Welcome to my latest video where I push on with my off grid barn conversion here in Central Portugal. Today’s video is all about metal doors and cork insulation! Woohoo!
Cork is one of the most magical materials out there and it’s wonderful for use in natural buildings, especially as insulation and for sound proofing. It’s also fabulous as flooring and let’s not forget it’s mosts sacred and important use… wine! I’m obsessed with natural building and I try to use natural materials wherever possible so I feel very lucky that cork is local to Portugal and I’ll use it wherever I get a chance!
In today’s video I finally continue insulating my front door. It’s a job I started over a year ago but I gave up on it because I wasn’t exactly sure how to proceed. But then I watched a video over on @CindyVine where her volunteer, Steve, puts a window into a similar door and it inspired me to start back up with the project. I still have to figure out how to make the window itself, but I’m confident now about installing it into the door… so thanks Cindy and Steve!
This video is a two-parter… I do tend to get a bit carried away with the filming! I hope you enjoy it and Part 2 will be out tomorrow at 5pm.
Thanks for watching!
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37 Comments
I'd make just a new wooden door -and opening out. Not stealing the inside area, easier to battle against leaks and woden is: better insulation, more silent etc. Bot even vorse looking than metallic rusting banger.
I would think about lining the door with a vapour barrier between the metal and cork. In the UK it comes in a roll.
Great video!
I never would have thought of putting the plastic on the wood. BUT once you did, I was like WAIT, put silicone over the staples!! See how complicated I can make something I never would have thought of in the first place!!! Oh the be the armchair commenter!! Well done. I hope your dinner party was good. Ted Lasso is a fantastic show! I identify with F'n Roy Corn (I think that's his name as it has been a while since I binge watched it!!
Hugs from 🇨🇦
Why waste your time and money for the wood frame and not use polyurethane adhesive and glue the cork or any other insulation
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I thought it would be easier to remove the door and lay it flat for the framing and cut. Create the frame for the window making it easier to install after you cut out the area. I saw this on Bea and Theo. Call Theo he will have it done in an hour,
Call your neighbors Bea and Theo!
Yayy, brilliant I finally get to see how to do this job 🙂 This is now on my January job list, thank you for sharing 😁👍😁
Fun video! For some reason I found the shots of you drilling and sawing jumping around from one angle to another especially amusing! 🤣 We get wind like that here in France also — makes it virtually impossible to do anything outside and after a day or two the sound of it racing by eventually makes me feel like running around screaming insanely… One of the teachers in the village school says that on windy days it is impossible to control the children. I believe it!
You could get one of those smaller shipping containers to set outside and use for storage and perhaps even workshop
Solid progress and very serious research and execution in all you do. And always a sprinkle of wit / humour thrown in @20:27 😀
Why not get a new door that's just a old barn door our gate door
I love all of the Portugal homestead youtubes and Nick on Project Portugal is very good at metalwork of all kinds. I don't know if you're near him or know him, but I think your door and making a window in it would be just right up his alley. Good luck. Things are looking really good around your place.
Kirsten, have you thought about making your door a half door(Dutch door)? You can open the top half of the door independent the bottom half of the door.
Realy tricky these door job.👍🐈⬛
You have a way of doing things by pure determination whether you understand them or not, look forward to seeing the cork in place next time. 😸
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A very successful week, looking forward to seeing the progress of your door! Laura 🌸
You are such an interesting person. Happy Holidays.🌲🎄🌲🎄
Why aren't you building a wood door and frame? With your skills it would be amazing.
I know several ways to accomplish the window in the metal door but none of them aesthetically pleasing. But I'll stay tuned and be gobsmacked when you figure it out.
You are certainly applying careful thought to insulating the door. As for the window, why not consult Project Portugal. If anyone knows how to cut metal, it's him. He's the solution man. He will be Impessed with your carpentry skills. You inspired me regarding fermenting veggies. I will use mason top fermenting lids and use glass weights. Easier to keep clean. I have a good supply of mason jars, so I will be processing my garden produce come summer. I will make some saurkraut this winter. 🙂👍👍😼🌲🌲🌲🇨🇦
Omg what are you at. Just build a feckin door out of wood
Will only take me bout 8hrs to do that and solid . Even make room for a mikey door
I would have probably just taken some thinner cork and glued it to the door (and it would have fallen off very fast 😂) You do that really very professionally 🚪👍
I do have a condensation story, about 2 years ago we did a Reno where we converted an existing sun room to become part of the main house. I loved the windows but I wanted them a bit smaller, the issue was that the number of window are an issue depending on how close you are to the neighbours. So to avoid reducing the window count we decided the only way to circumvent the municipal by law ( Calgary building code) was to use fire rated windows which are built with steel. We sourced the mega expensive windows from NY. A long way from Calgary AB. The window bead was made with hollow steel, the problem in calary we get down to -30C easily in winter. So condensation and ice builds up on the inside. Our dumb dumb contractors called Kurmak Builders (stay away from them) didn’t both ask the window supplier if they’d be any issues with condensation. So they built the frame and the sill using good old MDF , we did paint with oil base pain and caulked off the seams as much as we could but every time it gets super cold I have to keep an eye to wipe up the water when it melts. One day we will have to pull this up and re build the window sills and so on.
Word of advice paint your wood if you can so it’s not going to matter or use pressure treated wood if condensate gets to it or use a really hard wood like cedar or other European hard wood. If the temp outside is colder than inside and there’s warming cooling action going on you will get condensation. Prepare for it.
Insulating the door is a pretty time intensive project, but worth it in the end
Cindy Vine recently did the same with her metal door–I don't think it was cork but she lined it and also added a small window like yours.
The hole with the cone shaped top is called a countersink, or a countersunk hole. And a small hole with a larger diameter top that ended in a flat surface between the two diameters would be a counterbored hole. You have a good eye for details.
Great progress. Looking forward to tomorrow’s video.
Vinegar is also a rust remover.
Looking good
If I was doing a door and looked out door and it was weather like that back to bed I would go 🤣😂🤣
Thank you for sharing 😁
Check out Cindy Vines channel on YouTube she put a window in her metal door. I hope that helps
Your opening shot rocks!!
I don’t think I’d cover wood with plastic. May get condensation and mold and rot. I’d use a good paint.
You need a weatherboard on the bottom of door which stops capillary action, rain coming under the door
Hey Kirsty, Love the idea of cork to insulate the metal door! You've inspired me to do the same with mine – or try some version of it 🙂 x
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Hello! Canyou tell us the story of Mikey and how he came to live with you? He is such a sweetheart 💞
Your fire looks so warm and cozy.