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So I'm getting rid of my one door to go to a bigger door with satalites I can open with screens. The hole I'm going to use is a large window beside my original door. Now I'm going to use ar500 plate to close and wall in the original door opening. Should I go 3/8 or 1/2 ar500. It would give me something to stand behind if shot at.

So, my suggestion would be to use 1/2" if for no reason other than it's a standard construction size and it will simplify your life when you do the finish work (there's nothing worse than having to build up an 1/8" mudbed that stays level all the way across). In fact, most of the time it will wind up getting blended and I can walk into a house and see that crap where they took shortcuts. Makes me shake my head in disappointment.

Is your house slump block or stick built? If frame are your exterior walls 2x4 or x6? Since any framing you add would not be load bearing (even on that exterior wall), you can hope for 2x6 and then use 2x4 for the fill frame to allow room for attaching the AR500. I have no idea what you would do if the house is block though. The furring strips are likely 1x2 so once you repair the door with block you would be able to add the AR500 but I don't know how you would attach the drywall, short of adding 1/4" spacers and maybe gluing the sheetrock?

This is interesting... keep us updated on how the project goes. I've never had to blend in a material that disparate.

This intrigues me; I'd love to hear what RJ thinks. If you welded 3-1/2" or 5-1/2" (depending on your exterior framing) top and bottom plates to the sheet you may be able to avoid the new framing that is going to mess up your standard material sizes. Then you could shave down studs to attach to the plate and give your rock and stucco (assumptions there) something to attach to. I'd like to see progress pics if you don't mind and happen to think of it.

Stick. 2x4. These houses these day suck. My house has no plywood on it. So I walled 1 door and found all they used was 2x4 frame 2 inch styrofoam, chicken wire and stucco. They used blow in insulation in the void between the drywall and the foam. What cheap as$ holes. So I will use the 1/2 inch AR 500 instead of drywall and just machine anchor holes to bolt in to the 2x4's.

Don't try to match the existing material thickness... make it special...
What you do is construct a decorative treatment around the opening- pop it out , make some geometric whatever- that is what accommodates and conceals the extra materials you need to use- build the opening the normal way...

Harrier wrote: ↑April 24th, 2020, 5:40 pm Don't try to match the existing material thickness... make it special...
What you do is construct a decorative treatment around the opening- pop it out , make some geometric whatever- that is what accommodates and conceals the extra materials you need to use- build the opening the normal way...

I agree. The measurements on this part are not going to be that big of a deal. Also it is unlikely to be noticed by a quick glance from any guests who may be over. I mean who goes to a dinner party and tape measures the wall thickness.

IMHO you are talking about making an armored entry way. Embrace it as an accent wall.

Some pictures would help the situation.

Agreed, a pop out wall whether 1/2" or 6" will look like an accent. It may even attract attention, but they'd never realize it was AR500 under there. Pics before and after would be great for sure!

Another thought is to throw some OSB on the studs and then fill the void with concrete or 30-cal ammo cans filled with sand...

My 1/2 inch ar 500 plate is 4x8. My dry wall is 1/2. Once I put it up on the wall ,texture and paint it should blend in.

I think we'd all love to see a picture of this setup.

You getting pics of what I'm doing. Not going to happen.

Elk34 wrote: ↑May 4th, 2020, 7:38 pm You getting pics of what I'm doing. Not going to happen.

Cool. Pics or it didn't happen.

Then it didn't happen. I'm fine if you believe that. Back to ignoring you...

I have a sweet front door for sale. I'll sell it to you for $10k.

Here's the link to the door I purchased - https://www.homedepot.com/p/JELD-WEN-36 ... /202036369

Or I'll trade it straight across for 1000 rounds of 9mm.