Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

Small interior doors?

126 views
Skip to first unread message

Phillip Barnett

unread,
Dec 3, 2003, 8:03:40 AM12/3/03
to
Hi,
I have what appear to be smaller than average doors, which are horrible
and need replacing. Unfortunately, B&Q etc only seem to stock 198cm high
doors - mine need to be 191cm high (and 68cm wide), and I don't think
you can cut down most modern doors to that extent.
Does anyone have any recommendations on suppliers for smaller than
average doors? I'm looking for Victorian style, wood, top-half glazed,
if you see what I mean, and I live in East London in a small
mid-Victorian ground floor flat conversion.
Cheers in advance for any help - totally clueless about this kind of
thing, so be nice!
Phillip

Dave Plowman

unread,
Dec 3, 2003, 9:08:15 AM12/3/03
to
In article <bqkmvb$9nd$1...@titan.btinternet.com>,

Phillip Barnett <phillipbarnett@btinternet_webthing.com> wrote:
> I have what appear to be smaller than average doors, which are horrible
> and need replacing. Unfortunately, B&Q etc only seem to stock 198cm high
> doors - mine need to be 191cm high (and 68cm wide), and I don't think
> you can cut down most modern doors to that extent.

You'd be alright removing this much, but make it equal top and bottom.

--
*In "Casablanca", Humphrey Bogart never said "Play it again, Sam" *

Dave Plowman dave....@argonet.co.uk London SW 12
RIP Acorn

PoP

unread,
Dec 3, 2003, 12:13:59 PM12/3/03
to
On Wed, 3 Dec 2003 13:03:40 +0000 (UTC), Phillip Barnett
<phillipbarnett@btinternet_webthing.com> wrote:

>I have what appear to be smaller than average doors, which are horrible
>and need replacing. Unfortunately, B&Q etc only seem to stock 198cm high
>doors - mine need to be 191cm high (and 68cm wide), and I don't think
>you can cut down most modern doors to that extent.

I've just fitted such a door and had to trim the size down.

As the other poster advises, make sure you take an equal amount off
top and bottom. The vital thing is to make sure that you don't remove
too much structural meat out of the door - it'll have to be able to
support the weight of the door when you've finished.

PoP

Roger Mills

unread,
Dec 3, 2003, 1:55:14 PM12/3/03
to

> In article <bqkmvb$9nd$1...@titan.btinternet.com>,
> Phillip Barnett <phillipbarnett@btinternet_webthing.com> wrote:
> > I have what appear to be smaller than average doors, which are horrible
> > and need replacing. Unfortunately, B&Q etc only seem to stock 198cm high
> > doors - mine need to be 191cm high (and 68cm wide), and I don't think
> > you can cut down most modern doors to that extent.
>

The width is not too much of a problem - 680mm is near enough 27", and you
can get 27" wide (as opposed to 30" wide) doors - but they're not quite so
plentiful, and may even be dearer! [27" is about 686mm - so you can plane
3mm off each edge].

As far as the length is concerned, you need to lose about 3" off a standard
6'6" door. This is too much to cut off without some remedial action - even
if you take half from each end - because you will remove the whole top and
bottom frame members, and expose the hollow innards.

What I would do is this: Reduce the height, cutting it all off from one end.
Dismantle the bit you have cut off in order to recover the top (or bottom)
frame member. Clean this up, and glue it the exposed open end of the door -
clamping it all up until the glue has set.

Before you cut it all off one end, check the position of the lock block to
make sure that, by so doing, you're not going to be fitting the lock into
thin air. If this is a problem, you may have to attack both ends in order to
get the lock block in the right place.

Roger

Simon Avery

unread,
Dec 3, 2003, 10:18:54 AM12/3/03
to
Phillip Barnett <phillipbarnett@btinternet_webthing.com> wrote:

Hello Phillip

> PB| I have what appear to be smaller than average doors, which
> PB| are horrible and need replacing. Unfortunately, B&Q etc only
> PB| seem to stock 198cm high doors - mine need to be 191cm high
> PB| (and 68cm wide), and I don't think you can cut down most
> PB| modern doors to that extent.

A nadge over an inch and a half, top and bottom? Should be do-able,
but check the ends of the door to see how deep the frame is (assuming
a bog-standard mdf-faced panel).

> PB| Does anyone have any
> PB| recommendations on suppliers for smaller than average doors?
> PB| I'm looking for Victorian style, wood, top-half glazed, if
> PB| you see what I mean, and I live in East London in a
> PB| small mid-Victorian ground floor flat conversion. Cheers in
> PB| advance for any help - totally clueless about this kind
> PB| of thing, so be nice! Phillip

Best bet is a local joinery firm. Downside to that is that they're
sometimes trade-only, but hunt around and you should be ok.

I'd go for unfinished pine frame - joiner's don't generally want to
mess around glazing, panelling or finishing and the price goes up
hugely if you ask 'em to. All well within the scope of basic DIY if
you get the glass cut to size elsewhere.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK
uk.d-i-y FAQ: http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/

Phillip Barnett

unread,
Dec 3, 2003, 6:36:29 PM12/3/03
to

Thanks for the tips guys, much appreciated, especially as I've just
discovered this newsgroup. Will try surgery on an unglazed door -good
tip Simon...
Thanks again
Phillip

Rick Dipper

unread,
Dec 4, 2003, 12:52:37 PM12/4/03
to
When I can cut doors to fit, I make my own.

I know the specalist door shop in town, will make doors to any shape/size/pattern, there are also many ads on the web.

How much you can cut off a door depends on how it is made, the specalist door shops know how much you can cut off, the man in B&Q knows what the cataloge looks
like.

Rick


On Wed, 3 Dec 2003 13:03:40 +0000 (UTC), Phillip Barnett <phillipbarnett@btinternet_webthing.com> wrote:

0 new messages