Good Morning Friends,

When you are building a door to be used as an exterior door, how long should the tenons be to assure that the door will last over the years?

 

I've only built 4. In those, I went 1/2 the width of the stile. The tenons were 2/3 the width of the rail.

On two, I pinned the tenons and used 1/8" over sized holes in the tenons. 

All four are still in service. Two, I use every day. 

All four were fir.

 

 

Good Morning Gene,

I just made a door for a down town location and my tenons were 2 1/2" long x 3/4" thick for strength and I am going to peg it as well. I beveled the hinge side by 3º on the inside of the door so when closed it wouldn't bind or pull on the hinges. One has to watch when getting ready to mortise the hinges in to be sure you are putting them on the side with the bottom rail which normally is wider than any other part of the door.