How much can I chop down an old front door to make it fit?

[matt1098]

Thanks for any help in advance

I would like to buy an old pine front door which is quite large: 94 cm wide by 214cm high. It is 4.5cm thick. It is constructed using mortice and tenon joints and I would like to take 2-3cm off each side reducing its width to approx 89-90cm and reduce its height by maybe 10cm.

The door will be my front door but will be behind another external double glazed door. It will therefore not be exposed to the elements. Can anyone advise whether what I propose is do-able

 

[big-all]

1/2 inch off the sides and top max and 3/4 bottom
anymore the door starts looking stupid and looses strength

12mm all round and 20mm at the bottom

 

[matt1098]

Thanks Big all- so I can take off max 24mm in total off the width and 34mm off the height? This is the door Ive got in mind (bit pricey I admit- but the glass is what weve been looking for for ages)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200360856933&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Thanks again

 

[cmother1]

If the door has particularly wide stiles you might get away with the width, but the amount you need to take off the top and bottom would almost certainly cut across the mortice and tenon joints, severely weakening the door. Given the price of the door it's not a gamble I'd want to take.

 

[big-all]

for that price you can have a custom made door with a custom made panel if you get the panel made by a local craft group doing stained glass and have it fitted with change lol

 

[joe-90]

You should check out your local auction house. I've yet to see a door make over £200 and many of them are very nice. Most go for less than £50.

BTW, how do you know the door you are buying hasn't already been trimmed down? Those sides look a bit narrow to me.

 

[matt1098]

Thanks for the replies guys- I agree the price is steep (ive made a lower offer). You do see doors make little money but normally the glazing is ugly or nothing special. Decent period stained glass panels cost £750 plus to have comissioned so it may be marginal

 

[masona]

Shop around for a few quotes, you need to find someone who does stained glass as a hobby which will be cheaper, have you thought above doing this hobby yourself? It's a fantastic hobby which I now enjoyed, done 10 2hrs lessons cost £180 and saved loads of money doing myself, I have posted some of my stained glass in my album, the front door is double glazed with the stained glass inside it. The door you will buy will not be double glazed but that doesn't matter anyway

 

[matt1098]

Shop around for a few quotes, you need to find someone who does stained glass as a hobby which will be cheaper, have you thought above doing this hobby yourself? It's a fantastic hobby which I now enjoyed, done 10 2hrs lessons cost £180 and saved loads of money doing myself, I have posted some of my stained glass in my album, the front door is double glazed with the stained glass inside it. The door you will buy will not be double glazed but that doesn't matter anyway

Thanks Masona- had a look at your album- love the stained glass you have done. I havent the time and also dont have anything other than the front door that I could do so I suspect after the tools, materials lessons and time investment it wouldnt be worthwhile- but I love seeing what can be done

 

[The-brickie]

Crikey, I'd be too scared to cut that down... I'd probably find it easier to cut a new hole and throw in a lintel...


And still have some change

 

[masona]

matt1098 - just another thought, you can buy 2nd hand stained glass from most glass shop or ebay etc, then buy a door with a window opening so you can have the stained glass altered or made bigger to fit into the door by extra border colour glass or whatever, done this twice for a friend.