door vs. carpet

pappabear · 11-18-2005, 06:53 PM

I just got new carpet, now I have a door that drags way to much on it. It is an interior door so I think it is a hollow door.What is the best way to make it fit, and how much of the door is solid on the bottom?

Teetorbilt · 11-18-2005, 07:22 PM

Don't worry about trimming the door unless you need to buy several inches, the stiles are generally pretty deep. Don't forget to allow enough clearance for your HVAC system to breathe.

K2eoj · 11-18-2005, 10:12 PM

To cut the door. Scribe the line with a very sharp razor knife and a straight edge to avoid chattering up. Keep the sawblade to waste side of the cut. (I like the Marathon 24 tooth blade for just about anything). Ease the edge with some sandpaper, block plane, or a file, (a flat bastard will do, not one of those round son of beaches):D . <P>

I've been finding the luan doors from depot only have about 1-1/4" solid. If I get into the hollow I just make a ripper, fit and fill, glue and clamp. Sometimes the waste piece has enough solid left and the veneer can be stripped off and the piece planned a little and fit. <P>

Concur with Teetor on letting a forced air system breath. HS.

KenTheHandyMan · 11-19-2005, 11:22 PM

Just to add my .02 in here...open and close the door and then locate any spot where it seems to rub the most. Hopefully it is fairly even all around, but if not, leave it in the spot where it rubs and place something that is approximately 1/4" thick on the hinge side, on the floor. Something nice and flat is great (I have shimms cut to several sizes). If it is pretty even every where, just shut the door and proceed as follows. Use a utility knife to mark the top of the 1/4" spacer and then move the spacer down to the strike side and do the same.

Use a level or comparable straight edge and line up the two marks. Like HS said, scribe with a razor knife (utility knife). Not just enough to make a mark, but actually cut into the veneer.

I put masking tape on the underside of my saw shoe to keep from scratching the door. Rip slow and steady and split the razor thin line right down the middle, keeping only the (left or right depending on which side you're cutting from) edge of the blade on the line.

I too am finding the bottoms thinner than they should be for what the door costs, but like HS said, you can rip another or reuse the existing sometimes.

woodyblab · 08-21-2006, 06:12 PM

I have pocket doors that need quite a bit taken. I have a PC planer... is that good idea for a smooth finsh????