Problem with a Front Door

[ChrisTurner2]

Hi
I need to buy a new front door and I'm going to get someone to help me fit it. I'm hoping I can get some advice here.

I'm looking for a timber door. The current one is an odd size. It measures 1990mm x 810mm. The only door I can find that I think might be suitable is one from Wickes that measures 1981 mm x 838 mm. It states that it's trimmable up to 24mm. The door frame is solid wood so I'm thinking along the following lines:

1. Add a 9mm thick piece of wood to the top of the door frame to act as a kind of spacer so that the door height fits correctly.

2, Trim the width of the door down by 12mm on each side to make it 814mm. Then somehow plane down the frame (not sure how this would be done with the frame in place) by about 4mm to get it to fit.

Any thoughts or advise on the above plan or possible alternatives would be much appreciated.

TIA,
Chris

 

[JohnD]

I find Wickes doors quite serviceable, but you can get better. They are usually veneer on a core of inferior wood. I think you need to start with a 2000mm or thereabouts high door.

You may want to consider changing the frame as well. This will help you get a better job.

Is the door exposed to the weather, or does it have at least an open porch?

Do you have a budget in mind?

Near me is a large college which runs joinery courses. Any of the successful students can make a door in a day, but you'd want to see a sample first. I've been pleased with the work I've had done, to traditional standards and skills.

 

[ChrisTurner2]

Hi John. Thanks for the reply. I agree re a 2000mm high front door would be ideal but I can't find any. They're all either 1981mm or significantly larger.

The door is on the front of a porch. We don't really need a frame. We're just looking for a simple, cost effective replacement door right now. Getting one made from solid wood sounds great but I'm guessing the cost would be quite high for that. I also need it in the next few days so that probably wouldn't work.

Do you think adding a 'spacer' at the top of the frame and trimming/planing the side of it is a workable plan?

Thanks.

 

[JohnD]

as it's exposed to the weather, I wouldn't try to change the top.

you could put a batten on the bottom, and add a timber weatherbar, which will shed rain and hide the join.

paint the door and the bar first, and fix the bar with a few long screws from the inside, so there are no outside holes to get wet.

the top and bottom of a door are most likely to suffer from wet, and are most often neglected when the door is painted.

 

[conny]

Make sure when you screw from inside that you screw in to the lower half of the weather bar where it is thickest.
You will need to line it up with the door fitted first. From the outside, cut the bar to length and whilst holding it in position, draw a thin pencil line across the top edge.
This will give you your fixing position. Clamp the end that is on the open side and have someone to hold the hinge end in position while you screw from the inside. Make sure it is not resting on the threshold when you position it or you will have problems with it sticking if it swells.

 

[Notch7]

Any thoughts or advise on the above plan or possible alternatives would be much appreciated

Fit an aluminium threshold which reduces the door height.

Something like this:
https://www.toolstation.com/stormgu...AAXtJZGZm_JtnZL-bFyzJxWmPvff-bS4aAuXrEALw_wcB

 

[ChrisTurner2]

Thanks to everyone who's responded. I've now posted the job to the My Builder website along with photos. I'm going to add the above suggestions (re the bar, screws and threshold) to the post.