Sometimes it
might become necessary for you to shorten an existing door. Probably the
most common reason is the installation of new carpet or other floor covering. Here are basic instructions for
shortening a hollow-core or solid-wood door.
 If you can close the door,
do so and lay a 12mm thick board on the floor against the door and use it to
guide your pencil while you mark a line on the door. If you can't close the
door, remove the door by taking out the screws that
fasten the hinges to the jamb, not to the door. Place a piece of stiff card or
thin ply on the carpet by the jamb. Measure the distance from the bottom of the
lower hinge mortise on the jamb to the surface of the card, gently pressing the
card down level with the pile but no further. Mark this distance on
the door, taking it from the bottom edge of the lower hinge.
To prevent the up-cutting circular saw blade from chipping
the veneer, clamp a metal ruler or other straightedge to the door on your cut
line and cut through the veneer using several passes with a utility knife. Use
the same procedure to prevent chipping when cutting across the grain of a
solid-wood door's vertical stiles.
Clamp a straightedge to the door to guide a circular saw
along your cut line. Make sure the saw blade remains a couple of millimetres away from
the cut line on the waste side. Skip to Step 7 for solid wood doors.
If your cut exposes the hollow portion of the door, you must
reinstall the solid-wood rail from the off cut. Start by making room for it by
pushing in the ribbed cardboard or wood-strip core and scraping off any glue
from the inside face of the veneer. Peel the veneer off the cut off. Scrape and/or sand the glue
residue off the rail. If the two stile sections on the ends of the rail don't
just fall off, break them off. Apply wood glue to both faces of the rail and insert it into
the door bottom until it is flush with the bottom edge. Do not push too far, as
it may be difficult to pull out. Wipe off any excess glue and apply two or three
clamps for at least an hour.
Use a sanding block with medium- and then fine-grit
sandpaper to round over and smooth the cut edges. Seal the bottom edge of the
door with a finish to match the door (varnish or primer-and-paint). If you
don't, particularly with a solid wood door, the door will absorb moisture and
may warp.
Re-hang the door. |
