Hi, I amm looking at buying a hardwood frontdoor but cant seem to find one to fit my frame. The size I am after is 1928x838 or 75.9"x33" in old money. The width isnt the problem its the height. The closest I can find is 1981mm or 78". Is it possible to buy the bigger size then cut it down to the size I need? if so what would be the best way to seal the bottom of the door? If not is there anywhere that i can buy a made to measure door from?
Thanks for any help in advance.
Depending on the construction of the larger door, it should be easy and safe enough to take an inch or so off the top and bottom, just the top or just the bottom. You may find that taking from the top is easier, but that taking from top and bottom is needed to make it look right and leaves the furniture holes in the right place.
If it is hardwood, I don't see that sealing the cut end(s) as being essential. I might give it a good brushing with teak oil, or equivalent, or whatever I was applying to the rest of the door.
This problem is normam the door is normally cut to height during the fitting but a two inch cut (although not unusual) could lead to problems if you are not careful.
Right, the first thing you need to do in this case is to ensure that you have bought a door with 'through' mortice and tennons rather than 'stub' ones, or heaven forbid, dowells holding the thing together. Through mortice and tennons are far more forgiving and retain their strength when cutting a 'large lump' off the bottom of the door.
To reduce the 'cut' on the bottom rail, you can (at a pinch) cut up to an inch off the top rail of the door door (I try to keep this cut to a bare minimum if possible) and then take the rest off the bottom. Another way to reduce this cut - is if you have some sort of a patented waterbar on the cill of the frame, this can sometimes be removed and a thinner one fitted in its place.
Once the door is cut, you can seal the cut ends with whatever decoration that you are going to use on the finished door.
Hope this helps
Brian G
Please, please forgive the typos in my previous post. the first paragraph should read thus:
This problem is normal with the door is usually being cut to height during the fitting, but a two inch cut (although not unusual) could lead to problems if you are not careful.
A red faced Brian G
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.