Change hollow core door to solid core door

What you need is a special "Hollow to solid door converter." They sell them at home centers, though you may have to special order one.

Note that they are FREQUENTLY mislabled as "Special Order Solid-Core Doors" by the clueless wonks who run the Big Box stores. Never mind what it's called. That's the item you need.

Before going that route I would mix up some sawdust with wood glue, drill a hole in the top of the door and pour it in.

HTH,

Don't believe the other posts! Just drill a hole in the top and add solid. Use any of these:

terry:

Great Stuff!

Here's what I would do:

1. Carefully peel off the outer skin - I prefer the inside, but it really doesn't matter. Try not to scratch the finish because you will be using this later!

1. Calculate the square footage of fill material - try using MDF, it's cheap (but a little heavy). I always buy 10% extra "just in case".

2. Make a template of all the cavities in the door.

1. Glue up the MDF to the right thickness plus a little more, then use a planer to "sneak up" on the exact thickness you need. I always do this step outdoors - damn MDF is really dusty!

2. Using the templates made in step 3 and using at least a 2 inch pattern bit in your router, cut them out - again, do this outside if possible.

1. Set the MDF fillers into the door using a little yellow glue.

2. Re-apply the skin saved from step 1 - careful not to scratch it.

1. Hang the door.

2. The beauty of this system is that you can do it without removing the hinges so it's ready to hang immediately - a real time saver!

1. Alternately, you could buy a new solid core door then glue on the skin from the old hollow door - I have tried this too, but it's a little more expensive than the MDF method.

Good luck!

Lou

If all else fails, drill a hole in the top, pour in a couple quarts poly glue followed by a cup of water, then plug the hole right away. The glue will expand to fill all existing voids and once that is done it'll create some new voids. Once the glue dries, trim any outflow with a chainsaw, axe, or hammer chisel.

Hi,

Thank your for all replies! One more thing, actually I want to do this for insulating sound, could the methods provided do this?

Thanks!

On 13 Sep 2004 17:46:41 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com (terry) calmly ranted:

What kind/frequency of sound? Also note that you'll have to add weatherstripping around the door to seal out sound, and add a bottom wiper to complete the sound deadening.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - WARNING! WARNING! Dangerous Mailbox Approaching. Evade! Evade! ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----

Concrete works really well and will resist damage from breakins too.

Any of them will work just fine. Doors can't hear very well.

snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com (terry) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com:

Terry, you may not have realized that many/most of the replies I saw were in jest. Sometimes that's the way the wReck deals with questions that seem, on the face of things, to be infeasible.

Replacing the door is likely the best option, as one poster mentioned.

Hollow core doors are not really hollow, but the faces are held apart, generally, with a matrix of corrugated paper. A retrofit is unlikely to succeed, and will almost destroy the original door in trying.

Sound deadening, strong, easy to deal with. Sounds like you want a pre- hung fiberglass door. Should take longer to go buy one at the home center than to install it in the opening. Measure well. Decide which way you want it to swing.

This link has some pretty good information available.

How much? An "exterior door" might be Good Enough. But if your needs are more rigorous, you can buy a "sound rated" door that provides X dB of sound reduction. The prices are a good bit higher.

Unless you want to enter the realm of total insanity, just buy a new door, make a new door yourself, or get some thick foam padding, and glue it to your cheap hollow-core door. I've seen egg-crate style foam used in music practice rooms, and though I'm not sure how well it works, it is probably your cheapest option.

Don't forget the rebar for added strength!

Renata