts on the canvas and the box. Weld the hinges.

14. Clean welded seams, paint the fabric with protective enamel or powder paint.

16. The inner side of the door can be sheathed with MDF panels.

Do-it-yourself metal front door is ready. Remained editing.

Installation methods

Attention: often if you install a factory door with your own hands, you will lose the warranty on it.

The first way mounting the canvas in the opening - using mounting plates (if you made an entrance iron door with your own hands - you can weld them in advance).

1. Three plates (lugs) are installed on each rack. When installing the box, the plates must adhere to the wall from the inside (so that they cannot be cut off).

2. Place the box in the opening, measure it vertically. There should be a gap of about two centimeters between the box and the opening.

3. Drill holes for fasteners through the holes in the plates and insert the anchor bolts.

4. Foam mounting clearances. When the foam hardens, the excess is cut off.

5. Hang the canvas on the hinges.

6. Cut in the best locks for metal doors.

7. Close the gaps with platbands. If the walls of the opening are wide, they are closed with MDF extensions.

Second way: if the walls of the opening are wide and the box is recessed inward.

1. Place the box in the opening, align vertically. The gaps between the box and the walls are from half a centimeter to a centimeter.

2. Through the mounting holes in the box, holes are drilled for fastening in the wall of the opening (depth - 10-15 centimeters).

3. Insert anchors and tighten.

The third way: concreting the box.

In this case, a hollow box is used, the interior of which is filled with concrete. Measure the location of the box vertically, fix the box to the wall with anchors and leave until the mortar has completely set.

2. Before hanging the hinges, grease them. When adjusting the hinges, the fasteners are loosened on them.

Branded metal doors are certainly a beautiful thing, but this product, firstly, is expensive, and secondly, it is not always of high quality, so self-confident people make them themselves. Next, we will talk about how to assemble a metal door with our own hands from a corner. It will be about welding the structure, hanging hinges and installing a lock.

Arrangement of branded iron doors.

This is not to say that metal corners are better or worse than the same profiled pipe. Moreover, shaped tube structures are about 20% lighter. But for a novice master, making a metal door with your own hands from a corner is easier and more convenient.

Without experience, it is easier to make a metal door from a corner with your own hands, because the metal there is several times thicker, and thick metal is easier to weld, it will definitely not burn out. If a profiled pipe 40x20 mm has a wall thickness of 1.5 mm at best, then a 50x50 mm corner wing has a section of 5 mm.

Metal corner 50x50 mm.

If you have incorrectly cut the material and, for example, you need to weld one long post for an iron door from two short parts, then there will be no problems with the corner. While the profiled pipe must be precisely docked and welded along the entire perimeter, while "contriving" not to burn through thin metal.

And finally, when transporting with a corner, you have nothing to fear: even if a car runs into it, it will withstand, but the profiled pipe will crumple and you will only have to hand it over for scrap.

Assortment of metal corner for iron doors.

How to make a door from a corner

Do-it-yourself iron door from the corner is done like this:

• preparing the tool;
• we purchase material;
• draw up drawings;
• measure and cut the material;
• we weld the steel outer frame;
• we weld the frame for the door leaf;
• we weld the outer metal sheet to the door leaf;
• we hang the hinges;
• we cut the lock.

Actually, the manufacture of doors with your own hands is over, finishing work will go on. That is, you need to paint the entrance doors, as well as insulate and sheathe (at least from the inside) with some kind of facing material.

Tool and material

Welding metal doors with an inverter is a good way out for a home craftsman.

• welding machine;
• Bulgarian, you can get by with a little;
• an electric drill, or better a hammer drill;
• metal cord-brush or a special attachment for the grinder;
• emery;
• core;
• hammer;
• roulette;
• plumb line;
• hydro level and bubble level 1.5 - 2 m long;
• clamps;
• pencil.

Naturally, the power tool will need accessories: drills, grinder discs, fastening anchors for installation, etc., without which it is unrealistic to make a metal door.

Home master's set.

As for the material, this is the case:

• For the bearing outer frame, a corner of 50x50 mm - 7 m is usually taken.
• For the frame for the door leaf, it is advisable to use a corner of 40x40 mm, although if you are not going to insulate the structure, you can take 25x25 mm, only 8-10 m.
• To fix an iron door with your own hands, you need a strip 30–40 mm wide, with a section of 2–4 mm, 1.5–2 m is enough.
• It is believed that a sheet with a thickness of 1 mm or more can be used for external cladding, but if you are afraid of burning it out during welding, then take 2.5–3 mm, so it is safer.

When you buy a sheet at a metal base, ask for it to be cut to size right away. In such a production, there is almost always a guillotine for cutting sheets. Otherwise, you will have to work with a grinder for a long time and it is not a fact that it will turn out to be cut exactly.

Guillotine for cutting sheet metal.

Drawing or sketch

The search for diagrams and professionally made drawings is a thankless task, because cases when an entrance metal door assembled in accordance with GOST 31173-2003 clearly enters the doorway are extremely rare.

Since you have decided to make metal doors with your own hands, it would be much wiser to draw a sketch by hand. It may not be so "beautiful", but in it you will definitely take into account all the important details and tolerances that are not in professional drawings.

Naturally, you will have your own dimensions, but before making a sketch, think about the tolerances (we are talking about a frame from a 50x50 mm corner):

• The outer frame should fit into the contour of the doorway with a small gap, ideally 10 mm around the perimeter. From the front side, the gap is not visible, since it will be covered by the corner wing. But from the inside you will have a place to pour the polyurethane foam.
• Consider the thickness of the corner itself. That is, if you have a gap of 10 mm, plus a corner wing of 5 mm, then the inner perimeter of the frame needs to be done already by 15 mm (the most common mistake).
• Entrance doors in multi-storey buildings often have sills 10–20 mm high. It is not worth knocking down this nut, you can simply cut off the lower wing of the corner up to 30 mm wide. The idea is that the upper wing of the corner touches the nut, but does not lie on it.
• A gap of 5 mm is left between the inner and outer frames of iron doors, and do not forget to take into account the thickness of the wing in the corners.
• The overlap of the front metal sheet on the outer frame must be at least 10 mm, plus 5 mm for the gap between the frames. Total - 15 mm from the frame to the edge of the sheet.

Sample sketch.

Many craftsmen overlap the sheet from the side of the hinges in the region of 5 mm, citing the fact that this way the sheet will not cling to the strip when opening. But this is a vicious practice. It would be more correct to slightly raise the hinges when welding, then the door will open normally, and there will be space for the seal under the sheet.

Welding the outer frame

Working on the floor, even if it is absolutely flat, is very inconvenient, because you will have to turn the welded frame several times, plus on the floor you will not get to the part from below. Therefore, it is wise to prepare a metal workbench. The design can be any, but the main thing is that the upper plane is even.

Homemade workbench for welding doors.

First, we need to cut all parts of the frame to size. The frame can be docked in the corners either directly, that is, at 90º, or with undercutting at 45º. Both methods are reliable, but visually oblique trimming looks much better.

Cutting a 45º corner is not difficult. So, if the wing size is 50 mm, then we measure 50 mm from the edge and get a square. Then we draw a diagonal inside this square, which will be a guideline for cutting.

Quick marking of the corner.

Now you need to cut out the excess parts and lay the corner on a flat workbench. During work, it is advisable to fix the corner on the workbench with clamps.

Layout of the corner on the table.

In order for all the corners of the outer frame to become strictly at 90º, you need to orient yourself along the diagonals. That is, the diagonals must be the same. The square is a good thing, but in this case it does not give absolute accuracy.

Frame control with a square.

Then the corners are boiled. Here, too, there are nuances: you cannot immediately apply a full seam, the metal will lead from overheating and the frame will warp. Therefore, first you need to grab the joint at two or three points in all four corners, and then in small strips, moving from corner to corner, gradually weld the seams. When the metal has cooled down, the seams made from all sides are cleaned with a grinder.

We weld the inner frame

A gap is left between the inner and outer frames. To accurately set this gap, you need to cut more plates from a corner, strip or any rigid material in advance.

Reference plates for maintaining the gap.

The corners of the inner frame are welded in the same way as the corners of the outer, but do not rush to immediately remove the clamps and separate the structures. If you are planning to install stiffeners, then they need to be welded right now, so you will exclude even the slightest distortion or deformation during welding.

Welding of the inner frame according to the template.

We weld the sheet

As you remember, the sheet should "look" out of the inner frame by at least 15 mm, but many craftsmen advise making a tolerance of 20 mm. On such a wide area, you can glue the same wide seal, thereby protecting against drafts.

Control of the sheet protrusion along the perimeter.

There is a very important point here. The fact is that the corner to the sheet should not be welded flat, but with the upper part of the wing, as shown in the photo below. With this approach, you will not have problems with fixing the inner lining, plus it is easier to lay insulation in such a niche.

The technique of welding a corner to a sheet.

The corner is welded to the sheet not with a continuous seam, but pointwise, with a step of 10 cm. Again, do not try to cook in a row, fix the sheet in a checkerboard pattern, that is, at different points, so you exclude the possibility of temperature deformations of the metal.

In single doors with an opening width of up to 900 mm, an outer frame from one corner with a cross section of 50–70 mm is sufficient, but if the door is double or one and a half (standard door leaf plus a small hinged section), then it is advisable to weld a reinforced frame. A diagram of such a design is presented below.

Diagram of a reinforced corner frame for a wide iron door.

How to properly weld the hinges on an iron door

Naturally, the main detail here is the hinges themselves. There are many varieties of these mechanisms, but it is better for an amateur to dwell on the simplest dad-mom loops. An example of such a mechanism is shown below.

The only thing you should pay attention to is the availability of lubricant, otherwise after a year the hinges will begin to creak, and it is very inconvenient to remove and lubricate a heavy iron door alone. As a rule, the hole for lubrication is made either from the top (in the “female” section) or from the side. Plus, it is better to insert a ball from the bearing inside, so the mechanism will work longer and softer.

Standard hinges for iron doors with lubrication capability.

For a high-quality installation of the hinges, in addition to the tools listed at the beginning, we also need a so-called jig. Such a part is made in a couple of minutes from a conventional electrode, and it is needed to evenly raise the canopy over the doors.

Conductor under the loop.

Before welding the canopy, markings are applied. The hinges should be installed at a distance of 20–25 cm from the upper and lower edge of the door. If you think that the door is very heavy, then the third canopy is welded in the middle of the door leaf.

The canopy raised on the conductor must be either flush with the plane of the sheet, or stand a couple of millimeters higher. Usually, the canopy rises higher if the doors are sheathed with thick platbands, for example, laminated MDF. The distance from the edge of the sheet to the canopy ranges from 2–5 mm.

We set the canopy on the conductor according to the markings.

Now we carefully weld the canopy to the outer frame, after which the conductor can be pulled out, go to the next canopy and do the same there.

Checking the level of deviations of the canopy.

It is highly undesirable for awnings to be welded only to the edge of the steel sheet. This is especially important if the sheet is thinner than 2.5 mm, therefore, to strengthen the contact area, it is necessary to weld the so-called control plates, the thickness of which is 3-5 mm.

• the plate is placed on the sheet;
• moves up close to the canopy (section "mother");
• grabs at two points, as shown in the photo below;
• then you apply a level and, if there are no deviations, then you can weld canopies with plates thoroughly.

Tacking control plates.

A few words about installing the lock

The lock cuts into the vertical corner of the door frame at a height of 1 m. For marking, apply the lock panel to the corner and outline it around the perimeter, then take a grinder and cut out a rectangular niche. But the lock panel must be flush with the corner, that is, recessed. To have something to screw this panel to, you need to weld a couple of plates from the inside (arrows point to the plates).

Underlay for the lock panel.

When the plates are welded, you need to try on a lock for them, mark future holes, screw, drill and thread there.

Thread cutting for the installation of the lock.

You will finally insert the lock after staining, but for now, just try it on and put it aside.

Correct installation of the lock.

The final touch will be the installation of a protective plate, more precisely, a casing from the inside of the supporting frame. Such protection is necessary so that the locking bolts cannot be knocked out from the side by prying the door frame with a pry bar.

Conclusion

In principle, the manufacture of a metal door with your own hands from a corner is over, then painting, finishing work and installation are going on, but we will talk about this in other publications.

Any home craftsman can make such a door from the corner.

In stores, you can choose metal doors of different models and sizes. They can be entrance and interior. You can make the door yourself. This requires materials, tools, skills and knowledge of working with iron.

Making a metal structure with your own hands has a number of advantages over buying finished products. At a minimum cost, you can get the front door to the apartment without reworking the doorways. When making metal doors on your own, you must follow the rules of safe work, at each stage, all operations must be performed accurately and accurately. Advantages:

• choosing the material for manufacturing yourself, you can be sure of its quality;
• can be done with an individual finish;
• you can make an iron door in a budget option.

If you do it yourself, you can save a lot of time.

Measurements and drawings

Making metal doors with your own hands begins with drawing up the simplest drawings. For this, measurements of the doorway are made. Width is measured in several places. Then the minimum value is selected. 1.5-2 cm is subtracted from the resulting figure. The gaps between the door frame and the walls of the opening should remain of this size. The dimension is transferred to the drawing. The height of the future product is measured in the same way. According to the data obtained, a profile or angle is prepared for welding.

Tools and materials

Self-welding of metal doors is cheaper than purchasing a finished product. But you cannot make an iron door without the skills of using tools and a welding machine. For work, you must prepare the following tools and materials:

1. metal profile or corner;
2. door leafs made of metal sheets;
3. steel sheet with a thickness of 2 mm or more;
4. construction loops;
5. accessories for doors: locks and handles;

• electric drill;
• construction foam;
• anchor bolts or other fasteners;
• grinder equipped with a disc;
• welder;
• veneer;
• facing material.

Other tools may be needed. It depends on the model of the structure to be welded. It is good if your home workshop has a workbench and several clamps.

Steps for assembling steel doors

An iron door with your own hands at home is created in several stages:

1. manufacturing of the metal frame of the product;
2. creating a durable door leaf;
3. installation of high-quality locks and handles;
4. surface sheathing.

The standard dimensions of the door frame are: width - 90 cm, height - 2 m. If these conditions are met, you can make an iron door with your own hands.

Stage 1: weld the loot

To make a door from a profile pipe or from a corner to an apartment or a private house, you need to cut the material. In cross-section, the profile should be about 50x25 mm. The workpieces are cut according to the dimensions in the drawing and placed on the welding table. The next operation is to measure the diagonals. Both of them must be absolutely equal. When these indicators are achieved, you can start welding. The finished work is checked again: the diagonals are measured, the dimensions along the inner space. If the work is done correctly and correctly, the welded seams are cleaned.

Stage 2: frame for the door leaf

The leaf should be located in the door frame at a short distance from its inner edges. In this case, the sheet of canvas should protrude beyond the outer edges of the frame. The structure is welded with short seams. Their length is up to 4 cm. They are located at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. After welding and checking the geometric parameters, the seams are cleaned with a grinder and sandpaper.

Stage 3: fastening the sheet

The cut steel sheet is welded to the finished frame. About 10 mm on each side should be left for the slamming of the future door. The sheet of the required size is applied to the frame and welded. Work begins with the hinge part of the door. Welding is carried out with the imposition of seams inside the cavity. The canvas is welded along the entire perimeter. To give the product more strength, you can use the installation of stiffeners. The work ends with cleaning the seams and painting the door leaf. The paint protects the metal well from corrosion.

Step 4: how to weld the hinges

Hinges for metal products are made of steel rods with a diameter of about 2 cm. The hinges are welded to the frame and to the canvas. The halves of the loops should match each other. To do this, you must carefully measure the distance when installing them. If this condition is met, the door can be easily put on the box and will close and open well. After welding, the parallelism of the profiles on each side of the assembled door is checked. It is imperative to carry out anti-corrosion treatment.

Stage 5: we cut the lock

The construction is almost complete. It remains to insert locks into it. It is recommended to install two different types of locks. To enter the bolt of the locking mechanism, you need to make holes in the corner. It is necessary to make holes and slots in the canvas for fastening the lock case. This is done by the craftsman himself along with the holes for keys and handles.

Stage 6: cladding and insulation

To give the product a beautiful appearance and heat-shielding qualities, doors are insulated and external cladding. Various materials are used for cladding: vinyl leather, artificial leather, PVC film, leatherette, wood and much more. PVC film can be imitation of wood texture. Some owners paint products in the desired color and decorate them with forged decorative elements. Profiled metal sheets or elements made of soft materials are also used.

Foil insulation can be used to insulate and improve sound insulation properties. It fits inside the door leaf, a layer of mineral wool, polyurethane, foam or other insulation is placed on it. The remaining gaps are filled with sealant. To improve sound insulation, a rubber strip is glued. The entire package of insulation and insulation is closed with a sheet of plywood or MDF, which is attached to the structure with screws or liquid nails.

Stage 7: installation

Installation of the finished door structure is carried out in two different ways. The entrance door can be located in a single plane with the wall. In another case, there are large slopes on the inside of the wall. Most often, doors are installed using metal plates. They are attached to the box in three places along its long sides. The opening is cleared of foreign objects and debris. The door is installed and leveled in level and plumb line. For this, wood or plastic wedges are used.

The puncher makes fastening holes in the wall. Metal rods 10-15 cm long are hammered into them. Anchor bolts can be used instead of rods. Installation is done as follows: the owner himself needs to repeatedly check the quality of the installation. Improper installation will cause the locks to jam or jam. Before filling the gaps with polyurethane foam, it is imperative to check the ease of operation of the locking devices. If everything works well, the voids are filled with foam.

In cases where the door is installed inside the wall, installation using anchors is used. In this case, a welding machine is used to secure the door. The finished door structure is installed in the opening and secured with wedges. In the vertical racks of the box, 3 holes are drilled. Through them, pieces of steel rod 10-12 cm long must be driven into the wall. The remaining ends are welded to the frame. After that, the operation of the locks is checked again, the voids are filled with polyurethane foam.

The technology of manufacturing and installation of the door with the exact fulfillment of all requirements is simple. It should be noted that making a door with your own hands is easier if 2-3 clamps are used during welding. If you have to cook a door structure for the first time, do not be upset about its ugly appearance. The appearance can be changed when facing surfaces. Decorative overlays will hide all the flaws of an inept craftsman. The next product will be much better.

You should not take a thick sheet of metal into work. The product will be heavy. A thickness of 1.5-2 mm is enough. The profiled pipe must also have a wall thickness of 1.5 mm. For the door leaf, at least 4 horizontal partitions must be used. After cutting the elements, the ends should be well processed. All rust from the workpieces is removed with a metal brush and coarse sandpaper. It is necessary to weld them to a sheet of metal with small seams located 10-12 cm from each other.

The finished product must be degreased and covered with two coats of primer. After drying, paint the product with paint twice. The service life of homemade metal doors is no less than that of those purchased in a store.