6 panel Dutch door

[JSUPreston]

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...

Ahh, but I recently have had a student loan come due. That, with some other expenses, leaves me with valuing my money more than my aggravation. Plus, anything I can do myself justifies any tool purchases I might have to make.

[cabinetman]

Ahh, but I recently have had a student loan come due. That, with some other expenses, leaves me with valuing my money more than my aggravation. Plus, anything I can do myself justifies any tool purchases I might have to make.

I don't blame you one bit. Sometimes it's the path of least resistance (cost). If it takes modifying an existing door, or cutting the wall, do what it takes.

.

[chopnhack]

What happened to tropicalarcadians post's? There were three that I responded to, but all I see are my responses all in a row now? Kinda odd, like I am talking to myself

Another option that I don't think was discussed was putting vents into the existing doors. Much cheaper than buying and hanging a new door and alot cleaner and less aggravating that knocking out the block/patching the drywall. Don't know if this would be enough open area, but it looks cheap enough to try.



http://www.ec-securehost.com/positiv...tml#PEDoorVent

[JSUPreston]

What happened to tropicalarcadians post's? There were three that I responded to, but all I see are my responses all in a row now? Kinda odd, like I am talking to myself

Another option that I don't think was discussed was putting vents into the existing doors. Much cheaper than buying and hanging a new door and alot cleaner and less aggravating that knocking out the block/patching the drywall. Don't know if this would be enough open area, but it looks cheap enough to try.



http://www.ec-securehost.com/positiv...tml#PEDoorVent

We looked at that, but there's not enough room at the bottom of the door since it had to be cut down to fit the opening. I was originally going to replace one or both of the top panels with vents, but didn't like how it would look.

[cabinetman]

We looked at that, but there's not enough room at the bottom of the door since it had to be cut down to fit the opening. I was originally going to replace one or both of the top panels with vents, but didn't like how it would look.

Are you still leaning to convert your door to dutch?

.

[JSUPreston]

Wife says to do the vent over the doorway. I've been thinking about how to attack it. I think I'll come in from the study side, which is paneled. I can take out a section relatively easy. Then, I can assess the blocks to see what to take out. Once the block(s) is/are out, I can drill a few reference holes through the back side of the sheetrock and only take out what is necessary to make the opening.

Once the opening is made, I'll make a "duct" out of scraps that I have in the shop and have the "duct" flush to the rock and the paneling.

I appreciate all the advice. I was trying to avoid doing it this way, but it's the best and most affordable of the options.

[chopnhack]

Good for you, at least it will blend in as normal! Before you starting drilling, have you found a standard size grille that will fit?

[cabinetman]

Good for you, at least it will blend in as normal! Before you starting drilling, have you found a standard size grille that will fit?

Good question. The box stores have a pretty good selection. Besides two grilles, a short section of ducting will be in order.

.

[Rslaugh]

...... The less we tear up, the less there is to put together.

What fun is that?

[JSUPreston]

Good for you, at least it will blend in as normal! Before you starting drilling, have you found a standard size grille that will fit?

Going to have to do a little exploratory surgery to find out what I'm in for.

Thankfully, grills are cheap. I can't remember if I said it before, but projects like this allow me to justify tools I already have, and sometimes will let me get a new one or two.

[pelligrini]

check out King metals http://www.kingmetals.com/Home.aspx for a decorative screen, A wood lattice might look nice too. Most of the grills I've seen in the box stores are pretty fugly.

[tropicalarcadian]

Is a "duct" necessary? It's just for air flow. There's no need to cut rebar and build a duct box if it's not going to suck air from the wrong places.

[seahawk]

Making Hollow core into Dutch door

A few years ago I did exactly what you are describing, and it came out very well. I had a plain hollow core door, and made it into dutch. It was rather easy, and came out pretty well.

The only "gotcha" was the initial cutting the door in half. The door skin, luan, tends to tear out as you move across with little support. I made the initial cut, in half, with a circular saw, then trimmed to final size with a quality plywood blade after I had made the "plug" that slides into the hollow section.

After the door is cut, I found the center section was perfectly rectangular. There was only some corrugated cardboard in the center. I cut out only what I needed. Made a "plug" for the hollow part about 3 inches long, and slidd it in, then trimmed the door halves to final length, allowing for an additional "cap" on each of the new ends. The bottom half received a piece of 1x4, which was flush on one side, and proud on the other. Top received 1x2, which was trimmed flush on both sides. Also had to add a hinge to the new Top section, as well as a sliding bolt to hold them together.

Summary: You will need a really good plywood blade for a clean cut, and recommend using masking tape on the cut line to minimize plywood tear-out. Making the plug for the center was a bit fiddley. Make proud, and cut it down just a bit at a time until it fits snug.

From start to end, about 3 hours.

Sorry no pics. Door was later replaced in another room re-model.

Post pics,

Seahawk

[JSUPreston]

SWMO said I had to finish the closet remodel for my older son before starting on this project. Gave me time to think, and I believe I know what my problem is, and it's an easy fix.

For cosmetic purposes, when I replace a door, I've been setting the gap between the door and floor as tight as possible. According to some research, in rooms that do not have a return (basically my entire house), the amount of gap between the door and floor should be equal to the square inch size of the room register. In other words, if I have a register in a room that is 3"x3" (or 9" sq.), the the gap between the door and floor of that room needs to be equal to 9" sq. If my rough math is correct, a 36" door would need about 1/4" gap to equalize the pressure. That being said, most folks are stopping at about 3/4" gap height. A few are going 1", but that seems excessive.

I know I need to make the gap on the door for the room with the return bigger. Due to house settling, the door wouldn't open all the way even if I didn't have a cabinet behind it. The door starts dragging just as the door gets to the cabinet. I think I'll take at least 1/2" off of the bottom and report back.

[pelligrini]

I think you're going to need more than 1/2". If I understand it correctly your return is in the study, behind the door in question. Is that the only return air for the AC?

Undercutting the door will help.