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. Lightly sand all the edges along the new door bottom to soften them, then rehang the door. 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. To prevent splintering, score the cut line with a razor knife before sawing off the door. Yes I know that I couldâve only done one side of the door, but my OCD also would not have let that happen! Now you can now start cutting. This answer does come with a âbutâ though. How to cut a hollow-core door. FineHomebuilding. Next, with a utility knife, score along that line, then using a circular saw, trim the new door slab to size. Place the door on the sawhorses and wrap the bottom with masking tape. Place a piece of scrap wood on each side of the door bottom and clamp it until the glue sets. Then remove the door skin from your offcut and glue it into the cut section. There are a number of reasons you might want to trim a door. 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. So in the very cheapest option Iâm looking at $30 of trim on a door, to make an OK looking update. If you cut material away from the doorknob side, it will change the backset (the distance from the doorknob to the edge). They can even be made to resemble far more expensive solid wood doors. You may need to repaint the bottom of the door, or simply stain and varnish it. Pet doors. Inside is a foam or cardboard core. Hollow core doors have a 3-inch block of wood inside the bottom of the door. 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. Miter One Side. This helps stop the door splintering when you start sawing it. 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. Then you have to replace the solid strip of wood that is inside the door. 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. Hereâs the opening: And this is the raw material â a 4â² x 8â² sheet of 1/2â³ plywood. Recruit an assistant to help remove and install the door. Hopefully this post will have helped you decide if itâs a task you are ready to tackle. I placed all the cut trim pieces on the door where I would be gluing them down like so. Even so, the phrase âhollow core doorâ may not mean anything to you. The short answer is yes, hollow core doors can be trimmed. ⦠We will continue to process orders as normal during the current lockdown. Make the cut slowly. 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. Our website uses cookies to give you the best possible browsing experience. Set up a pair of sawhorses and cover them with a drop cloth or pieces of cardboard. Drill for the Cylinder Lockset. Hollow core doors are lightweight, easy to fit and inexpensive, which makes them a popular choice for internal doors. Use a guide and keep the saw steady to ensure a clean straight edge and minimise the risk to the door. 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 ⦠If Iâm going to spend that much money I would rather just replace the doors. 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. Gonna mount a kitty door on an interior door. This honeycomb core can be contained within a variety of veneers that can be matched to any decor. In general, itâs advisable to avoid going to these extremes. 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. Browse through our list of products and see if we have a piece to fit your needs! 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. 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 it is hollow, you'll need to replace the section of the wood block that was removed during cutting. Transfer the measurement from step 4 to the door, measuring from the lowest hinge on the door toward the bottom. The veneer face on hollow core doors also tends to splinter easily. After installing a plush new carpet with a deep shaggy pile, youâll probably notice your doors start to catch. Sand any rough edges as needed with an orbital sander. It utilizes millwork by-products and is an environmentally friendly alternative to natural wood. Cut along the cutting line. Insert the block of wood into the hollow opening until it is flush with the bottom of the door and remove any excess glue. Score the cut line with a sharp razor knife before cutting to help reduce splintering. Robert Ferguson has been a writer since 2000. 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. Report. You might have an awkward door frame in a non-standard size that makes purchasing a new door incredibly difficult. I wanted to add a window to my laundry room door. Sheets or paper to protect the surface of the door. Make sure that the bottom of the door is still solid. 821 W Broadway Rd. 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. The bottom side of the door wonât splinter because the saw teeth cut up into the wood. This counts for the sides as well as the bottom and top of the door. The tape helps to avoid splintering when cutting the door. 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? Most likely, theyâre hollow core doors, since these are the most popular internal doors in use today. Installed during the final stages of home construction, the addition of certain types of flooring may require trimming the door. Cutting hollow core doors can be tricky because they aren't truly hollow. As you'll see, the door is stuffed with foam. The big moment. I am excited to share a simple tutorial for dressing up a boring interior, hollow core door! The door has reversible handing and can be mounted to either the left or the right jamb depending on your preference. Trimming hollow core doors is possible, but not always easy. Hollow interior doors consist of a solid wooden frame covered with a wood or composite veneer. 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. Lightly sand any rough areas along the cut edge of the door with fine sandpaper. I'm thinking the jig saw will be the best bet, as the sawzall will probably have the door shaken all over. Hollow core doors have a 3-inch block of wood inside the bottom of the door. Hollow core doors are seen in modern homes everywhere due to their easy installation, low cost, and basic efficiency. As you would expect, solid wood doors are made from thick slabs of wood. Discount Door and Trim offers the largest variety of Doors, Mouldings, and Hardware throughout Arizona. 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. While it is possible to trim hollow core doors, it isnât always advisable. 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. 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. Carefully measure the distance between the face veneers and the length between the stiles. Even if it is a blank slab, cutting 1/2" off each side will not work out well. 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. x 80 in. This core is usually constructed in a hexagonal âhoneycombâ pattern; one of the strongest structures found in nature. Pull out the long wooden plug in the bottom of the cut piece of door that covers the opening to the frame. Your options are to use a hand plane, power plane, or belt sander to remove a small amount of stock, and a circular or ⦠You may even need to resize old doors. You could estimate the size or even misread your tape measure. Cut the bottom of the door using the circular saw equipped with a fine tooth blade. Remove the solid section from the piece you cut off the door by peeling away the veneer. The JELD-WEN 24 in. A utility or putty knife helps to remove the unwanted veneer. 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. it easier to just trim one end at the bottom. If you need to take off more than that, think about replacing the door instead. Remember, you only have about an inch and a half available to lose from the average hollow core door. Whichever way you need to finish your doors, ensure they are completely dry before you re-hang them. Take your time and let the saw do the work; forcing the saw can cause the door to splinter. Do you know what type of doors you have in your house? 4:00. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. STEP 5 : Trim the New Door. I figured I could get a 2â²-4â³ door from this sheet, with some to spare. These seven pro tips will help you hang doors faster and better. © 2021 Aspire Doors, All Rights Reserved. IMO the easiest way to do this is to take a hollow core and rip everything off the hinge side. Step 1 - Find the Lock Block Making the Cut. Examine the bottom of the door. Note: Be sure to wear appropriate safety glasses and protective work gloves when using power tools. They are strong, secure and are good insulators. They are also very versatile. Unit 2, Hayleys Manor Farm Upland Road, Epping Upland Essex CM16 6PQ, Tel: 020 3744 0704 Email:  info@aspire-doors.co.uk. His published work includes material for major companies in the home improvement, plumbing, HVAC and power tool industry. 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. 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. When it comes to allowing for alterations, this frame makes them a lot more forgiving than you might think. 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. 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. Composite Primed Hollow-Core Slab Door is a smooth, unadorned door made of primed hardboard composite. They are also rather costly which makes them a natural choice for external doors. Well, for $40 a door you can buy a panel hollow core door. Hollow core doors, contrary to their name, do not have an empty void at their centre. Apply a bead of wood glue along the inside edges of the veneer along the bottom of the door. Hi, I am Beck from Beckwithâs Treasures. Trimming the amount you need to trim might mean that a design feature is taken away. If you are already a pro, you can still pick up some tips. 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. 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. 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. Could it be quicker, cheaper and easier just to trim the existing doors instead? 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. Clamp a straight edge to the door to help guide the circular saw for a perfect cut. This will provide a guide for table saw and prevent you from removing too much of the hollow core door. Cut carefully along the score line with the table saw. Make your ⦠Though this may sound simple, it can be fiddly. Similarly there are design elements to think about. 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. 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. The thicker the carpet, the more clearance it will need, but a new door might seem a daunting expense after replacing flooring. Run the saw slowly along the straightedge to get a nice cut without any chips or marks. Solid core doors have a thin veneer of high-quality natural wood fixed over a core of engineered wood, such as HDF. The scored line will stop the splintering. When cutting the width of the door, cut it on the hinge side. 8 years ago | 39.9K views. If the hollow core is exposed, a new bottom rail must be installed to maintain the integrity of the door. The Family Handyman Senior Editor, Travis Larson, will show you how to trim a door in about 10 minutes per side. Attach a straight edge to the door using a C-clamp on both ends behind where the scored cut line has been marked. This will benefit your door and your carpet. If you're installing a cylinder lockset, not a mortise lock, use a hole-saw ⦠I used approximately four 8' trim pieces per door for making panels on both sides. Obviously, what you do here will depend on the doorâs appearance. Make sure you measure the door frame in three places: both sides as well as the middle. 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. Remove the door from the hinges with a screwdriver. Hollow core doors are well suited to houses, where there is little chance of punching a hole through with a piece of lumber. Position the blade of a utility knife against the top of the door, at the outer end of your painter's tape. I drilled a couple of pilot holes 36" from each end, on both sides, and struck a core ⦠This makes the doors more solid, robust, and soundproof. Make sure that the bottom of the door is still solid. This one might not make your door look expensive, but it will have Fluffy feeling like a ⦠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. This helps to protect the door's finish from scratches when the door is placed on the sawhorses. Wear protective eye gear when operation power tools. Browse more videos. The hinge pins connect the two parts of the hinge, which allows the door to pivot. A clean, efficient way to measure, mark, cut, and fill a hollow-core door. 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. Please enter your email address below and how many you're interested in. When trimming the length of a hollow core door is required, taking a few precautions helps to avoid damaging or splintering the door. Leaving 1/2" would be sub-par. Playing next. Mistakes do happen, and can mean that when your new door turns up itâs an inch too tall for its frame. This can be fixed by reinserting a block from the bottom of the door, inside the veneer using glue. Follow. You have about 1" around the door for backing. Instead they have a thick solid frame, and a core made of plastic or cardboard. Make a Cut. 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. Place the straight edge ⦠These were $1.80/each and you need 5/door depending on width. We will inform you when this product is back in stock. When this happens, the structural integrity of the door can be compromised. Wrap the shoe, base or bottom of the circular saw with masking tape to avoid damaging the door's finish when trimming. Measure the amount to trim, align and use a utility knife to score with a straight edge. The current door is 73.5 cm wide the replacement door is 76cm wide. Set the blade on the miter saw to 45 degrees to cut the left inside miters. 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. 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. Wooden doors come in three types: solid wood, solid core and hollow core. If you continue to use our site, we will assume that you are happy for cookies to be used. 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. Wrapping masking tape around the bottom of the door will also help prevent chipping or splintering. Remove the door's hinge pins by tapping them with a pin punch and hammer. Doors in my house indicate that the knob is 36" from the bottom. Trimming hollow core doors is easy when you follow this simple step-by-step guide from Aspire Doors. From scratches when the door using a C-clamp on both ends behind where scored! Fine tooth blade wear appropriate safety glasses and protective work gloves when using power tools major companies in bottom... And minimises the risk of mistakes safety glasses and protective work gloves when using power.... Core and hollow core doors are often used for closets, bathroom and bedroom door openings in construction! 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Along the bottom a window to my laundry room door to fit and inexpensive, which allows door!