How To Personalise Your Front Door

How do you make a driftwood front door handle?

Instead of buying an entry handle, you can make one from a piece of driftwood. The method is simple joinery: drill two 16 mm holes into the back of the driftwood, epoxy short dowels into them, mark and drill matching holes in the door, then epoxy the dowels into the door. The adhesive throughout is Selleys Araldite Super Strong 5 Minute Epoxy.

The reason this works as a handle, rather than as decoration that falls off, is the dowels. They carry the pulling load in shear against solid timber; the epoxy just holds the dowels in place. A handle glued flat to the face of a door has nothing but the glue line resisting every pull, and it will not last.

What you need

• Selleys Araldite 5 Minute
• A piece of driftwood with one reasonably flat face
• 16 mm timber dowel
• 16 mm spade bit and a drill
• Paddle pop stick or spatula for mixing
• Masking tape
• Pencil

How to make it

1. Position the driftwood. Hold it against the door where you want it, with the flattest side of the wood facing the door.
2. Mark the dowel positions. Mark two spots towards the top and bottom of the driftwood, on both the door and the wood.
3. Drill the driftwood. On the marked spots, use the 16 mm spade bit to drill a hole about 15–20 mm deep into the driftwood.
4. Cut the dowels. Cut two lengths of dowel, about 50–60 mm each. With 15–20 mm in the driftwood and 20–25 mm in the door, that leaves a small standoff between the handle and the door — which is what your hand needs to get behind it.
5. Glue the dowels into the driftwood. Apply Araldite 5 Minute to the dowels and insert them into the holes in the driftwood. Let them set in place for at least 30 minutes.
6. Mark the door. With the dowels set, mark their positions on the door.
7. Drill the door. Use the 16 mm spade bit, going about 20–25 mm deep. Remove any dust and loose timber — epoxy bonds to timber, not to sawdust.
8. Dry fit. Fit the driftwood onto the door by inserting the dowels into the holes, before you mix any more glue. This is the step that catches a hole drilled a few millimetres out.
9. Glue it to the door. Apply Araldite 5 Minute to the dowels and insert them into the holes in the door. Masking tape will hold the driftwood in place while the glue sets.
10. Wait. Leave the bond for at least 30 minutes once the glue is set. Maximum strength is reached after 16 hours. Then the door is ready to use.

Working with a two-part epoxy

Araldite Super Strong is a clear, fast-setting two-part epoxy that gives a rigid, durable bond on china, metal, glass, leather, rubber, wood and most plastics.

Technology	Epoxy
Colour	Dries clear
Set time	5 minutes
Initial bond time	30 minutes
Maximum bond time	After 16 hours
Temperature resistance	Up to 60°C
Strength	Holds up to 150 kg/cm² when fully cured on clean, abraded copper
Packaging	8 mL and 24 mL syringes, 35 mL tube

Indicative data only, not intended for preparation of specifications.

Mixing matters more than anything else with an epoxy. Dispense equal parts of both liquids onto a clean disposable surface and mix them thoroughly with a spatula until uniform — a paddle pop stick is ideal. Do not use the plastic blister the syringe came in to mix the product. Unmixed or unevenly mixed epoxy stays soft in patches and never reaches strength.

The mixed glue stays usable for 2–3 minutes at 20°C. That is a short window and it is why the dry fit matters — mix only what you need, and have the dowels and holes ready before you start. Allow for longer bonding times in colder weather.

Abrade, clean and dry surfaces first. Roughening a dowel with sandpaper gives the epoxy a mechanical key and makes a real difference on smooth turned dowel.

For the syringe, snap out the cap from the plunger and carefully cut the sealed tips at the end of the syringe nozzle. For the tube, pierce each tube with the spike in the top of the cap. Put the cap from the plunger back on the nozzle for storage, and store the product in a cool dry place.

Limitations — what to think about on a front door

• The bond softens above 60°C, though strength is restored when the temperature returns to normal. A dark front door in full afternoon sun can get hot, so a shaded or south-facing door is a kinder home for this project than a west-facing one in direct summer sun. The dowels are what makes this tolerable — they carry the load mechanically rather than relying on the glue line.
• The product may discolour if exposed to UV. Araldite dries clear, but on an exposed door expect it to yellow over time. Keep the glue inside the holes rather than smeared around the joint, and it will not show.
• It will not bond PTFE, polyethylene or polypropylene plastics. Not an issue with timber and dowel, but worth knowing for other repairs.
• Pre-test on leather and rubber to determine suitability.
• Allow longer bonding times in colder weather.

Clean up

Clean up uncured Araldite with acetone. Once it has cured, it has to be removed mechanically, so wipe any squeeze-out around the dowel holes before it sets.

Common questions about a driftwood door handle

How deep should the holes be?

About 15–20 mm into the driftwood and about 20–25 mm into the door, with dowels cut 50–60 mm long.

How long before I can use the door?

Leave the bond at least 30 minutes after the glue sets. Maximum strength is reached after 16 hours, so give it overnight before anyone pulls on it hard.

How long do I have to work once I mix the epoxy?

The mixed glue remains usable for 2–3 minutes at 20°C. Mix small amounts and have everything positioned first.

Do I mix equal amounts of both parts?

Yes — dispense equal parts of both liquids onto a clean disposable surface and mix thoroughly with a spatula. Do not mix in the plastic blister.

Should I sand the dowels first?

Yes. The data sheet asks you to abrade, clean and dry the surfaces. A smooth dowel gives the epoxy nothing to key into.

Why glue the dowels into the driftwood first, before the door?

So you can mark their exact positions on the door once they are set, and dry fit the whole assembly before committing glue to the door.

How do I hold it while it sets?

Masking tape is enough — the dowels locate the handle, and the tape just stops it sliding while the epoxy goes off.

Will it survive a hot summer?

The bond softens above 60°C and recovers when it cools. Because the dowels carry the load mechanically, that is manageable, but a door in relentless direct sun is a harder application than a shaded one.

Will the glue yellow?

It may discolour with UV exposure. Keeping the epoxy inside the drilled holes rather than on the surface avoids the problem.

Can I use the Fix & Go version instead?

Yes — Fix & Go Araldite 5 Minute is the same 5 minute epoxy chemistry in a smaller pack for quick repairs.

How do I clean off the excess?

Acetone, while it is uncured.

What if my driftwood has no flat face?

Choose the flattest side to face the door and let the dowels create the standoff. The gap is part of the design — it is what your fingers go into.