Tardis Bedroom Doors

[simon83]

Hi yal, Im trying to turn my bedroom doors, into that of the TARDIS. But am having a lil difficulty due to the size of the frame. I'm hoping to have them open in the middle like they do on the show and as my old doors did. I was wondering if anyone could give me some help on the sizing, Cause atm every time ive tried it looks waay to stretched out. But recently read what others have done on here and plan on a few inch void filler on the top and bottom to try and help -unstretch it-. The measurements of the door area is: 70cm-W 188-190cm-H with my old doors being around 3.5cm thick. Im hoping to get this project done quickly but of course not rush it. I just have time on my hands for a while with no kids or anything around and wanna get this done while i have it xD Tomorrow im gonna try and do some testing on my old doors for the measurements of panels and etc by drawing and ducktaping to see for sizing. Any help would be very much appreciated

[russellsuthern]

Hi Simon,

Welcome to TB & good luck with your build.

Trying to create a TARDIS doorway is always a challenge because the measurements will always differ from what is accurate.

Adding wood strips to bulk the area out is a good idea, that should help.

My advice would be to mock the whole thing up in cardboard first & tweak it around until it looks good to your eye.
Then you can use the cardboard as a template & transfer it onto the wood you are going to use.

Don't forget to start a build diary because this will be a good place to ask any questions as you go along & it's always good to see peoples progress.

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Russell

[simon83]

Thanks Russel,
Ive been on photoshop and planned out the doors to with the correct adjustments to help make it not look stretched out. The colours are just random but i wound up with Capaldi's tardis xD Everything is 1 to 1 scale apart from the door handle and lock which were somewhat random.

[galacticprobe]

Ive been on photoshop and planned out the doors to with the correct adjustments to help make it not look stretched out.

Looking at your drawing, if you did stretch things out a little by making the rectangular panels more rectangular, it really wouldn't be that bad. You would end up with something looking like a Classic Series TARDIS. If you kept the white window frames and Phone Panel, you'd have something looking very much like the TARDIS William Hartnell started out with.

Since your comment on "but i wound up with Capaldi's tardis" seems like this was accidental, and you haven't mentioned which TARDIS version you were trying for with your doors, may I ask what TARDIS version you were looking at for inspiration?

Dino.

[phillbarron]

It definitely looks like a TARDIS to me.

Obviously everyone's aesthetic opinions are different and each prop had its own idiosyncrasies but have you considered reducing the height of the rails between the panels by increasing the height of the bottom one?

I think Met boxes had a significantly higher bottom rail (which probably isn't called a rail at all, but something technical!) than the ones between the panels. Not sure if any of the TARDISes had that or not, but it's something I sometimes think I should have included on my office/bedroom door build.

[simon83]

Mines more inspired by Matts second Tardis The dark blue wood with the white glass panels. I did consider raising the bottom void but i thought it might look a lil outta place. I think it looks alright as it does on the plan. I've got the wood measured out. Now time for a trip to B&Q and get some wood chopped up to get this thing done. Quick question, what would yal say is the ideal thickness? Atm i got it as each layer being 1 cm so thus the doors thickness being 3cm total front and back panel strips. Is that too thin? Should i make the inner panel thicker or you reckon its all good. I do also plan on making the actual windows. They wont be painted on.

[phillbarron]

I think mine are closer to 40mm. Looks like I used 18mm each side on 5.5mm ply.

Guess it depends on how big your frame is? You said your old door was 35mm thick so would a 30mm door cause problems with the hinge placement?

[omarvance]

When I first scrolled by this I assumed roundels like Romanas room. Lol

[galacticprobe]

You said your old door was 35mm thick so would a 30mm door cause problems with the hinge placement?

If this might be the case, Simon, you could always increase the thickness of your rails and stiles on the doors to 1-inch (25.4mm, or 2.54cm) thick. That would make your doors a little thicker (35.4mm, or 3.54cm) on the hinge and lock sides. I know it's 4mm (.4cm) thicker than your original door, but it might work better for mounting the hinges and lock. (Just at a guess.)

I think Met boxes had a significantly higher bottom rail (which probably isn't called a rail at all, but something technical!) than the ones between the panels.

You've got it right, Phill. Those cross pieces are called rails, and the long ones running from top to bottom on the doors (and sides) are called stiles. Sort of technical.

Not sure if any of the TARDISes had that or not, but it's something I sometimes think I should have included on my office/bedroom door build.

A few of the TARDISes had their bottom rails a little wider (taller) than the others, but nothing as drastic as that on the actual Met Boxes... that is until the Arwell Wyn Jones TARDIS we're going to see in Series 11. That one has a more Met Box rail and stile configuration than any of its predecessors.

I hope some of this is helpful.

Dino.

[timewomble]

Just a quick suggestion. Instead of trying to scale the doors to fill the doorway, do you have room to construct a Tardis front behind it, to make it look like it has materialised in the room, just inside the doorway? It can then be taller and wider than the doorway.

I don't know how your doorway is sited, but if the door is close to a corner of the room, perhaps you could site the Tardis front at an angle across that corner. You might want to retain the original door, tightly folded back, to improve the illusion.

That is what I was considering for my son's room before it became apparent that he wanted a pirate theme. (The pain!)

If you sketch a plan of the room I can diagram what I mean.

- Peter

[simon83]

Been down to B&Q and got 12mm plywood and had it all cut to the measurements i got in my plan and ive just laid out one door and its front panels to give me a rough idea how how its gonna look and i can honestly say it looks rly good and better than plans on a screen lol.

[simon83]

I have also descided on a blue colour. Its more remeneisent of the 2005 tardis.