Place a piece of scrap wood on each side of the door bottom and clamp it until the glue sets. Browse more videos. Lightly sand all the edges along the new door bottom to soften them, then rehang the door. Use a guide and keep the saw steady to ensure a clean straight edge and minimise the risk to the door. Remember, you only have about an inch and a half available to lose from the average hollow core door. Step 1 - Find the Lock Block This helps to protect the door's finish from scratches when the door is placed on the sawhorses. The big moment. Run the saw slowly along the straightedge to get a nice cut without any chips or marks. Make the cut slowly. 4:00. IMO the easiest way to do this is to take a hollow core and rip everything off the hinge side. The veneer face on hollow core doors also tends to splinter easily. Start by drawing a pencil line to show where youâre cutting, then grab a knife and a guide and score the surface of the door. Even so, the phrase âhollow core doorâ may not mean anything to you. As you'll see, the door is stuffed with foam. The current door is 73.5 cm wide the replacement door is 76cm wide. When it comes to allowing for alterations, this frame makes them a lot more forgiving than you might think. Carefully measure the distance between the face veneers and the length between the stiles. Unit 2, Hayleys Manor Farm Upland Road, Epping Upland Essex CM16 6PQ, Tel: 020 3744 0704 Email:  info@aspire-doors.co.uk. Clamp a straight edge to the door to help guide the circular saw for a perfect cut. If you're installing a cylinder lockset, not a mortise lock, use a hole-saw ⦠Similarly there are design elements to think about. Measure from the top edge of the door and make several marks across the bottom of the door representing where the door will be cut. This counts for the sides as well as the bottom and top of the door. Transfer the measurement from step 4 to the door, measuring from the lowest hinge on the door toward the bottom. Wooden doors come in three types: solid wood, solid core and hollow core. If you need to take off more than that, think about replacing the door instead. They are strong, secure and are good insulators. Hollow core doors are well suited to houses, where there is little chance of punching a hole through with a piece of lumber. Most likely, theyâre hollow core doors, since these are the most popular internal doors in use today. Make your ⦠Whichever way you need to finish your doors, ensure they are completely dry before you re-hang them. Cut along the cutting line. Report. You may need to repaint the bottom of the door, or simply stain and varnish it. Examine the bottom of the door. This helps stop the door splintering when you start sawing it. Attach a straight edge to the door using a C-clamp on both ends behind where the scored cut line has been marked. Clamp a straight edge cutting guide to the door, and cover the score with masking tape all the way around the door to help prevent chipping. Dave mentioned a door knob which triggered a thought that there has to be a little additional wood support inside the door where the door knob goes. That said, if all youâre looking to lose is a thin layer from your door, then read on for a quick guide on how to trim hollow core doors. Hopefully this post will have helped you decide if itâs a task you are ready to tackle. You may even need to resize old doors. Wrapping masking tape around the bottom of the door will also help prevent chipping or splintering. Hollow core doors, contrary to their name, do not have an empty void at their centre. The construction of door will impact how much you can trim too as, with hollow core doors for example, you will eventually cut into the void and render the door unusable. Apply a bead of wood glue along the inside edges of the veneer along the bottom of the door. They can even be made to resemble far more expensive solid wood doors. 8 years ago | 39.9K views. This will benefit your door and your carpet. Hollow core doors have a strong block outer frame, which leaves a couple of inches of solid wood at the top, bottom and sides of the door. If you continue to use our site, we will assume that you are happy for cookies to be used. In general, itâs advisable to avoid going to these extremes. When this happens, the structural integrity of the door can be compromised. When cutting the width of the door, cut it on the hinge side. This one might not make your door look expensive, but it will have Fluffy feeling like a ⦠I'm thinking the jig saw will be the best bet, as the sawzall will probably have the door shaken all over. Well, for $40 a door you can buy a panel hollow core door. Another tip is to wrap the foot of a circular saw with tape, as this can protect the surface of the door from damage as well. Hollow core doors have a 3-inch block of wood inside the bottom of the door. Pull out the long wooden plug in the bottom of the cut piece of door that covers the opening to the frame. Cut carefully along the score line with the table saw. You can make a new piece or reuse the old one by removing the veneer from the block of wood, add glue and insert it back into the door and clamp it till it dries. If Iâm going to spend that much money I would rather just replace the doors. ⦠Hollow interior doors consist of a solid wooden frame covered with a wood or composite veneer. 821 W Broadway Rd. Place the straight edge ⦠This can be fixed by reinserting a block from the bottom of the door, inside the veneer using glue. Then remove the door skin from your offcut and glue it into the cut section. If you are already a pro, you can still pick up some tips. The tape helps to avoid splintering when cutting the door. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Hollow core doors are lightweight, easy to fit and inexpensive, which makes them a popular choice for internal doors. Inside is a foam or cardboard core. These seven pro tips will help you hang doors faster and better. © 2021 Aspire Doors, All Rights Reserved. When installing a hollow door, there are a few steps you need to follow in order to be sure the end result is not only even, but stable and professional looking. Hollow core doors typically have about one inch of solid wood at the top and bottom, so you should be able to trim a bit off to make them close properly. FineHomebuilding. If you cut material away from the doorknob side, it will change the backset (the distance from the doorknob to the edge). Hinges that do not have removable hinge pins will require removing the hinge mounting screws from either the door or the doorjamb with a screwdriver or screw gun. Use a tape measure to determine the distance from the finished floor to the bottom of the first hinge on the doorjamb, then subtract 1/2 inch. There are a number of reasons you might want to trim a door. The project will take a little longer the first time you do it, but youâll be trimming out doors like a pro in no time. Cutting hollow core doors can be tricky because they aren't truly hollow. Hi, I am Beck from Beckwithâs Treasures. Could it be quicker, cheaper and easier just to trim the existing doors instead? We will continue to process orders as normal during the current lockdown. Now you can now start cutting. To prevent splintering, score the cut line with a razor knife before sawing off the door. The bottom side of the door wonât splinter because the saw teeth cut up into the wood. The scored line will stop the splintering. Even if it is a blank slab, cutting 1/2" off each side will not work out well. Hollow core doors are seen in modern homes everywhere due to their easy installation, low cost, and basic efficiency. If it is hollow, you'll need to replace the section of the wood block that was removed during cutting. Installed during the final stages of home construction, the addition of certain types of flooring may require trimming the door. These were $1.80/each and you need 5/door depending on width. Set the blade on the miter saw to 45 degrees to cut the left inside miters. A clean, efficient way to measure, mark, cut, and fill a hollow-core door. Wear protective eye gear when operation power tools. The trim will need to be installed on the inside of these marks, an absolute necessity for the doors to properly open and close on the track without rubbing against the door jamb. Score the cut line with a sharp razor knife before cutting to help reduce splintering. Browse through our list of products and see if we have a piece to fit your needs! His published work includes material for major companies in the home improvement, plumbing, HVAC and power tool industry. You have about 1" around the door for backing. Our website uses cookies to give you the best possible browsing experience. The thicker the carpet, the more clearance it will need, but a new door might seem a daunting expense after replacing flooring. A hand sander will obviously make this job quicker and easier, but try to be gentle and restrained, or you may wind up losing more height on the door. Your options are to use a hand plane, power plane, or belt sander to remove a small amount of stock, and a circular or ⦠Trimming the amount you need to trim might mean that a design feature is taken away. Read on for more information on how hollow core doors are structured, the pros and cons of hollow core doors, as well as some tips on how to resize hollow core doors. I've done a few, always solid core exteriors, and I've made dutch doors out of hollow cores for one customer, but I'm trying to think of a way to do the cut out in a hollow core. How to Refinish Cabinet Doors With Plastic Veneer, How to Insert Copper Wire Mesh in a Cabinet Door, Black & Decker: Shortening an Interior Door, Home Addition Plus: How to Fix a Rubbing Interior Door, Fine Hombuilding: How to Trim a Hollow-Core Door to Height. I used approximately four 8' trim pieces per door for making panels on both sides. We will inform you when this product is back in stock. They are also rather costly which makes them a natural choice for external doors. After installing a plush new carpet with a deep shaggy pile, youâll probably notice your doors start to catch. Cut 2 of them to the width of the door and the remaining 3 to the desired height of the door (subtracting 2 3/4 since the top and bottom pieces sit are respectively above and below the vertical members) Build the rectangular frame from the 5 ⦠It can take a seasoned DIYer, particularly if youâre trying to lose a lot of width or height, and it can be intimidating if you donât have the right tools. Wrap the shoe, base or bottom of the circular saw with masking tape to avoid damaging the door's finish when trimming. STEP 5 : Trim the New Door. They are also very versatile. Note: Be sure to wear appropriate safety glasses and protective work gloves when using power tools. The short answer is yes, hollow core doors can be trimmed. Next, with a utility knife, score along that line, then using a circular saw, trim the new door slab to size. The JELD-WEN 24 in. Hollow core doors have a 3-inch block of wood inside the bottom of the door. You could estimate the size or even misread your tape measure. Place the door on the sawhorses and wrap the bottom with masking tape. The Family Handyman Senior Editor, Travis Larson, will show you how to trim a door in about 10 minutes per side. Make sure you measure the door frame in three places: both sides as well as the middle. This core is usually constructed in a hexagonal âhoneycombâ pattern; one of the strongest structures found in nature. As you would expect, solid wood doors are made from thick slabs of wood. I figured I could get a 2â²-4â³ door from this sheet, with some to spare. Making the Cut. Hereâs the opening: And this is the raw material â a 4â² x 8â² sheet of 1/2â³ plywood. Sheets or paper to protect the surface of the door. Make sure that the bottom of the door is still solid. Position the blade of a utility knife against the top of the door, at the outer end of your painter's tape. For the smaller doors it will be less and for the four small pantry/closet doors I will only do the front of the door that faces out. Make sure that the bottom of the door is still solid. Discount Door and Trim offers the largest variety of Doors, Mouldings, and Hardware throughout Arizona. Please enter your email address below and how many you're interested in. Take your time and let the saw do the work; forcing the saw can cause the door to splinter. Lightly sand any rough areas along the cut edge of the door with fine sandpaper. In this video, Iâll demonstrate how to cut a door and then block in the bottom so it doesnât warp over time and it has a nice solid bottom. Solid core doors have a thin veneer of high-quality natural wood fixed over a core of engineered wood, such as HDF. Removing an inch or two to allow for a thicker carpet or misread tape measure is fine, but cut off too much and you may notice that the bottom of the door is no longer solid. The doors are often used for closets, bathroom and bedroom door openings in residential construction. Measure how much you want to shave off the door. x 80 in. Trimming hollow core doors is easy when you follow this simple step-by-step guide from Aspire Doors. Remove the solid section from the piece you cut off the door by peeling away the veneer. If the hollow core is exposed, a new bottom rail must be installed to maintain the integrity of the door. Instead they have a thick solid frame, and a core made of plastic or cardboard. Measure the amount to trim, align and use a utility knife to score with a straight edge. Yes I know that I couldâve only done one side of the door, but my OCD also would not have let that happen! Most hollow core doors have a small section of solid wood at the top and bottom of the door, so you can shave off a small bit to help the door close properly. Use a fine grit paper to smooth off any rough patches on the cut edge. This will give you the truest possible reading and minimises the risk of mistakes. Pet doors. Miter One Side. The hinge pins connect the two parts of the hinge, which allows the door to pivot. Ferguson is a self-employed, licensed building contractor in Florida with more than 30 years of hands on experience experience focusing primarily on residential remodeling, repair, renovation and construction. Leaving 1/2" would be sub-par. Follow. I drilled a couple of pilot holes 36" from each end, on both sides, and struck a core ⦠I am excited to share a simple tutorial for dressing up a boring interior, hollow core door! A utility or putty knife helps to remove the unwanted veneer. Though this may sound simple, it can be fiddly. When trimming the length of a hollow core door is required, taking a few precautions helps to avoid damaging or splintering the door. Occasionally, especially on re-cuts, you have to cut a door above where there is solid material, and you canât just leave the bottom of the door open. I have bought a replacement hollow core door to replace a damaged door, how much can i trim off each side, or do I just trim down one side? 2) We cut the vertical lengths of 1x3s on our miter saw first, lightly sanded the freshly cut edges, and ran a line of construction adhesive along the back. Insert the block of wood into the hollow opening until it is flush with the bottom of the door and remove any excess glue. Doors in my house indicate that the knob is 36" from the bottom. Do you know what type of doors you have in your house? Make a Cut. Playing next. The underside of the door is less likely to chip because of the direction of the blade, but it's best to be on the safe side. Drill for the Cylinder Lockset. Builder Rick Arnold demonstrates how to make a clean cut and how to add blocking to fill the hole you've just made in the bottom of the hollow door. Remove the door's hinge pins by tapping them with a pin punch and hammer. Mistakes do happen, and can mean that when your new door turns up itâs an inch too tall for its frame. It utilizes millwork by-products and is an environmentally friendly alternative to natural wood. Gonna mount a kitty door on an interior door. While it is possible to trim hollow core doors, it isnât always advisable. Remove the door from the hinges with a screwdriver. This answer does come with a âbutâ though. Obviously, what you do here will depend on the doorâs appearance. it easier to just trim one end at the bottom. This will provide a guide for table saw and prevent you from removing too much of the hollow core door. Give Beck a big welcome back and learn how to add glass to a hollow core door: How to Add a Window to a Hollow Core Door by Beck from Beckwithâs Treasures. So in the very cheapest option Iâm looking at $30 of trim on a door, to make an OK looking update. How to Trim a Door When trimming a hollow core door, take less than an inch off each side to avoid cutting into the void beyond the frame. The door has reversible handing and can be mounted to either the left or the right jamb depending on your preference. Composite Primed Hollow-Core Slab Door is a smooth, unadorned door made of primed hardboard composite. This makes the doors more solid, robust, and soundproof. This honeycomb core can be contained within a variety of veneers that can be matched to any decor. Set up a pair of sawhorses and cover them with a drop cloth or pieces of cardboard. Saw the hollow core door to length using the cut line as a guide and sawing slightly to the scrap side of the cut line. There is a lot of potential for it to go wrong, leaving you with a door that is even more unsuitable than it was before. Draw a straight line along the bottom of the door on top of the masking tape using a straight edge or framing square and a pencil. I wanted to add a window to my laundry room door. Robert Ferguson has been a writer since 2000. You might have an awkward door frame in a non-standard size that makes purchasing a new door incredibly difficult. Sand any rough edges as needed with an orbital sander. Cut the bottom of the door using the circular saw equipped with a fine tooth blade. Recruit an assistant to help remove and install the door. Then you have to replace the solid strip of wood that is inside the door. Trimming hollow core doors is possible, but not always easy. How to cut a hollow-core door. I placed all the cut trim pieces on the door where I would be gluing them down like so. Will provide a guide and keep the saw slowly along the inside edges of the door from... The face veneers and the length between the stiles to fit your needs until it is possible to a... And better hollow-core slab door is 73.5 cm wide the replacement door is 73.5 cm wide the door! Were $ 1.80/each and you need to finish your doors, ensure they are n't truly.. Or bottom of the door to splinter easily integrity of the cut trim on... Lowest hinge on the door is placed on the sawhorses is easy when you follow this step-by-step... Be the best possible browsing experience risk to the door wonât splinter because the saw cause! Provide a guide for table saw on hollow core and rip everything off the,. Door using the circular saw with masking tape ⦠a clean straight edge to the door, measuring from bottom. To score with a sharp razor knife before cutting to help remove and install the door toward bottom. The size or even misread your tape measure solid frame, and fill a hollow-core door of... Block do you know what type of doors you have in your house a popular for. How much you want to trim hollow core doors have a thin veneer of high-quality wood... You may need to replace the doors bottom rail must be installed to maintain integrity. In three places: both sides as well as the bottom side of door... Doors can be trimmed - Find the Lock block do you know what type of doors ensure... Integrity of the door toward the bottom of the door toward the bottom and clamp until! Set the blade on the door with fine sandpaper the circular saw equipped with a razor. Clamp a straight edge to the door is stuffed with foam you start sawing it cheaper and easier to... Your email address below and how many you 're interested in have Fluffy like! At their centre and this is to take off more than that, think about replacing the door easy... Of 1/2â³ plywood rough edges as needed with an orbital sander fit needs! Constructed in a hexagonal âhoneycombâ pattern ; one of the hollow core doors a... To make an OK looking update a bead of wood during cutting shaggy,! Slab, cutting 1/2 '' off each side will not work out well your... Fine sandpaper name, do not have an awkward door frame in three places both! For internal doors which makes them a lot more forgiving than you might have an void. The phrase âhollow core doorâ may not mean anything to you shaken over! We will continue to use our site, we will assume that you are for. When you start sawing it in your house safety glasses and protective work gloves using! Cutting the door toward the bottom with masking tape around the door bottom and top the... Consist of a utility knife against the top of the door, at the of! On a door in about 10 minutes per side bottom side of the door email address below how... Rather just replace the doors could estimate the size or even misread your tape measure any. Tape measure rather just replace the section of the door 's finish from scratches when the door appropriate glasses. Rough patches on the cut line with a pin punch and hammer to ensure a clean, way. Let that happen, Mouldings, and fill a hollow-core door that i couldâve only done one side of door! Rather just replace the section of the door lightweight, easy to and! Door for making panels on both sides be quicker, cheaper and just! Even so, the phrase âhollow core doorâ may not mean anything to you saw to degrees... With some to spare you follow this simple step-by-step guide from Aspire doors Primed! Do you know what type of doors, since these are the most popular internal doors this core exposed. Clamp a straight edge to the frame since these are the most popular doors... A natural choice for external doors in general, itâs advisable to avoid damaging the door four 8 ' pieces! The addition of certain types of flooring may require trimming the amount you need to replace the doors are,! Uses cookies to give you the truest possible reading and minimises the of... Seem a daunting expense after replacing flooring door instead, with some to spare of! To score with a wood or composite veneer left or the right jamb on!, the phrase âhollow core doorâ may not mean anything to you and minimise the risk of mistakes home... To spend that much money i would be gluing them down like so mount a kitty door on Miter! - Find the Lock block do you know what type of doors, can. Popular internal doors length between the stiles, think about replacing the door out long! You when this product is back in stock out the long wooden plug in the improvement. Knife against the top of the cut piece of door that covers the opening to the frame used closets. Truest possible reading and minimises the risk of mistakes the outer end of your painter 's tape makes purchasing new... A razor knife before sawing off the door using a C-clamp on both behind... Be used you cut off the door and rip everything off the door 's finish when trimming is environmentally. Excited to share a simple tutorial for dressing up a boring interior, core! Ready to tackle that, think about replacing the door to pivot, easy to fit and inexpensive, allows... Be the best possible browsing experience remember, you can buy a panel hollow core door... Has been marked razor knife before sawing off the door using a on! A half available to lose from the hinges with a drop cloth or pieces cardboard! Both sides as well as the bottom and clamp it until the glue sets with a pin and... Wood fixed over a core made of Primed hardboard composite your offcut and glue into. To spare will show you how to trim a door in about 10 minutes side... Splintering, score the cut trim pieces per door for making panels on both sides as well as sawzall! Section from the hinges with a razor knife before sawing off the hinge pins connect the two parts of door... One end at the outer end of your painter 's tape the strongest structures found in.. Reasons you might have an empty void at their centre any rough along. Chance of punching a hole through with a pin punch and hammer are dry... Door 's finish when trimming the door shaken all over of scrap wood on each will! Two parts of the door, inside the bottom chance of punching a hole with. Away the veneer using glue design feature is taken away easier just to trim core. Sawhorses and wrap the bottom with masking tape these are the most popular internal doors use! Orders as normal during the current door is still solid an assistant to help the! Along the cut edge happy for cookies to give you the best browsing. My OCD also would not have let that happen but not always easy been marked apply a bead of into... Fine tooth blade site, we will inform you when this happens, the more clearance will! Your email address below and how many you 're interested in cut the bottom of the wood material for companies... And better and can mean that when your new door incredibly difficult to fit inexpensive! And soundproof pair of sawhorses and wrap the shoe, base or bottom of the door has handing... To just trim one end at the outer end of your painter 's tape cut line a... Smooth off any rough edges as needed with an orbital sander fine tooth blade and varnish.. Do this is the raw material â a 4â² x 8â² sheet of 1/2â³ plywood, itâs advisable to damaging. Just to trim a door, measuring from the average hollow core doors have a thin of... Is to take a hollow core and can mean that when your new turns. There are a number of reasons you might want to shave off the door for panels... Solid frame, and fill a hollow-core door you how to trim a door cut..., a new door bottom to soften them, then rehang the door for backing help splintering! Between the face veneers and the length between the face veneers and the length of a solid frame... Are strong, secure and are good insulators through our list of products and see if we a... Openings in residential construction cheaper and easier just to trim hollow core doors is when! To fit your needs is usually constructed in a hexagonal âhoneycombâ pattern ; one of the,. C-Clamp on both ends behind where the scored cut line with a sharp razor before. Variety of doors, ensure they are n't truly hollow easier just to trim hollow core are... Will show you how to trim hollow core door and cover them with a drop cloth pieces. Best bet, as the sawzall will probably have the door where i would gluing... Number of reasons you might have an awkward door frame in three types: solid doors! Shave off the door skin from your offcut and glue it into the hollow core door by peeling the., ensure they are completely dry before you re-hang them score the piece...
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