Best way to mount MDF spacers in door?

[Pickler 10+ year member]

I am going to be mounting a couple of 6.5" MDF spacers in my door and I am just wondering he best way to mount them.

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[Maglite 10+ year member]

You plan on mounting them to the door panel or to the metal frame?

My old car saw MDF door pods mounted to the door panel with screws (and washers) going thru the panel into the MDF and then the door panel remounted to the door frame.

I believe parts express or Cruthfield sells plastic speaker spacers.

 

[Plottin4success 10+ year member]

mount to the inner door panel using screws, and then put modeling clay around the MDF to add mass and seal up any leaks.

 

[th3disturbed1 10+ year member]

a lot of people screw into the metal or use bolts and nuts to hold it together.

on a sidenote, where can I find non-hardening modeling clay?

 

[schackel 10+ year member]

you must use self taping screws to the first ring and then just glue and nail additional rings on to that

 

[groundpound4200 5,000+ posts]

I would do a deep countersink into the rings and then run some self tappers through the predrilled holes into the door. Put down some silicone or preferably clay between the ring and the door and you're done!

 

[Pickler 10+ year member]

You plan on mounting them to the door panel or to the metal frame?
My old car saw MDF door pods mounted to the door panel with screws (and washers) going thru the panel into the MDF and then the door panel remounted to the door frame.

I believe parts express or Cruthfield sells plastic speaker spacers.

the metal frame

 

[FoxPro5 5,000+ posts]

Just use silicone or rope caulking for the air gasket between the ring and the metal.

Also, if you can, coat the MDF in fiberglass resin or liquid deadener to seal it. Better yet, don't used MDF at all...solid birch ply, hard plastic or some other solid material. Something like HDPE (aka cutting board plastic) or equiv will hold screws better and is waterproof.

 

[Maglite 10+ year member]

Just use silicone or rope caulking for the air gasket between the ring and the metal.
Also, if you can, coat the MDF in fiberglass resin or liquid deadener to seal it. Better yet, don't used MDF at all...solid birch ply, hard plastic or some other solid material. Something like HDPE (aka cutting board plastic) or equiv will hold screws better and is waterproof.

Good advise

 

[boogeyman 10+ year member]

dont use mdf in a door.....cutting board is better....you can get modeling clay at wal-mart in the craft department

 

[orangecounty1 10+ year member]

i didnt like that clay ****...in the florida heat some of it kinda melted and ran down my door panel.

 

[boogeyman 10+ year member]

^^^^^ Ive heard that was a problem with modeling clay.

 

[RAM_Designs 5,000+ posts]

Self-tapping screws, and I use 1/2" thick foam weatherstripping between the door and MDF to fill in the small gaps.

 

[FoxPro5 5,000+ posts]

i didnt like that clay ****...in the florida heat some of it kinda melted and ran down my door panel.

That's because that "clay ****" is not all the same. The clay YOU used was probably wax-based and only good to about 150* F. A door can get that hot, esp in Fla. Alumilite has the highest temp rating I know of...and it's synthetic-based.

Also, why would one put a soft decoupler between a mounting ring and a solid surface, anyway? Solid - wax - solid? Makes no sense. (just a general q for the audience, not specifically the quoted).

Why decouple the ring at all? I can see air sealing it, but then that would equate to the clay being packed around the outside edge, not under it.

Lastly, a spacer, regardless of material, is just that - a spacer. It will only function as a baffle when certain requirements are met.

 

[FoxPro5 5,000+ posts]

Self-tapping screws, and I use 1/2" thick foam weatherstripping between the door and MDF to fill in the small gaps.

What's the purpose of the foam?