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Thread: Adding window to interior door - will this work?

  1. #1
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    Adding window to interior door - will this work?

    Morning all,

    Have been door shopping a bit and am not finding what I want. I will be adding a couple partition walls in my basement with a door in each. Our current interior doors are the typical 6 panel such as this example and I would like to match as best as I can. However, I would like to have a window in the upper half of these new doors. I figured that it would be easy to find or order a door with a window in lieu of the upper 4 panels. But no... All the chain home improvement centers pointed me to custom millwork shops. I haven't called any yet as I figure their prices are going to be 3x or more. I also don't want to build my own doors as I've never built doors and don't really want to go thru that learning process as part of this project.

    However, I am now thinking about modifying a pre-hung door to put a window in the upper half and here is where I would like to solicit feedback on my process before wasting $200 on an experiment. I'm assuming the panels in the door are not fixed so I'm thinking I can cut the intermediate rail and mullion out, along with the routed trim. After some cleanup attach moulding around the opening on one side to create a rabbet to hold a window. Add some moulding back on the other side as a stop to retain the window.

    So, assuming my process is sound, my main concern is if removing the rail and mullion might allow the top half of the door to warp. I don't know how much if any those pieces are adding to the structure of the door.

    What do you all think?

    Thanks for your help.
    Last edited by Brian Tymchak; 01-27-2021 at 4:31 PM.
    Brian

    "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger or more complicated...it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - E.F. Schumacher

  2. #2
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    Never done this before, however this is how I would do it
    Good luck
    Ron

  3. #3
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    That is the way I would do it. Removing the glue at the middle piece so it look good will be tricky. Easier to add a transom.
    Bil lD

  4. #4
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    I would mark the cut line on the door and cut it with a fine tooth saw. I would saw solid wood strips to nail and glue in the opening. I would then put the window in the door. If it did not suite me afterwards, I would buy a door.

  5. #5
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    Consider putting an outside door with a window already in it.. Slightly heavier but you can get them prehung with frame, etc to make it easy to do...
    By the time you buy a door and add a window you can install one like this for less money..
    https://www.lowes.com/pd/Therma-Tru-...-in/1000461319

  6. #6
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    Thanks to all who have replied.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ed Aumiller View Post
    Consider putting an outside door with a window already in it.. Slightly heavier but you can get them prehung with frame, etc to make it easy to do...
    By the time you buy a door and add a window you can install one like this for less money..
    https://www.lowes.com/pd/Therma-Tru-...-in/1000461319
    Thanks Ed. I did look at exterior doors at Lowes (in store, not online), but did not see the one you have posted. I dismissed them all pretty quickly because I wanted to go with wood, but now that you've provided an example that matches the panel style, maybe I should reconsider. Appreciate your research.
    Last edited by Brian Tymchak; 01-27-2021 at 12:48 PM.
    Brian

    "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger or more complicated...it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - E.F. Schumacher

  7. #7
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    That would be how I would do it as well. It won't warp but removing that one rail means removing some of the door's strength and integrity. The rails are doweled to the stiles. The weight of the window might cause it to sag over time but I wouldn't let that stop me from doing it- I would simply reinforce the four main connections at the corners probably with another dowel drilled through the stile into the rail, set a 1/4" deep and plugged. Totally doable.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Dufour View Post
    That is the way I would do it. Removing the glue at the middle piece so it look good will be tricky. Easier to add a transom.
    Bil lD
    Hi Bill,

    Are you meaning a traditional transom at the top of the door, or something else? My purpose for the window is for my wife to be able to see me in the shop without opening the door.

    Thanks.
    Brian

    "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger or more complicated...it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - E.F. Schumacher

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Zellers View Post
    That would be how I would do it as well. It won't warp but removing that one rail means removing some of the door's strength and integrity. The rails are doweled to the stiles. The weight of the window might cause it to sag over time but I wouldn't let that stop me from doing it- I would simply reinforce the four main connections at the corners probably with another dowel drilled through the stile into the rail, set a 1/4" deep and plugged. Totally doable.
    Thanks Dave. I was considering using plexi vs glass (probably should have mentioned that in my first post), because of weight and that I would be moving lumber, other awkward stuff thru the door. Appreciate the tip on reinforcing the structure. Would likely follow your advice and do something like that if I stay with this plan.
    Brian

    "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger or more complicated...it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - E.F. Schumacher

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Tymchak View Post
    I was considering using plexi vs glass...
    Perfect. You will find this easier than you think. Everything is doweled and the glue is in the dowel holes not much oozes out to the point of contact between the door pieces. I alter those doors all the time.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Tymchak View Post
    ...My purpose for the window is for my wife to be able to see me in the shop without opening the door.
    Might be easier to set up a wireless security camera inside and she can monitor you from her computer or phone. Or put a wired camera inside and a cheap monitor outside.

  12. #12
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    call your local door shop, you will be surprised that it wont be hard or expensive to order a 1/2 lite door slab from Masonite. its weird they don't have them in their system at the borgs. they have full lite doors and all kinds of other stuff.

    https://residential.masonite.com/pro...nel-144/JAgej6

    or get whatever door, use a circular saw to cut a hole and install one of these:

    https://www.diydoorstore.com/diy-int...e-20-x-36.html

    hacking up the door and installing some plexi sounds like a total fail to me.

    no reinforcement necessary on a solid core pine door. Never heard of a problem and we sold 1000s of interior 1/2 lite pine or other species doors. we stocked cross buck and panel versions for many years when they were in style. my family ran a door and trim business for aprox. 50 years.
    Last edited by Adam Herman; 01-27-2021 at 1:20 PM.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Adam Herman View Post
    call your local door shop, you will be surprised that it wont be hard or expensive to order a 1/2 lite door slab from Masonite. its weird they don't have them in their system at the borgs. they have full lite doors and all kinds of other stuff.

    https://residential.masonite.com/pro...nel-144/JAgej6
    Thanks for that link Adam. That might be a winner. Masonite didn't come up in any of my searches.
    Brian

    "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger or more complicated...it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - E.F. Schumacher

  14. #14
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    They are the largest door slab manufacture in the world. most of the doors you see for sale anywhere are made by them, and resold. A vast majority of local door companies order their slabs from Masonite or one of the few other door slab manufactures.

  15. #15
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    Most large mills do this. Ask at at the lumber yard the local contractors use, not a big box. You'll be surprised by the lower than expected cost usually. Wadena Millworks makes some very nice options for one that we use.

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