Adding a second garage door to the back

[Chestnut]

You could always buy a panel door and cut in your own windows... It may seem hard but there really is nothing to it.

[treesner]

1 hour ago, Chestnut said:

You could always buy a panel door and cut in your own windows... It may seem hard but there really is nothing to it.

thats good to know, didnt think about that.

 

these should be exterior doors right? not sure difference in exterior/interior but found some decent lookin interior ones

https://www.lowes.com/pd/EightDoors-Knotty-Pine-Door-2P-Arch-Top-V-Groove-80-in-x-36-in-x-1-3-8-in-Unfinished/1002827934?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-mlw-_-google-_-pla-_-202-_-sosinteriordoors-_-1002827934-_-0&placeholder=null&gclid=CjwKCAjw1ej5BRBhEiwAfHyh1HJmVUufpciMfzc_RD6oLKOvPW08UMZVobVAGSyqR99vBcCUOhCmBRoC4x8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.homedepot.com/p/JELD-WEN-36-in-x-80-in-Farmhouse-Unfinished-Solid-Wood-6-Lite-Obscure-Glass-Interior-Door-Slab-THDJW229200006/312733852?mtc=Shopping-B-F_Brand-G-Multi-NA-Multi-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-Catchall_PLA&cm_mmc=Shopping-B-F_Brand-G-Multi-NA-Multi-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-Catchall_PLA-71700000014585962-58700001236285396-92700010802552460&gclid=CjwKCAjw1ej5BRBhEiwAfHyh1KGYGAtzombZ-VNYqKBBidkCwmmiuip4h7T9W0CdrHKvwQHhNzgkUhoCra4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[treesner]

this ones only 205 per side but its metal so couldn't add a window later. are metal doors bad for insulation property? I'm insulating the garage so would hate to waste it on a metal door that just bridges all the cold

https://www.homedepot.com/p/JELD-WEN-36-in-x-79-in-3-Panel-Craftsman-Primed-Steel-Front-Door-Slab-THDJW166100393/301680003

 

this fir door is only 240 and has a window that opens which would be nice but at the same time makes it easy to break in

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Masonite-32-in-x-80-in-Vent-Lite-2-Panel-Unfinished-Fir-Front-Exterior-Door-Slab-87247/202082269

[Chestnut]

24 minutes ago, treesner said:

this ones only 205 per side but its metal so couldn't add a window later. are metal doors bad for insulation property?

Most of the doors up here are steel. They have a foam core and insulate pretty well. The 2 steel skins are seperated by a wood frame. You can still add a window to a steel door. Just get a steel cutting blade for your jigsaw.

https://www.loveandrenovations.com/front-door-makeover/

 

[treesner]

thanks so I need to find a 'door glass' to drop in?

Home Depot only has the large ones, need to look around for the smaller upper ones

https://www.homedepot.com/b/Doors-Windows/N-5yc1vZaqih/Ntk-EnrichedProductInfo/Ntt-door%2Bglass?NCNI-5&isSearch=true&Ns=P_REP_PRC_MODE|0&experienceName=default

[treesner]

Think I’m gonna put a double French door in so I have that light in the winter, do you think it would be better to make the doors open out instead of the normal open in? Thinking then it wouldn’t block any work bench corner or bandsaw  (long stuff sticking out the door) that I might have there?

[wtnhighlander]

7 hours ago, treesner said:

 ... do you think it would be better to make the doors open out instead of the normal open in? 

The drawback to having them open out is that breaking in and taking all your stuff becomes trivial.  There might be some leakage problems if the door isn't under a deep overhang, too. I'll let the more experienced home builders comment on that.

[Tpt life]

Open out has one advantage in extreme climates and two big disadvantages. Wind pushes them closed. With compressive gaskets, the harder the wind blows, the better it seals. On the flip, you need tamper free hinges and that same wind can pile things like snow up that impede your door. That said, I don’t think you get the extremes I do, so you kind of balance those issues to your situation. 

[sjeff70]

One thing to consider since security seems to be a priority here: if you go with a window in an exterior door think about getting a keyed deadbolt instead of a latched one.  If someone did break through the window and got their hand inside they couldn't turn the deadbolt.  Of course if the window is big enough to climb through it's a moot point. 

 

[treesner]

5 minutes ago, sjeff70 said:

One thing to consider since security seems to be a priority here: if you go with a window in an exterior door think about getting a keyed deadbolt instead of a latched one.  If someone did break through the window and got their hand inside they couldn't turn the deadbolt.  Of course if the window is big enough to climb through it's a moot point. 

 

so every time you open the door you have to put a key in, even on the inside? 

I was a little concerned about big window on these being security but my contractor said up here most people dont lock things up anyways so wouldn't even bother worrying about that (were out on a couple acres, houses very spread out)
 

however my research does show a lot of people prefer open out in shops for security reasons as you can not kick the door in. just have to upgrade to security hinges 

 

 

[wtnhighlander]

Just now, treesner said:

so every time you open the door you have to put a key in, even on the inside? 

I was a little concerned about big window on these being security but my contractor said up here most people dont lock things up anyways so wouldn't even bother worrying about that (were out on a couple acres, houses very spread out)
 

however my research does show a lot of people prefer open out in shops for security reasons as you can not kick the door in. just have to upgrade to security hinges 

 

 

"Not kicking it in" depends a lot on the construction of the door, regardless of how it opens.  IF security is a concern, you might also consider having no external knob / handle, and use a cross-bar (essentially a giant dead-bolt) to lock it from the inside. Still need tamper-resistant hinges, though.

All this discussion makes me realize ONE advantage of my 'tiny shop' and it's single door. To take most of my more valuable gear will require a thief to disassemble it to pass the door. Pretty good deterrent, since thieves are generally too lazy to work that much in the first place.

[sjeff70]

3 hours ago, treesner said:

so every time you open the door you have to put a key in, even on the inside? 

I was a little concerned about big window on these being security but my contractor said up here most people dont lock things up anyways so wouldn't even bother worrying about that (were out on a couple acres, houses very spread out)
 

however my research does show a lot of people prefer open out in shops for security reasons as you can not kick the door in. just have to upgrade to security hinges 

 

 

The keyed deadbolt is on the inside only.  Just leave it unlocked until you're ready to leave.  This door can't be your main access.  If this door is the only one to the shop then this won't work.  There's no deadbolt access from the outside.

These types of doors with large windows in them are really for deck or patio access which is why this keyed deadbolt option is available.  

[Tpt life]

No door you can afford would slow me down. You are just keeping kids out...not builders or thieves. 

[wtnhighlander]

1 hour ago, Tpt life said:

...not builders or thieves. 

Agree about the builders, but thieves don't steal tools to WORK with, they steal them to sell. If you can slow them down a bit, they'll generally pass buy in favor of lower-hanging fruit.

I mean, what's the point of theft, if you have WORK at it?