How To Trim A Door. There are many factors that can cause a door to need to be trimmed in order to open and close freely, including new flooring and a settling house.
The door must be shaped correctly to remain structurally sound while still performing properly.
If you cut too deep into the slab of the timber, you run the risk of reducing its strength and ruining the integrity of your door.
This is magnified even further if you’re working with a hollow-core door that uses a perimeter frame for structural support.
How To Trim A Door
In this article, we discuss trimming a door.
Step 1
Start by measuring the width of the door with a measuring tape.
You should swing the hinged part of the door close to the ground and make sure it is clear of the ground.
Ensure that you have 1/4″ of clearance from the ground.
Step 2
Draw a pencil line with a ruler on your door for the bottom and top windows using two pieces of painter’s tape.
Score it lightly with a utility knife, but stay within the lines. This will help to prevent splintering. You should cut about 1/116 inches into the wood.
Step 3
After unscrewing the hinges with a screwdriver, place the door on a safe sawhorse. Put the towel on top of the door gently.
Then tape it 6 inches from the line. Masking tape prevents saw bases from scratching the door finish.
Step 4
Measure the distance between one line on the masking tape and the edge of the saw base plate by using a measuring tape.
You should mark the measurements in several places along the line. Make sure the straightedge lines up with the measurements.
Step 5
Apply the masking tape as well as the straight edge and clamp them both down. A circular saw can then be used to make accurate cuts.
By laying the saw base plate flush against the straight edge, you ensure that your cuts are as level as possible and that your project is as durable as possible so that it can last a very long time.
Wear your safety goggles to prevent any irritation or damage to your eyes.
Step 6
If the trim line starts at 18 teeth per inch, use a circular saw with 18 teeth per inch. Engage the saw.
The saw should maneuver through the wood along the line with the help of a straightedge used to guide it.
After removing the masking tape and placing the door back on its hinges, one can verify that alignment is correct by guiding doors into their proper positions.
FAQs
Are hollow interior doors able to be trimmed?
The short answer is that hollow core doors can be adapted to fit in spaces where a door would otherwise seem out of place.
With hollow-core doors, the outer frame is a very strong block, which means that several inches of extra material can be removed relatively easily from the top, bottom, and sides.
By doing so, you will still be able to use the door while changing its size to fit however you want.
What can you do without a miter saw to cut door trim?
It should be easier for you to replace a miter saw with something like a handsaw, jigsaw, or hand-held circular saw when cutting molding pieces, whether it is simple right-angle cuts or more deliberate angles.
How To Trim A Door
Related Guides
