Receiving Helpdesk

can you trim a door with a hand saw

by Dr. Angelina Quitzon Published 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago

A jig saw is not the best item for trimming doors. A plain old cross cut hand saw would be a better choice. Doors are thick enough that the blade can easily wander enough to not leave the cut perpendicular to the face of the door. Using tape and a straight edge will help.

Cutting a door, solid or hollow core, can be relatively easy if you have the right tools and take a few minor precautions. While many folks choose a handsaw, a circular saw also can make a uniform cut and will require quite a bit less elbow grease.Oct 15, 2008

Full Answer

Can you cut a solid door with a hand saw?

No it is not a solid door to make matters worse, its one of those moulded doors from the diy sheds. How many mm's is it? If you have a circular saw, you really can get quite a fine cut with it - to the point where you are cutting virtually no more than the depth of the saw blade. You can't do that with a hand saw of course.

How hard is it to cut a door with a backsaw?

Not hard at all. If you absolutely cannot take off the door (a situation you’d be better off fixing now, so you don’t have to do the job this way) you could use an offset backsaw: It is offset to save your knuckles. Unlike most saws its teeth are set to one side so as not to scratch the surface it is riding flat on.

What is the best way to cut a door?

We like to clamp a metal straightedge to the door on top of the masking tape along the cutting line. This helps to guide the knife, and then if the knife slips, it only scars the waste side of the cut. You don’t need to score the underside of the door. A circular saw makes a great door cutter.

Can you cut 5mm off the bottom of a hardwood door?

Not so easy for a novice to take 5mm off the bottom of a hardwood door with a handsaw and get an even straight cut on both sides. Same with using a planer.

What saw to use to trim a door?

A circular saw makes a great door cutter. Make sure your saw blade is sharp and has a minimum of 18 teeth. Hold the circular saw against the edge of the door as if you're ready to cut. With the blade teeth held just to the waste side of the scored line, mark the masking tape along the opposite edge of the base plate.

How do you cut a door by hand?

3:115:42How to Trim a Sticking Door with an Electric Hand Planer - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo I begin on one side of the door plane it from the outside edge to the center. Then I go from IMoreSo I begin on one side of the door plane it from the outside edge to the center. Then I go from I stop to in the center.

How do you cut a door without a circular saw?

If you haven't got access to a fine tooth circular saw you could use a fine tooth jig saw but best to score the cut line with a stanley knife where you're cutting across the grain at the sides. Otherwise a fine tooth panel hand saw. In all cases a fly over with a sharp plane would tidy it up and a bit of sanding.

What is the best way to trim a door?

0:593:05Cut a Door—The Goof-Proof Way - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI'm going to screw this half inch strip. To this three quarter inch slab. That's just about all itMoreI'm going to screw this half inch strip. To this three quarter inch slab. That's just about all it takes the guide is almost done. Now I just need to take the saw. And make a cut along.

What is the best way to trim the bottom of a door?

0:143:29HOW TO TRIM THE BOTTOM OF A DOOR!! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis is to help me get a cleaner cut when i run the saw along the line i'm about to draw. I'm goingMoreThis is to help me get a cleaner cut when i run the saw along the line i'm about to draw. I'm going to measure off a half inch on both ends of the door. Then take a level and mark.

Can I use a multi tool to trim a door?

When you need to trim the bottom of a door jamb or casing to let in new flooring or a saddle for transition between rooms, there's no simpler way to do it than with a multitool fitted with a plunge-cutting blade.

How do you shave the bottom of a door without taking it off?

0:132:05Tips for Getting the Most from Your Plunge Saw - Part 6 - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd by having that it means that the DeWalt plan saw has the ability to cut the bottom of a door inMoreAnd by having that it means that the DeWalt plan saw has the ability to cut the bottom of a door in situ without taking it off these hinges to do this to take the door off its hinges.

How do you cut the sides of an interior door?

To trim the width, take evenly from both sides. To cut the door with a circular saw, place painter's tape along the cut line. Mark the line on the tape and score it with a utility knife to prevent chipping. With the saw braced against a cutting guide and its blade on the waste side of the line, trim the door.

How much can you cut off the bottom of a door?

Remember, you only have about an inch and a half available to lose from the average hollow core door. If you need to take off more than that, think about replacing the door instead. Start by drawing a pencil line to show where you're cutting, then grab a knife and a guide and score the surface of the door.

How do you cut a door trim without a miter saw?

0:191:38How to Cut Molding: Quick & Easy! - Thrift Diving - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou would take your saw. And stick it in this middle guide here if you want to do a mitered edge inMoreYou would take your saw. And stick it in this middle guide here if you want to do a mitered edge in this direction. All you do is stick your saw.

How do you shave a door to fit?

How to Shave Down a DoorStep 1: Find the Rub. Close the door just enough so that it sticks or rubs -- don't shut it all the way. ... Step 2: Remove the Door From the Jamb. ... Step 3: Mark it For Shaving. ... Step 4: Set and Position. ... Step 5: Shave the Door. ... Step 6: Check and Repeat. ... Step 7: Rehang and Check.

What is the best tool to cut a door?

Door Trimming Close-Up. A circular saw makes a great door cutter. Make sure your saw blade is sharp and has a minimum of 18 teeth. Hold the circular saw against the edge of the door as if you’re ready to cut.

How to stop a door from splintering?

They should be just outside of the scored cutting line. Make the cut slowly. The scored line will stop the splintering. The bottom side of the door won’t splinter because the saw teeth cut up into the wood.

What is a sharp saw blade labeled?

Sharp saw blade labeled either “For Crosscutting” or “Plywood”

Why won't my door splinter?

The bottom side of the door won’t splinter because the saw teeth cut up into the wood. Lightly sand all the edges along the new door bottom to soften them, then rehang the door. These seven pro tips will help you hang doors faster and better.

Can you cut 5/6mm with a circular saw?

Use a hand plane as others have said, 5/6mm will be a nightmare to cut with a jigsaw, circular saw. If you have an eagles eye and a steady hand you might get away with a sharp, good quality hand saw.

Do jig saw blades go slow?

Hardwood jig saw blade and yes but go very slow

Can you use a plunge saw with a rail?

No, never try this, as the blade will follow the grain of the wood. Try a plunge saw with a rail / track, which you could probably hire from a tool hire shop. I`ve not used a plane in years, ever since purchasing my Festool plunge saw with a fine cut blade. Hope this helps, Chris.

How to cut bottom of door without removing door?

All hinges are removable. But only the hinge pins have to be knocked out. Use a small dia punch. or scrap screwdriver & tap up. Use cedar shims first under so hinge screws are not stressed. Always green painter tape both sides. Mark pencil line.& use circular saw blade depth set 1/8 to 1/4 in below bottom of cut. There is no tool to do a proper job.

Why cut off some of the door?

The reason to cut off some of the door is so not only free up the door but to get AIR CIRCULATION also. If your house has a dragging door and that it is still properly hung, then there is a possibility that the house has settled some and causing the problem. Now if the house has forced air heating with only one return air grill and the door is closed, guess how the air from the furnace gets out of the room. It flows under the door.

Why is my saw blade offset?

It is offset to save your knuckles. Unlike most saws its teeth are set to one side so as not to scratch the surface it is riding flat on. You lay a flat piece of material (of a thickness that puts your sawblade at the right height) on the floor, hold the blade flat on that, and you saw away (after thinking about which edge of the door you will cut first- the hinge jamb will be annoyingly in the way at that side- your stroke might be 1

How to get the bottom of a door off the floor?

Tightening up the screws of the top hinge might bring the bottom of the door off the floor. If not, loosening the screws of the bottom hinge and shimming that hinge a little bit might do it. Mostly, this is just to take up a little bit of space where the house is settled, the screws have loosened up a little bit etc.

What tool do I need to cut door jams?

I normally wouldn’t try that but if you are determined and have steady hand an oscillating tool like a fein tool or many of the new models made by Makita, Dewalt , Milwaukee would do the job. There is also a saw made by Crain for cutting door jambs when installing a new floor covering but unless you are a really experienced floorer I would not recommend that tool.

What is the edge guide on a saw table?

A good edge guide that your saw sits on top of, not only keeps your saw table from marking up the door, but it holds down the splinters that could be raised.

What to do if saw drifts out of straight edge?

Should the saw drift out from the straight edge during the cut, simply make another pass to clean up your initial cut. Assuming that the cut is above the solid wood section, which it almost always is, replace the solid wood section either with new wood, or reclaim the solid wood from your cut off piece.

What to do if your door is not solid?

u will find that the is a peace of wood in the bottom creating the frame take it out and cut the door as above and then replace the wood and make secure.

What do you need for a wood door?

depends on the door. with solid wood a planer or router gives a neat finish. both of which you can hire. most cuts feather off to nothing so a saw or circular blade will leave a rough edge. with the composite doors there may be staples which destroy your cutters and blades. with routers you need trestles, straight edge and clamps. with planers a door holder.

Can you use solid wood on a door?

3) Check the doors - solid wood are OK but newere doors have wooden blocks fitted on the hinge side (they are marked when new), and a block set for you to fit locks and handles etc. Make sure you mark which side is which (re-using a door you will see which side is the hinge and which the lock.

Can you re-adjust a carpenter?

Yeah, and when the carpenter has gone, you can re-adjust it and make it fit properly yourself!!!

How do I cut a door?

For cutting doors, use a straight edge jig clamped to the door bottom. I have one made of two pieces of 1/4" ply stapled together, a thin strip on top of a wider strip. The thin strip is the guide for the base plate of the saw, the wide strip marks the cutting edge of the saw blade, and also protects the surface of the door from being scratched by the base plate of the saw. Before clamping the jig to the door, put a piece of masking tape across the veneer where you will make the cut. Clamp the jig and then skor the tape and veneer with a knife following the edge of the jig. The circ saw with a sharp blade cuts through veneer cleanly on the bottom side.

Which is better, a cross cut saw or a hand saw?

A plain old cross cut hand saw would be a better choice.

What knife do I use to cut veneer?

I think that depends entirely upon your skill level. The only thing I would add is to cut the veneer on the good side of the cut line with a sharp utility knife.

Can I use a circular saw to score a door?

I'd use a circular. A jig saw isn't appropriate for this kind of work. I've had good luck on newer doors with a fine tooth Freud blades (40+ teeth), a clamp-on straight edge, and some green painter's tape to prevent chip-out. With an older door, I'd probably score the top first by setting the saw just to nick the surface and running it backwards across the door.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9