Cutting down a uPVC door

Oct 02, 2024 Last reply: 1 year ago 4 Replies

I'd like to replace an exterior door to a shed, without buying a whole new custom door. The concrete opening is a standard width but only about 1850mm high, which is too low for most uPVC doors I see secondhand (2m+). Enlarging the opening isn't an option.



If I buy a door and frame that are too tall, how hard is it to cut them down? If it's a half glazed door, I could take out the lower panel and trim that. But the surround and the frame will need mitreing down - is it feasible to take them apart non-destructively or are they likely to be glued such that I have to tear it apart with a saw to get them out?



It's a shed so doesn't have to be perfect, but am I more likely to end up with a pile of mangled plastic than a functioning door? Thanks Theo


They're heat welded, PVC cuts well with a circular saw, and planes well with an electric plane, frame might have metal reinforcement (or can be plastic).

Supposing I manage to cut it successfully, can I solvent weld it back together? Or are there reinforcing pieces I can stuff inside to keep it square?

Theo

Plenty of Youtube videos on the making of UPVC doors and frames

The 45 degree mitres at the bottom and top will hot welded so a saw will be required,

You may be able to use UPVC solvent weld as used on drainage/waste pipes.

You may be able to insert some right angle strengthening pieces in the hollow section pieces when re-assembling

I've used a specialist solvent filler to repair a chipped PVC door, for a shed you wouldn't need the special version which is designed to flash-off rapidly and be RAL colour matched, so that dust can't settle into the soft surface ... pretty sure you'd be ok with pipe solvent

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