The Lumber

We opted to make the doors ourselves, as we had the materials and the tools to do so. We began by cutting logs into eight foot lengths and milling them into one inch thick lumber. We edged both sides, creating one-by nominal green lumber. Next we placed the lumber into a solar kiln (photo shows posts in the kiln) for about ten days to two weeks, until the moisture content dropped to about 10-12 percent. At this point the lumber was trimmed and planed on four sides, creating the uniformly-sized boards with which the doors would be constructed.

It should be noted that if lacking the proper tools and raw materials, one might simply purchase 1x6's and proceed from there.

Layout

This method of door construction involves using a central core of plywood sandwiched between two layers of one-by lumber. The exterior layers are constucted using glue and pocket screws. Lumber also surrounds the edges of the plywood core, overlapping the ends of the two outer layers, creating what is essentially a mortise and tennon joint, though without the chiseling (see photo).