Hanging a door

[Kent Adams]

I've decided to replace my two swinging doors that are at the end of my workshop with these: http://www.homedepot.com/p/JELD-WEN-36-in-x-80-in-15-Lite-Unfinished-Wood-Front-Door-Slab-5330-0/202036042

The description of the doors says that they can be trimmed up to 1/8" for a "perfect fit. The doors are made of wood and are for exterior use. My existing doors are 35 1/2 x 78".

I don't know what to make of the "can be trimmed up to 1/8"". Do you think that's a typo? If its a wooden door, shouldn't I be able to trim up to at least 2 inches on the length? I've never hung a door before so this is new to me. I looked for 15 light exterior doors but I couldn't find any at 36" wide that wasn't prehung. I don't want prehung because of the hardware I want to use.

[Chris Kiely]

Look like they are talking about the edges. I would suspect they just put a relatively thin veneer there.

Usually you can trim off the bottom of a wood door like you've said with no worries.

If the door is hung properly, (plumb and true) there should be no reason to trim the sides 'for a perfect fit'. Having said that - you want to make sure there's a slight bevel (2*) on the leading edge so it doesn't catch when you open the door.

Plan on ⅛" gap on all three side when constructing your frame, and whatever you need at the floor.

[Kent Adams]

you want to make sure there's a slight bevel (2*) on the leading edge

By leading edge, is that the side where the hardware goes?

[Roger Nair]

The lockset side needs the bevel. I would consider keeping the primary operating door full width with the fixed side door with a covering tee astragal as the door that gets the cutback.

[Lee Schierer]

The product description is a bit confused. It says: "The door's singe-pane glass features tempered insulation to provide year-round energy efficiency. " Normally insulated glass means there is a thermopane with two layers of glass. I don't know how you temper insulation and tempered glass does nothing for insulation value.

[Kent Adams]

The lockset side needs the bevel. I would consider keeping the primary operating door full width with the fixed side door with a covering tee astragal as the door that gets the cutback.

Neither door will be fixed, would that change your recommendation? Here is the hardware: http://www.fifthroom.com/images/informationPage/ShedAssembly6.jpg

[Kent Adams]

The product description is a bit confused. It says: "The door's singe-pane glass features tempered insulation to provide year-round energy efficiency. " Normally insulated glass means there is a thermopane with two layers of glass. I don't know how you temper insulation and tempered glass does nothing for insulation value.

Yeah, I pretty much discounted the "insulation" as poppy-cock.

[Mike Cozad]

I purchased an identical set of doors when I lived in MO and had to lop off 2" of the bottom to go in the low overhead space opening in a basement. If I remember correctly the core was poplar or something like that so I sealed it well and since no one will ever see it, it was irrelevant. I think you are fine.

[Tom M King]

Almost all wooden doors sold in big box stores are veneered. Both edges have solid wood maybe 3/8" thickest at best so the hinges and lock can be mortised without going through the wood.

[Roger Nair]

Not sure about how you plan to install, need a little more info. In standard installs one door is operating, the other is fixed with operating bolts either mortised or surface mounted.

The doors that you are replacing are sized as more like the size of replacement doors, that when fitted with jambs that can be set inside the jambs of standard sized doors.

[Kent Adams]

Basically, the doors I'm replacing are french doors, so to speak. One door has a bolt on the top and bottom to fix it in place when you close the other door.

[Peter Quinn]

The description says the rails and stiles are made from "solid brown wood." That indicates not a stage core, though you never know, could also be they consider staves solid and the edges are veneered? I'm thinking worst case you are looking at either the core of the joinery which is probably dowels at that price point. If you take most of your trim off the hinge stile that will minimize any visual impact of the core being seen, tops and bottoms....who cares? Seal well and don't invite 7' people over that will see the top? Or take it allot the bottom? Point is if description is accurate the structure should remain intact, it's just a cosmetic issue. Yiu could check your rough openings, if you have room you can make a new wider jamb for these doors and not have to trim the width, 35 1/2" is a pretty strange opening size.

[Eric Schmid]

Why not just order doors that are the size you need? I realize HD does not show any other sizes for this door, but most door manufacturers can make doors that fit your opening.

With a properly sized door you're not trimming two inches off the bottom rail and reducing the strength of the door.

When you look at how these doors are constructed it's not surprising that they don't want you trimming much material away. They are engineered "solid" wood, not solid wood.

Another option if you want solid wood is to find an old door set that fits your opening (or make a set). We have a few good rebuilding centers here with isles of old solid wood doors. I often have good luck finding doors that can be repurposed.

[Tom M King]

http://www.barnstarvintage.com

[Tom M King]

http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/blog/2014/06/architectural-salvage-and-its-20-ton-inventory.html

[Lee Schierer]

35 1/2" is a pretty strange opening size.

My 36" entry door measures 35-11/16 edge to edge. It is a metal door and has never been trimmed.

[Jim Dwight]

You might save some money and eliminate illustrating the fact that the door is veneered by getting an old door but you will almost certainly have to do at least small repairs to the old door. I wouldn't be too worried about trimming it more. As has been said, if the cuts are on the top or bottom, they won't show. On the side, the hinge side is less visible and is where I would change the width.

The doors in my ~50 year old house look like solid wood but I found out when cutting them that they are veneered. The material is all softwood but the inner pieces are knotty, the outside is clear. They are painted so it doesn't much matter. I don't know if these doors are 40-50 years old, the construction suggests otherwise, but you would think doors from a 50 year old house would be solid. They even warp a little. But at least the ones I've cut have been veneered but made like a solid wood door otherwise.

At worst, I think you would be looking at a bit of filling and possibly painting where you cut them. If that is totally unacceptable, then I would look elsewhere.

I love my track saw for cutting doors. It makes it much easier. I bevel with it too.

[Peter Quinn]

My 36" entry door measures 35-11/16 edge to edge. It is a metal door and has never been trimmed.

That's pretty typical of a commercial door, the width specifies the jamb width, not the door, so the two 1/8" gap comes off the door width. A 3'0" door should measure 35 3/4" give or take. A 35 1/2" door...thats a 1/4" gap on each side, not so typical. Framers are creatures of habit, and tend to frame rough openings to the right size if all goes well. I've replaced enough doors in old houses to know that for one reason or another, people get creative at times with door openings, even though door opening specs have been pretty standardized for a very long time. I suggest the OP take off the casing, check the RO, if it can accept a full 3'0" jamb set, I'd change the jambs before doing serious mods to the door. Height probably still has to be cut but the edges may be spared.

[Bill Orbine]

You also need to consider what impact on the warranty if you trimmed off more than the allowable material. It's a bit of a gamble.

[Michael Zerance]

Where did you measure the 35 1/2"? If it was on the jamb-facing side of the door and the door has beveled edges, then the outside of the door could be wider and closer to 35 11/16" or 35 3/4". If that is the case (and like Peter Quinn mentioned, the new door is likely to be closer to 35 3/4") then I would not worry too much about trimming it.

Cutting the doors to length first will reveal the width of the solid wood at the edges; that will allow you to determine if you can trim it all off one side or if you should take a little of each edge. Bevel the edges as Chris mentioned.

[Kent Adams]

Where did you measure the 35 1/2"? If it was on the jamb-facing side of the door and the door has beveled edges, then the outside of the door could be wider and closer to 35 11/16" or 35 3/4". If that is the case (and like Peter Quinn mentioned, the new door is likely to be closer to 35 3/4") then I would not worry too much about trimming it.

Cutting the doors to length first will reveal the width of the solid wood at the edges; that will allow you to determine if you can trim it all off one side or if you should take a little of each edge. Bevel the edges as Chris mentioned.

Hi Michael,

The measurement is exactly 35 3//4 on the existing door. I was careless with my initial measurement and only wrote an approximation not realizing it had any significance. The new door I purchased is 35 and 14/16" so it shouldn't be an issue. I ended up purchasing a different door, this one:

[Paul Girouard]

I've decided to replace my two swinging doors that are at the end of my workshop with these: http://www.homedepot.com/p/JELD-WEN-36-in-x-80-in-15-Lite-Unfinished-Wood-Front-Door-Slab-5330-0/202036042

The description of the doors says that they can be trimmed up to 1/8" for a "perfect fit. The doors are made of wood and are for exterior use. My existing doors are 35 1/2 x 78".

I don't know what to make of the "can be trimmed up to 1/8"". Do you think that's a typo? If its a wooden door, shouldn't I be able to trim up to at least 2 inches on the length? I've never hung a door before so this is new to me. I looked for 15 light exterior doors but I couldn't find any at 36" wide that wasn't prehung. I don't want prehung because of the hardware I want to use.


No, it's not a typo , it's a way the door manfacturer can get out of thier warrenty.

Yes, you can cut 2" off the bottom of the door, you SHOULD seal "all edges" after machining. It's rarely done these days , but it is a good idea. This includes the bore holes as well for the hardware.

If it's a exterior door there should be a astrigal , of some sorts, between the two doors.

One will be "fixed" or semi-fixed with head and foot bolt. The other door is the one you bevel, 3 degree's is the normal bevel for a 1 3/4" or thicker door.

1 3/8" "interior doors" do NOT need beveled.

Your doors will also need door bottoms, a adjustable sill is a nice feature but by what you are saying you're going to replace the doors only , and re-use the jamb and hinges that are on the existing doors.

There's a look of factors to doing what you are planning to do.

For some one who's "never hung a door" , you are putting real challange in front of yourself.

Most carpenter working in the trades today DON'T know how to "hang a door" like you are planning to do.

They know ( some anyway) how to hang a pre-hung door in a rough opening , but they don't know how to build a jamb and hang the door in the jamb.

Add to your project that they are french doors and you've doubled your "fun".

Buy a couple of sheets of OSB so when you run out of day light you can screw them over the opening you more than likely won't have the doors re-hung in after day one.

Good luck in your quest!

If you posted photo's of the existing doors , I might be able to "type you thru " getting the new doors hung.

[Paul Girouard]

Curious how this is going?