Door for archway

[bcp]

We just moved into a rental and want to install a door on a room with archway. One too many kids kind of thing. I want to plan it first then put it to the owner.
I want to be able to put it up and remove it at end of tenancy if they choose - if possible.
But almost certainly gaps in my knowledge.
The archway
Archway.jpg
The plan.
1. Purchase door (high density honeycomb core) from hardware store 2040x920x35, cut to shape and reinforce top with timber inserts.
2. The arch in 5 sections - 2xstraight sides, 1xstraight top, 2xcurves. To join I will use a hidden screw bolt system (inset) and glue to join the five pieces.
3. Only extend halfway if possible: I want to keep this side of the archway untouched - no architrave, no door jamb on this wall and about halfway inside the arch before the door stop. The door will close from the other side and the jamb and stop will only come about halfway across and then bare wall. This would keep the architectural feature of the arch on this side as 'bare wall'.
- Is that possible?
- Are there structural integrity issues with an opening and closing door to be aware of?
- Any other advice?

I'm no builder. I make harps and other musical instruments as hobby. I've built a studio in backyard and homemade doors. I mostly know you can get yourself in hot water with things you don't anticipate.

[mic-d]

Could you do a markup on that photo roughly sketching what you mean?

[r3nov8or]

Judging by the nice flooring, nice carpet, nice walls, nice architraves especially where the door jamb would need to be, nice paintwork, and the general aesthetics of adding a door there, I'd imagine the landlord's response will be "No". But I could be wrong, maybe.

It will also look weird with the change of flooring not being directly under the door itself.

[bcp]

It will also look weird with the change of flooring not being directly under the door itself.

Oh, well-spotted. I agree, I hadn't even noticed that. I need to think about that.

The owner is an investor from another state with a number of properties - which is why I think I may have a chance. Especially if I can remove it upon leaving if asked to do so and leave it in original state.

@mic-d I'll do up a sketch or mockup and post when I get time. I did wonder if I was being confusing. It might be helpful for both me and the owner if I use photoshop to do a mockup of the entire thing.

[ErrolFlynn]

You may ask the landlord, and if approved, the landlord may contract someone to do the work. If you were a qualified tradie, the landlord might consider allowing you to do the work. But probably not. If you do the work without permission, you may be evicted and lose the amount of your bond that covers returning the property to its original state.

Some landlords are forgiving. Some aren't.

I knew someone who was renting a unit. A small wall mounted bookshelf was purchased and fixed to the wall. A few screws. Just the thing for a few books and ornaments to stop the room from appearing too clinical. It was a quality item and it enhanced the look of the room. When moving out of the unit, the item had to be removed, and the wall repaired and painted before the bond was returned.

You might save on a lot of effort by putting it to the owner before getting too carried away in plans.

[bcp]

You may ask the landlord, and if approved, the landlord may contract someone to do the work. If you were a qualified tradie, the landlord might consider allowing you to do the work. But probably not. If you do the work without permission, you may be evicted and lose the amount of your bond that covers returning the property to its original state.

Thanks for your valid concerns - there is no way I would do this without landlord's permission. I don't leave behind so much as a pin hole for a picture in walls when I leave a rental property. Spotless, no damage, garden done.

But curved doors are expensive, so I'm offering to do it:
a) At my own expense
b) Reversible upon leaving (if they choose)

So I need to pull together a workable proposal to provide this option in my request. I'm not a builder but I've built musical instruments such as harps, which require perfect precision and a lot of understanding of tensions and timber, etc. I've built a studio. I built double doors on it from scratch. I spend a lot of time thinking things through and getting advice before I make a final decision. I'm looking for technical advice on potential challenges with my plan.

[bcp]

Could you do a markup on that photo roughly sketching what you mean?

Here you go.
The arch is 115mm deep from one side of wall to the other.
The door jamb and its stop are 65mm.
That leaves 50mm of bare wall inside the arched doorway, no architrave to highlight the original curve.
Door jamb labelled.jpg
Is there any technical challenge with not extending the door jamb right across the doorway?

[mic-d]

Here you go.
The arch is 115mm deep from one side of wall to the other.
The door jamb and its stop are 65mm.
That leaves 50mm of bare wall inside the arched doorway, no architrave to highlight the original curve.
Door jamb labelled.jpg
Is there any technical challenge with not extending the door jamb right across the doorway?

No technical challenge that I can think of. What wasn't clear to me was the way the door and arch worked. I'm was first thinking you were making a separate arch, kind of like a blind breezeway, but now I've twigged that you mean to cut the door to shape, but at full height, and a jamb that will be like a standard jamb, ie a strip of timber although it will curve up and over and not extend full width. All seems fine to me given your level of ability (which is probably more than mine!). How will you handle the skirting board? You could cut it off flush, but a nicer way is to undercut it at 45º and return it to the wall with a small piece mitred to fit in nicely. But then the next problem arises, that floor under the removed skirt may have a gap, if it is an engineered floor, or it may at least be a different colour. That is something to think about. Have you considered just an applied sliding door on one side, or a barn door? edit. Doh! I see now that is carpet, but same applies re finish

[r3nov8or]

I'm not sure why you'd do all the design work, without first getting an in-principle "show me what you have in mind" from the landlord?

[bcp]

Thanks so much for that.
- There is no wall space for a sliding door - it was my first thought.
- Skirting board: I found spare skirting board left in the shed.
"a nicer way is to undercut it at 45º and return it to the wall with a small piece mitred to fit in nicely." I can't picture what you are saying.
I had thought of tracing the pattern as a router template and rout the jamb so it fits snugly - then easily removable upon leaving. Probably easier just to replace those two small pieces when I leave if they want door removed.

I'm not sure why you'd do all the design work, without first getting an in-principle "show me what you have in mind" from the landlord?

I'm not doing all the design work yet - I'm just scoping the job sufficiently for myself before I offer to doing something I haven't thought through properly. And I don't want to first ask the landlord for an expensive job, get a 'no' - and then have to go back and suggest I do it myself. I want to go to them once with the most reasonable proposition I can muster. Either Yes, No, or they prefer pay to do it professionally. I'll talk to my agent, who's very good, first.

This won't cost me much and I'll enjoy doing it. I like solving problems.

[mic-d]

"a nicer way is to undercut it at 45º and return it to the wall with a small piece mitred to fit in nicely." I can't picture what you are saying.

Nevermind, I forgot you had a jamb going on which you can make to go over the skirt as you suggest. Anyways, this is what I mean. It's square set and a bifold butts up to it, so could not have skirts or a jamb. This method looks good on thicker colonial skirts, not so much on simple bullnose, can you see now what has been done?
IMG_5816.jpg