Is It Possible To Fitly Cut An External Steel Door?

In this video, carpenter and former senior editor Andy Engel demonstrates how to disassemble a prehung exterior door, measure and cut the door slab to fit an existing opening, and shorten the jamb to match. Residential metal doors are similar to flat slab exterior doors often seen on houses, but they are not solid metal. Manufacturers typically allow wood doors to be shortened.

To fix a gap between the door’s bottom and the threshold, measure the gap on both sides and cut a piece of red. Cutting the top off a steel door depends on the type of blade used, as steel used for a door is the same as steel used in any other application. With the angles marked, use a circular saw with the blade depth set to the thickness of the door stop, make a single cut through your marks.

You can shorten an exterior steel door, but the interior structure will be cut away and it’s difficult to get it to have structural integrity. The sheet metal skin is thin, and you can cut through it with a circular saw with a carbide-tipped blade. If the door is foam filled, use a carbide blade or abrasive wheel on a circular saw or a Sawzall with a guide clamped to the door. Use a nail router to defoam the innerds, drive a bunch through a one by one, clip them to lengthen the thickness of the new top rail in the door, and run the door through a hammer to remove the jamb.

How to make exterior door opening smaller?

To make a door frame smaller, remove the door casing and top door jamb using a pry bar. Use a hammer and wood block to remove shims behind the jamb. Use furring pieces to pad out the gap and screw the furring onto the frame using a ¼-inch drill bit. This task is easy without professional help, but it’s recommended to seek help if the difference between the door and frame is greater than 1-inch. If the difference is smaller than 1-inch, it’s easy to pad out one side of the door.

How much can be cut off a door?

Internal door manufacturers typically recommend a trimming tolerance of 5mm per side, except for LPD which allows 3mm. If you need to trim a lot, you may have the wrong size and may be able to buy exactly what you need. If you need to trim to 6mm or 7mm, contact your chosen brand to determine if it’s okay. Trimming over a manufacturer’s tolerance will void warranties. The construction of the door, such as hollow core doors, also impacts the amount you can trim. Trimming too much may result in removing design features, as seen in the image. Therefore, it’s essential to consider the specifics of your door before attempting to trim it.

How to shorten a prehung door?

A series of cuts should be performed across the jamb, after which the cuts should be cleaned up with a chisel. The jambs should then be reattached to the sill.

Can I get my door cut to size?

Sometimes, it may be necessary to adjust the size of an internal door, such as if the frame is too small for a standard size, the opening is awkwardly-shaped, or you have a thick carpet. Trimming your internal door might be the best option, as it can accommodate the necessary adjustments. With a considerable body of expertise in doors, we answer customer questions about all things door-related. The most common question we receive is whether internal doors can be cut to size, but there are many others. In this FAQ, we address six of these questions, and the chances that yours may feature here are high.

What is the best tool to cut metal doors with?

Hacksaws are a versatile metal cutting tool suitable for small projects and home improvement tasks. They are particularly useful for cutting pipes, bolts, and thin metal sheets. To ensure optimal results, choose the right teeth per inch (TPI) for your material, with higher TPI for harder, thinner metals and lower TPI for softer, thicker pieces. Apply steady pressure on the cutting stroke and ease up on the return stroke to prevent blade damage.

Can you cut a pre finished door?

Trimming a prefinished door requires resealing the edges and adding hinges and handles. Prefinished doors are ready to hang and can be painted over, but it requires careful planning to preserve the door’s finish. Prefinished hardwood is more durable due to multiple coats applied at the factory, so it’s important to prepare the surface before applying new paint. Prefinished doors are more durable than home-finished ones due to their factory-quality finish, which can withstand significant wear and tear compared to hand finishes. Choose prefinished options for long-lasting durability and protection for your home.

Can you cut down a prehung exterior door?

When ordering a shorter prehung exterior door, it is typically easiest to order from a lumberyard. However, it is possible to shorten the unit yourself, typically allowing wood doors to be trimmed by 1⁄2 in. at the top and 1-1⁄2 in. at the bottom. To do this, disassemble the unit, remove the door from its frame, place it on a surface that won’t scratch the door, and remove the door-bottom weatherstripping.

Mark the cut on each edge of the door and clamp a shooting board to the door, positioning the clamps with their long ends down to avoid interference with the saw. Place a block under each clamp to protect the other side of the door.

Can you cut a door to make it fit?

To trim a door, use a circular saw, painters tape, and a knife to score the cut mark. Lay the door on a saw horse and brace the saw against a cutting guide with the blade on the waste side of the cut line. If trimming less than 0. 125 inches (3. 2 mm), plane the door down. Wear protective gloves, eye goggles, and dust masks if your airways are sensitive. Beveling an edge involves angling or slanting the edges to maintain the same distance from the doorway. Use an electric plane, hand plane, or portable belt sander to angle the top and opening side toward the lockset side of the door.

Can you cut the height of an exterior door?

It is possible to cut the door from the top without removing the weatherstrip, although approximately one and a half inches of it are required.

Can you cut a metal door with a jig saw?

A jigsaw is a hand-held power tool designed for cutting sheet metal, pipework, and wood. It is operated by a squeeze trigger and offers various features, with a standard model suitable for hobbyists and DIY enthusiasts. For heavy-duty metal cutting, a professional jigsaw is more suitable, capable of cutting through 10mm steel and up to 30mm thickness on non-ferrous metals. Jigsaws are not suitable for plunge cutting, but a hole can be drilled to feed the blade through.

They have good manoeuvrability, making them ideal for cutting intricate shapes. To reduce the risk of blade binding, relief cuts should be made on tight curves, but this is only possible if the cut off side is scrap. Jigsaw blades have a single row of teeth along one edge, arranged in a small wave pattern. A blade with 21-24 tpi is recommended for metal cutting, and one with a bi-metal construction offers the best durability.

Can you cut 2 inches off a door?

The trim of a door depends on the material used, with solid wood doors being easier to trim due to their uniformity throughout. Some doors may only have a solid core for an inch around the sides before becoming hollow. It is generally recommended not to trim more than two inches off any door to avoid damaging it. Hollow-core doors have a strong outer frame at the top, bottom, and sides, making them suitable for trimming.

However, it is crucial not to cut too much away, as this could damage the structural integrity and require replacing the outer frame. It is recommended to consult the manufacturer or product finishing instructions to avoid significant damage or the need for a new door.