Building a Diagonal-Braced Door from Tongue-and-Groove Boards
A tongue-and-groove door with diagonal bracing suits rustic settings such as barns, shops, recreation rooms, or boutiques, giving the space a country character. Correctly braced, the door is sturdy and can last for years. The panel is assembled first and then trimmed on a table saw to match the opening.
By Logan Hill7 steps
Build an rustic door with tongue and groove wood.
For rustic applications, recreation rooms, barns, shops or even boutiques, build a tongue and groove door by bracing it diagonally. This style of door is attractive and imparts a country feel to the surroundings reminiscent of farms and ranches. With the right bracing, a door made from tongue and groove wood is solid and will hold up over the years. Build the door as a blank and then cut it down on a table saw to make it fit the opening. Start by building a door for a 36-inch opening with typical 4-by-96-inch tongue and groove wood.
Step 1
Place nine tongue and groove boards face down on a flat surface, running them parallel to one another. Line up the tongue of each board with the groove of the next.
Step 2
Using the tip of the glue bottle, apply a light bead of glue inside every groove. A thin line is enough; avoid using too much. Bring the ends of all boards into flush alignment. Stand with your feet on the board closest to you. With a mallet, tap the neighboring board toward the one held by your feet so the tongue enters the groove. Continue tapping until all boards are joined. Allow the glue to cure for one hour.
Step 3
Take the measurement of the door opening with a tape measure. Adjust the table saw to the opening's width. Lift the panel and rip it parallel to the grain so it is 1/2 inch narrower than the opening. Rotate the door 90 degrees and crosscut it to 1/2 inch less than the opening's height.
Step 4
Place the panel on a flat surface. Set another tongue and groove board diagonally across the panel, running from corner to corner. Put a straightedge along the top of the panel so it passes over the top of the diagonal board.
Step 5
Transfer the angle from the top of the door onto the diagonal piece by tracing it. Indicate where the cut ends at the bottom of the diagonal piece. With a miter saw, cut the angle at both the top and bottom of the diagonal piece. Both cuts will have the same angle.
Step 6
Apply glue with a brush to the back of the diagonal piece. Position it so its top and bottom angles line up with the top and bottom of the panel.
Step 7
Using a pin nailer, drive four 1 1/4-inch pin nails through the diagonal piece into each board. Let the glue dry for one hour before handling.
