Exterior door advice

[curlyoak]

I have successfully built many frame and panel exterior doors. But now I have  request for several 6" w horizontal boards for the entire door. I dont have a clue of what smart engineering could be. Or is this design not viable? Thanks for any comments.

[wtnhighlander]

If all the boards run horizontal, then the movement will be primarily vertical (and tangential to the grain, as in cupping). Will there be any sort of vertical member to aid in keeping it flat?

[wtnhighlander]

Maybe an engineered (ply or stave core) slab with a face veneer of horizontal boards would be the safest bet?

[curlyoak]

I explained the dynamics of wood movement to the client. And told him that his idea is a cluster f..k.  The method of frame and panel was figured out hundreds of years ago in the beginning of woodworking. And that method is still the best answer. It resolves all the issues. I think they agree. If they insist on bad engineering then I will politely refuse. I will know in a day or 2.

 

[allpurpose]

I suppose if the rails and stiles are big enough you could use some extra large spiral cut dowels to stabilize things. I've built a few doors that have survived worse things I guess.   

[Mark J]

On 9/28/2025 at 7:28 AM, curlyoak said:

 I will know in a day or 2.

 

What did the client end up doing?

[curlyoak]

No answer. Better to do nothing than build a failure!

[BillyJack]

Do you have the equipment to build exterior doors?

[curlyoak]

On 9/27/2025 at 1:31 PM, curlyoak said:

I have successfully built many frame and panel exterior doors.

First sentence of this thread.

[BillyJack]

I’ve made exterior doors, my cousin’s have made exterior doors. Just take your time and prep everything correctly.

 

[curlyoak]

I have the large size Festool domino cutter For exterior doors. I make a lot more cabinet doors than exterior.