And for the greatest stability a major requirement for entry doors i decided to make the stiles and rails using stave construction a building method commonly used by exterior door manufacturers rather than solid lumber.
How to make a door frame for french doors.
So if the doors are 24 inches wide leave a 1 4 inch gap between doors and between each door and the jamb.
I love the arts crafts style furniture so i picked some simple doors to practice so one day i can tackle my front door at home.
Cut the door header.
To make the door header the top of the door frame cut two 2x4s to the same length as the width of the original opening and nail them securely together.
And don t forget that the jamb is usually 1 inch thick with another 1 4 inch space between the frame and the jamb.
The wall frame is constructed from vertical stud sections and a horizontal header.
You will need to add 1 2 of plywood between the 2x4 s to get the right wall thickness of 3 1 2.
Step 2 cut frame.
In this video i make a set of custom frame panel french doors for my shop.
Add those measurements to the size of both doors and add an additional 1 1 4 inch to obtain the final dimensions.
Lay the door flat on your work table.
The three point system locks the door to the head jamb and the sill instead of just to each other.
Standard framing for a set of french doors varies only in its framed width compared with standard door framing.
Measure from the floor up and add 1 inch for the bottom and 2 inches for the top jamb.
This is the actual thickness of a 2x4.
The key to this project is a new router bit set designed expressly for french doors.
Building frame panel french doors.
Measure the cutout centers of the doors and buy glass to fit.
Hanging these doors involves a similar process to hanging an entry door.
Choose exterior glass if the door is opening to the outside.
Drill holes into each corner of the frame and slide the mullion into place.