6 panel Dutch door

[JSUPreston]

It looks like I need to convert a hollow core 6 panel interior door into a Dutch door. We've been replacing doors in the house over the past several years, and have "standardized" on the 6 panel units that the BORG sells.

The one I need to convert is between my living room and study on what used to be an exterior concrete block wall. When my new HVAC was installed a few years ago, the returns were put in the study due to lack of room in the attic in the rest of the house. The study is a room that sits directly between the living room and the master bedroom, so in effect it's almost a 12'x20' hallway, with the doors being on the long walls. Sometimes we need to close of the room to separate the dogs, but when the A/C kicks on, it's stressing the system too much when the door is closed.

I looked into cutting the door up a little to put through vents in it, but don't like how it looks when I do a mock up. So, the alternative is either convert the door or knock out blocks on that wall and do a lot of sheet rock work (which I HATE!!!).

Has anyone on here done this? I know that I'm going to have to put in filler blocks once I cut the door and redo a couple of hinges. Looking for any "gotchas" that I might run across, or if you have any pics.

I know I could go to the BORG and get another slab and cut it up, but I hate to waste the door I already have, plus I don't want to have to relocate the knob or any hinges unless I absolutely have to.

[chopnhack]

At the very least you will have to add one hinge and probably will want to buy a slide bolt to keep the two halves together when not in use. Is resale value of concern? If it is, you may want to bother with the drywall. Peculiar situations like this make home buyers ask many more questions and concerns brew...

[chopnhack]

The op mentioned that the wall is block......
If he had attic space then he could use this method on the ceiling as well, but he mentions that the ac installers didnt have the space to do so.

[chopnhack]

LOL, your in good company there I could only do one thing at a time today and only in slow speed...

Sorry JSU, no solution yet.

[tropicalarcadian]

If you do knock out blocks, you could be careful to cut the sheetrock to follow the outline of a block, then knock out single blocks so that you're not trying to chisel a square into concrete, speaking of which, it's much cleaner and easier to use a chisel to take out a specific block. When you smash with a hammer you don't know when or where the block will break, but you can have more control over the where the block breaks with a chisel. The less we tear up, the less there is to put together.

[chopnhack]

Its possible, but he did mention that this was an exterior wall. He might have rebar or poured cells. They do make sensors that scan deeply for rebar - often to check placement of such after a home is constructed.
I don't know if he can rent one, but that would probably be a good first step if he should decide to knock out some blocks.

Another thought: JSU is in 'bama and not knowing their building codes, but down here in Florida masonry structures usually have a tie beam or bond beam. The tie beam is the last two rows of the masonry in which they use special knock out blocks. These are blocks with lowered sides so that you can place horizontal rebar in them and then pour them solid. Another possibility is that it was formed and poured. If he has a situation like that he would want to shoot for a return closer to the floor.

[JSUPreston]

House was built when our neighborhood was out in the country and I can guaranteed that it wouldn't meet a lot of existing code these days.

Resale isn't too much of a concern right now since it would take one heck of a job offer to get me to move.

The doorway that I'm looking at doing this to was originally a window. When the study and master bedroom/bath were added on, they knocked out just enough block to make the opening a doorway. It was a 2 day ordeal to install a new door several years ago, which is why I'd only consider modifying the existing door and frame.

If I were to modify the wall above the doorway, I would have to take out sheetrock on one side, at least one block, and then redo the paneling on the other side, I don't relish the idea of modifying the wall and fighting with the furring strips on both sides, etc. I'll bounce it by my wife and see what she thinks. If that's the route she would rather go, I'll do it. It would look better than the 6 panel Dutch, IMHO.

SWMBO and I were talking about the slide bolts, hinges and possibly a 2nd knob before I posted on here.

BTW, the return duct was hand built on site to fit. The only other logical place in the house to put it would have been where the installers had to cut a new attic access. The old access was a 2' square opening, which is now underneath the return duct.

I'm thankful for the house and the great lease-to-own situation that I'm in, but sometimes an older house is a real PITA.

[LCHIEN]

just a thought, have you looked at a louvered door?
== airflow
<> dog traffic
?? sound isolation

http://www.masonite.com/product_learnMoreWoodLouver.php

louvered dutch door:
http://www.vintagedoors.com/dutch_louver.html

[JSUPreston]

Looked into a louvered door, but couldn't find one locally. Everything I could find was bi-fold. The previous door was a bifold, and we didn't like it at all.

[cabinetman]

Looked into a louvered door, but couldn't find one locally. Everything I could find was bi-fold. The previous door was a bifold, and we didn't like it at all.

Home Depot...Montgomery area (4 stores) shows these interior slab louver doors online.

.

[LCHIEN]

so, louvered interior slab door. locally available, solves the airflow problem, solves the dog problem what else do you need?

[chopnhack]

so, louvered interior slab door. locally available, solves the airflow problem, solves the dog problem what else do you need?

A jig to cut the angled louver slots!! Did you see the price of the doors.. over $300 for particle board

[cabinetman]

A jig to cut the angled louver slots!! Did you see the price of the doors.. over $300 for particle board

I've made louvered panels, and it's one huge PITA. If that's the decision, it might be worth shopping for the best price on a door ready to go.


.

[JSUPreston]

Yeah, the price for a 36" door turned me off to it.

I presented some of your opinions to SWMBO. Looks like sheetrock work is in the near future. I don't have a lot of room to work, but hopefully removing one block will give me the air flow I need. I plan on boxing in the opening to help with the air flow and keeping from pulling insulation and other stuff through.

[LCHIEN]

sounds worth $300 to avoid sheetrock work and/or louver work to buy a premade door. Maybe you don't value your time and aggravation avoidance enough...