Expert: Tom Gordon - 6/15/2011

Question
From a demolished building I have recovered an old Chatwood vault door. The weight has been estimated at about 2500 kg.  The dimensions of the frame are: Width 1080mm, Height 2060mm and Depth 220mm. I am hoping you might be able to help with the engineering specifications for me to be able to re-fit the door as I thought to use it as a novelty cellar door. The novelty is wearing off as I have to get a crane when I need to move it.

Kind regards

Tony

Answer
I assume that what you have is a door without the frame.
The frame is a simple thing, with the sole requirements that it is strong enough to take the weight, that the fixings to the wall are strong enough to hold the frame and that the wall is strong enough to take it ( I would be reticent to hang it off a normal brick wall).
If you are saying that you want to have it as original, then you are talking about considerable work and needing to build the wall around the frame but I have no specifications for whichever door you have - there are MANY! Any patent specifications are not going to be very useful to you.It would also be cheaper to get a door from a demolition but complete with it's frame. Best of luck!