Making New Door Panels ?.
02-13-2010, 09:39 PM
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Making New Door Panels ?.
I can`t find any replacement door panels for my 86 4Runner that are in good enough shape to replace what i have now, so i was thinking of making my own. Finding the material to cover the new door panels in shouldn`t be to hard, but what should i use to make the door panels out of ?. It looks like the stock panels are made out of some type of pressed cardboard or something similar. I doubt i would be able to find this anywere, so what should i use to make the new door panels from ?. I was thinking of using 1/8'' plywood, but im open to any ideas for what material to make the door panels from.
02-13-2010, 10:05 PM
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People have used diamond plate (sometimes called "tread plate" or "tread brite"), as well as fiberboard. I think you should be able to find fiberboard at a crafts store or at Home Depot or Lowes. The trick seems to be finishing the top portion. All the examples that I have seen involve using the existing top few inches so that you still have the wiper for the window and the top portion that covers the lock and the top gap.
Good luck! Keep us posted and give us pics of what you do.
MC
Good luck! Keep us posted and give us pics of what you do.
MC
02-13-2010, 10:43 PM
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...when I first started reading this I thought you meant door.... I'm like noooooooooo! You can't do that!
but yeah, door panels
If you're really feeling creative you could try Lexan like tinted to the colour of the interior. It would never scratch and you'd be bullet proof, sort of.
but yeah, door panels
If you're really feeling creative you could try Lexan like tinted to the colour of the interior. It would never scratch and you'd be bullet proof, sort of.
02-13-2010, 11:11 PM
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You could easily heat the lexan and bend it to curve the same as the top of the OEM panels, too. It would accept paint easily... I'd like to see someone do this.
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02-14-2010, 02:12 PM
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02-14-2010, 08:41 PM
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1/4" MDF is good but IMO too heavy. I made my own panels using the factory metal top part and attaching it to the MDF. It works well but the door latch handles will not mount properly. On the factory set up they are used as part of the attachment to stop rattling. I used 1/4 mdf and had to "machine" out almost all of the material around the handles to get them to fit (and it is still way tight) I even broke the original handles putting them in.
I would use 1/8" hard board it is almost exactly what was used by the factory. Use the original panels as a template and cut/drill out all the holes the same size/shape/location and you will be able to use all the factory hardware to attach the new panel.
Once you have all the holes drilled seal both sides/edges with urethane to help protect against moisture damage. You can "plush up" the inner side by gluing some 1/8" foam to the panel and attaching your cloth over that.
I used fire rated black vinyl on the lower part of the door (carpet on factory) it seems to wear well and cleans up with a damp cloth. On the upper part I used some auto cloth I got from my upholstery shop to match my custom seats.
I would use 1/8" hard board it is almost exactly what was used by the factory. Use the original panels as a template and cut/drill out all the holes the same size/shape/location and you will be able to use all the factory hardware to attach the new panel.
Once you have all the holes drilled seal both sides/edges with urethane to help protect against moisture damage. You can "plush up" the inner side by gluing some 1/8" foam to the panel and attaching your cloth over that.
I used fire rated black vinyl on the lower part of the door (carpet on factory) it seems to wear well and cleans up with a damp cloth. On the upper part I used some auto cloth I got from my upholstery shop to match my custom seats.
02-15-2010, 01:32 PM
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Masonite
More info forthcoming...
02-15-2010, 01:37 PM
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Here is a quote from a post that I made earlier on someone else's project:
Door panels are easy, grab a sheet of 1/8" masonite at your local hardware store for like 12$. Tan vinyl, most likely at WalMart, you need a 4x6 or 4x8 sheet (you want plenty of extra room to wrap), and spray on adhesive, available at both the hardware store and walmart. DON'T cheap out on the spray adhesive, your best rule of thumb is to buy the most expensive spray adhesive they have. 1/8 staplegun staples, from the hardware store.
The tools you will need:
Utility knife (don't use the cheap snap-off type, you will cut yourself when it breaks)
Scissors
Staplegun, 1/8"staples
Drill and drill bits
A Dremel and cutting bit would be nice, but not neccesary
Cut cardboard templates for your door panels, and match them up until its perfect. Trace that onto the masonite. Cut out your first panel, make sure you leave a little extra material around the edges. Put the panel on the door, scribe around any material you ned to remove, and make the cuts. You can cut the masonite with a utility knife, but a dremel or screwgun and a cutting bit works realy well.
Make one door panel, and make it perfect. Get all the holes for the screws pre-drilled, and mount your first panel fully to check for fit. When you are satisfyed that it is perfect, pull it, trace it onto the remaining masonite, and repeat.
Lay the vinyl out face down, and lay your panel on top. MAKE SURE you cut these to fit opposite sides, I have accidentally made 2 drivers side door panels on more than one occasion
. Cut out your vinyl, leaving at least 4 inches of excess vinyl around the edge of each piece of masonite.
Now, to glue. Apply spray glue to both the vinyl and the masonite. Stick them together, rub the vinyl with the flat of your hand from the center of the panel out to the edges. Flip the panel over, pull one edge over and staple it on the back side. Pull the opposite edge as tight as you can, and repeat. You will probably need to make some stress-relief cuts at th corners to eliminate excess material, make sure that you do so at least 1/2" back from the edge.
Bolt those bad boys up and roll!
And pictures of door panels I built this way for my own rig, that are starting to look a bit shabby, but considering that they have been on this truck since 2001...
Door panels are easy, grab a sheet of 1/8" masonite at your local hardware store for like 12$. Tan vinyl, most likely at WalMart, you need a 4x6 or 4x8 sheet (you want plenty of extra room to wrap), and spray on adhesive, available at both the hardware store and walmart. DON'T cheap out on the spray adhesive, your best rule of thumb is to buy the most expensive spray adhesive they have. 1/8 staplegun staples, from the hardware store.
The tools you will need:
Utility knife (don't use the cheap snap-off type, you will cut yourself when it breaks)
Scissors
Staplegun, 1/8"staples
Drill and drill bits
A Dremel and cutting bit would be nice, but not neccesary
Cut cardboard templates for your door panels, and match them up until its perfect. Trace that onto the masonite. Cut out your first panel, make sure you leave a little extra material around the edges. Put the panel on the door, scribe around any material you ned to remove, and make the cuts. You can cut the masonite with a utility knife, but a dremel or screwgun and a cutting bit works realy well.
Make one door panel, and make it perfect. Get all the holes for the screws pre-drilled, and mount your first panel fully to check for fit. When you are satisfyed that it is perfect, pull it, trace it onto the remaining masonite, and repeat.
Lay the vinyl out face down, and lay your panel on top. MAKE SURE you cut these to fit opposite sides, I have accidentally made 2 drivers side door panels on more than one occasion
. Cut out your vinyl, leaving at least 4 inches of excess vinyl around the edge of each piece of masonite.Now, to glue. Apply spray glue to both the vinyl and the masonite. Stick them together, rub the vinyl with the flat of your hand from the center of the panel out to the edges. Flip the panel over, pull one edge over and staple it on the back side. Pull the opposite edge as tight as you can, and repeat. You will probably need to make some stress-relief cuts at th corners to eliminate excess material, make sure that you do so at least 1/2" back from the edge.
Bolt those bad boys up and roll!
02-15-2010, 10:25 PM
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Masonite is what they used to use and is good but hardboard is finished on both sides and provides a firmer surface which can be useful when adding speakers and so on and is more weatherproof than Masonite.
02-16-2010, 10:22 AM
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I am rebuilding the old rig now, and I am seriously considering making my own resin/micarta panels for the door panels with fiberglass resin and black canvas...
02-16-2010, 10:30 AM
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02-16-2010, 10:39 AM
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This would be a good backing material as well, but somewhat more expensive. The black paper variety might even look cool with no covering:
http://www.eplastics.com/Plastic/Paper_Phenolic_Sheet
http://www.eplastics.com/Plastic/Paper_Phenolic_Sheet
02-16-2010, 11:04 AM
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Also cool, a 4x8 sheet of 1/8" (0.125) black ABS costs like 60 bones. If you are installing speakers, the resonant qualities would not be as good as hardboard or masonite, but it would be virtually indestructable in an offroad rig...
http://www.professionalplastics.com/...ETFORMINGGRADE
http://www.professionalplastics.com/...ETFORMINGGRADE
02-18-2010, 09:12 AM
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Hardboard is a relative of MDF. I would'nt say it was more expensive than MDF though. I've seen it at HD/Lowe's for under $25CDN for a 4x8 sheet in the 1/8" thickness.
