A question about hollow core doors

[Michael Lindbeck]

I have some hollow core doors that are 80" in height that I need to cut down to 78 1/2". They seem to have 2" of solid wood on the top and bottom edges and since I am installing hardware on the top (two wheel hangers for by-pass doors), I was considering cutting off the bottom 1

1/2". Do you think that leaving only a half inch of the framing (or whatever it's called) on the bottom would degrade it's integrity?

Thanks for your help.

michael email: marianne [e-mail]

[dpb]

You can try it and see. If nothing else, one can always infill the ends w/ a piece cut to fit and glued in.

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[SteveB]

1/2" is OK. If you cut off more, save the core, strip off the veneer, and glue it back into the bottom of the door.

[RicodJour]

It's highly doubtful that there's 2" of material on top and bottom. Usually it's more like 1.25" or even less. This is what one manufacturer's site has to say:

Can I trim a door down? If so how much? Yes, our construction method allows the door height to be trimmed down no more than 1'' from the bottom rail and =BD'' from the top rail for a total cut down allowance of no more than 1 =BD''. The door width can be trimmed =BC'' on each side for a total of no more than =BD''.

Drill a hole and verify the thickness. Most likely you'll have to do what SteveB recommended.

R

[Red Green]

Michael Lindbeck wrote in news:X%D4k.12137$ [e-mail]:

Dill a hole in the top edge vertically down to see what you really have to work with. Have to take the door off hinges to do the same for the bottom...unless it opens over a stairwell going down...maybe.

[alta47]

I went through this just recently. The doors I have (Jenn-Weld, or something like that) only have about 3/4-inch of solid wood on the top and bottom. Although their website doesn't say they sell them in 78-inch, Lowes sells the same doors in 78-in lengths. So you may be better off buying two new 78-inch doors at Lowes. They only cost about $40 each.

[alta47]

Oops, it's Jeld-Wen (

).

[NickySantoro]

That's what I did on couple of doors in the basement when I finished it 20 years ago. Worked fine.