Guide to Wooden Front Doors

The very first impression that other people will acquire from your home comes from your very own front door. For this reason, it is important that your door shows appeal and is of sound structure. There is a rich supply in the varieties of designs and materials from which you can choose the door which perfectly suits your desired needs and purposes. Wooden front doors are a great choice for those who not only wish to have a sense of security inside their home but as well for those who desire custom entry doors which will enhance and compliment the exterior portions to your home.

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Wooden front doors are commonly chosen among shoppers over other types of custom entry doors for the different elements that they offer as opposed to conventional entry doors. Wooden doors as well as hollow doors are popular choices, too. They perform the job adequately and can be very lovely in appearance, however, do not quite meet the performance and integrity of wooden front doors. The solidity and genuine feeling of strength and security that you feel upon opening and closing your custom wooden doors cannot be met by any other door of a lighter weight.

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Light-weight doors tend to leave home owners with a broken sense of security that wooden front doors offer. The hollowed nature in conventional doors give all appearances of quality with its barely-there resistance, but when you stop to look at the bigger picture, how secure could the door truly be in protecting you and your family? Although custom entry doors are noticeably heavier than traditional doors, there will be no mistaking the inherent comfort and security you will feel each night as you close your door and lock it from the inside.

Another major consideration when purchasing wooden front doors is how they will enhance the outside appearance of your home. Just as with other doors, wooden front doors come with endless possibilities for custom modification and design. Undoubtedly, it will not take long for you to find a door which expresses your unique style and that of your home.

You may be someone who desires a beautiful intricately carved custom design in your wooden door, or perhaps you are more preferential towards a wood paneled door that is has a smoother feel. Either way, you will find that there are few difficulties in achieving the exact design of your choice. Installation of general and stained-glass windows are also just a couple of the extended options in your custom entry doors. Remember while choosing the perfect design for your custom doors that it should represent your individual style in a unique way that will stand apart and accentuate the entrance to your home. This is a great way to add personal touch to your home that is unable to be duplicated. Stained wood lends your home an elegant and genuine impression to the outside world that your home is one which is cherished, loved and cared for. Visitors will be welcomed into a home that holds an authentic personality and warmth within it.

An important thing that you should focus on when purchasing the right detailed fixtures for your home is that aesthetic appeal can be easily achieved at an affordable cost if you do your comparative shopping and research adequately. For that reason, remember while shopping that the added security with a customized wooden front door will be an excellent addition to your home that will provide you as well as your family with a secured feeling in your home and the appearance of high custom design that anyone who passes will surely appreciate.

Guide to Wooden Front Doors

John Waflin writes about various home improvement topics. Check out some of his latest articles about how to pick wooden front doors and different kinds of custom entry doors.

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Wooden Wheelchair Ramp Building and Seven Things You Must Know

I have recently noticed a great deal of interest in information on building wooden wheelchair ramps. While I recently wrote an article that covered the building of concrete ramps here at my own residence. I thought I would cover building a wooden wheelchair ramp. I have in the past built several wooden ramps.

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Wooden ramps come in a wide range of sizes and materials. So we will cover the general rules you must follow in order to build a sturdy and most importantly safe wooden wheelchair ramp. I say most of all safe because I have seen and even used some wooden ramps that to my mind were more dangerous than not having a ramp. There are seven thing you must know in order to build a safe and sturdy wooden ramp.

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1. Do I really need a wooden ramp here or would something else be better?

2. Remember the rules of ramp building. Your angle is 1:2 or 1" rise = 12" run, every 30" rise a landing of 60" long. Avoid long runs break them up if you can.

3. Materials must pressure treated or rated for outdoor use. Use stainless steel or galvanized carriage bolts and screws. You'll round footing forms and post brackets as well.

4. The tools you will need are very basic. You will need a hand saw or circular saw. A drill with a 1/2" bit to drill holes for the carriage bolts. A ratchet to tighten the nuts. A tape measure, a carpenters square, level, and cordless drill driver are other tools you will need. You will also need a post hole digger and a shovel.

5. Any structure is only as good as it's foundation. So we take special care with the footings of our wheelchair ramp. They should be place every six feet forming a 6' x 4' rectangle with a post bracket embedded in the top.

6. Don't make it too steep. Always check your angle and use the ratio. If it is too steep the user won't make it up.

7. Put it together right! Use screws for the decking and nuts and bolts at all the joints. Think of the ramp as a bridge for a wheelchair and build it as such. Don't just nail it together.

As we can see building a wooden wheelchair ramp is not a simple undertaking. It is however within the skill level of the average do-it-yourself builder. And while I wrote an article covering the building of a concrete ramp it was a rather simple threshold ramp you would encounter in typical slab construction home. I would not however recommend a concrete ramp project of the scale I have just described for the do-it-yourself builder unless you have prior experience with concrete projects of this scale.

Wooden Wheelchair Ramp Building and Seven Things You Must Know

My name is Gary M Renick and I am a 55 year old retired engineer. I have be handicapped since the age of three when I was stricken by polio. I have spent the last 37 years confined to a wheelchair. The last five in a power chair as I now suffer from Post Polio Syndrome. My experience as a wheelchair user helps me to write about accessibility problems and solutions. My blog is called "Ask Gary ADA" and it deals with answers to accessibility problems and other handicap issues and changing government policy. You can visit my site at http://www.askgaryada.com

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How to Make a Wooden Gate

There are some simple home projects which you do not need to go out and hire some expensive contractor or carpenter. One of these which you yourself can do is a wooden gate for your yard.

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Relax, making a wooden gate all by ourselves is an exciting adventure and doesn't need to be hard or impossible. If we do everything systematically it shouldn't be too hard. To build a wooden gate we need the right design for a specific purpose.

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In making a wooden gate ourselves the first thing we need to do is design it. This means we take exact measurements based on the width of the opening where we want to put up the gate. We also consider the height of the fence around it. Everything must be complementary, after all we want form and functionality, right?

Then we buy the needed wood pieces-4 by 4 inches latch and hinge posts, gate frames measuring 2 by 4 inches and picket wood pieces measuring 1 by 2 inches. These are mere suggestions; wood sizes may vary depending on our wooden gate design. We also need screws, some nails, 3 to 4 hinge sets, and the latch. The sizes and number of pieces depend on the size of the wooden gate.

We dig holes for the latch and hinge posts. A depth of 3 feet, more or less, ought to do. Insert one end of the posts into the holes and reinforce with rocks and earth intact at the sides to keep it from moving. Or pour concrete at the sides. Then we install horizontal frames for the wooden gate fitting the gateway. We also fix the gate hinges permanently to the hinge post.

Then we install the diagonal frames. Measure them to accurately fit the horizontal frames. To attach, drill holes through them and the horizontal frames and insert long screws. Mark spots, which are evenly spaced, allotted for the pickets. Use a square. Then attach them to the wooden gate using nails or screws at their bottom side. Two screws or nails each would do.

Finally, re-mount the wooden gate. Detach the gate to render the wood to a smooth finish and accurate fitting by scraping extra wood thickness. Then re-mount by attaching again to the hinges permanently. Make sure the wooden gate opens and closes to and from its jamb or latch post smoothly.

It is best to make the wooden gate right where we intend to install it. This enables us to get the actual measurement needed and base the wooden gate dimensions from it. Handle carpentry tools and materials with the greatest care and make sure to wear fitting gloves when hammering nails, driving screws, or cutting with a saw.

Make sure all tools are in good condition, like ensuring that the chisel or plain blades are sharp. Sharp tools make the work easier and safer. Wear a carpentry apron if necessary.

It's exciting to make our own wooden gate. We can start experimenting with our garden gate.

How to Make a Wooden Gate

John Grant is a the author for a how to site where he is writing articles about how to build a gate.

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