In a previous post someone had mentioned cutting pre-hung doors at the top instead of the bottom as not to interfere with the height of the lockset etc.. this sounds like a really good idea for my situation. I have a few hollow core 6 panel pre hungs to install in the basement, really low ceilings, box outs etc.. a couple of the rough openings I only have about 77-78″ on the hieght. Was wondering If someone who has done this before could give me the “skinny” on the best technique to accomplish this. Also am trying to visualize how the door is going to look with a good chunk taken off the top, being that it has the raised panels and all. Any thoughs on how much would be “to much” off the top? Thanks all.
Don
Replies
I think the idea of cutting the top of the door was not to interfere with the threshold on the exterior door. Very good idea by the way.
But it will not work on the interior doors for few reasons.
1.the 6 panel design 2.the top header 3. you may still have to cut the bottom if the floor is uneven. 4. the cut in the top looks bad.
A good idea can be a bad idea in the wrong application.
Now, if you ask how to trim the door ...be ready for 10 ideas for the same application.
Ez D.
Okay, I'll take those 10 ideas on how to trim the door now:)
Did you already buy the doors? If so, and you got them in standard height, your paneled doors will look ridiculous with 4 to 5 inches whacked off the tops.
They will look a little less silly if the cutoff is taken off the bottom edge. Any door shop can do this for you, and they will re-rail the door when they do the surgery.
By ordering them to the correct R.O. from the door shop, you'll get the lock prep done at the OK height off the floor, although it won't line up with the lock rail in the paneled door's layout. But that's what you get by using molded panel doors in a heavy cut-down situation.
But if you have fully prepped standard height doors already on hand, and cannot return them for credit, you might be best off whacking off top and bottom. Things will look a little wrong, but not way wrong.
Do you need a little lesson on re-railing? That's a topic I can address in a separate post. Just say so and the door shop professor will go to work on a how-to epistle.
If it were me, I would use flush doors. There would be no design compromise.
I have made the presumption here that you don't want to spring for custom-made wood doors done with stiles and rails and raised panels, all re-proportioned for your shortened height, with a lock rail centered on the 36" off-the-floor position.
Just order 6'6" doors since that is what you want.
I don't understand six panel hollow core. How can a panel and stile door be hollow?
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They're not real panels, rails and stiles. It's a masonite press mold that's made to look like a 6 panel door pressed around a light wood frame.
http://www.masonite.com/PRODUCT_GUIDE/Wood_Panel.aspJoe Carola
"Paneled" molded hardboard doors are all more or less hollow.
Howz bout prehungs that aint predrilled?
Cut the bottoms and drill at whatever ht. suits you.
Flush doors would be your best bet though.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
Buy 6'-6" doors, they are available. Used to be standard height many years ago.
mike
When you say available do you mean "can be ordered"? I don't know of anywhere I can get any doors other than 80" without special order. Not the Depot, not Lowes or any local lumber yards have anything other than 80"in stock.
My local lumber yard carries a few, they order them as needed. Call a lumber yard and ask them , I do not pay a premium for these doors, usually same price as 6'-8" doors.
mike