New carpet installed. Now I need to cut the door

[space-time]

Thrift Store Scott wrote:
[quote=Cary]
Is the door hollow core or solid wood?

That was my question since it wasn't stated and most of the advice offered is for hollow core doors.
I don't know yet (we didn't move in yet, so I cannot check right now, I can check later tonight).

Even if it is hollow core, I assume there is a solid piece of wood at the bottom.

Suppose there was a solid piece of wood, how would that make cutting any different?

And if I end up with a hole after I cut the door, I plan to insert and glue some wood in there anyway. Assuming I find the right material.

[NewtonMP2100]

....remember don't munch....the carpet......

[Thrift Store Scott]

space-time wrote:
[quote=Thrift Store Scott]
[quote=Cary]
Is the door hollow core or solid wood?

That was my question since it wasn't stated and most of the advice offered is for hollow core doors.
I don't know yet (we didn't move in yet, so I cannot check right now, I can check later tonight).

Even if it is hollow core, I assume there is a solid piece of wood at the bottom.

Suppose there was a solid piece of wood, how would that make cutting any different?

And if I end up with a hole after I cut the door, I plan to insert and glue some wood in there anyway. Assuming I find the right material.
You're correct about hollow core doors having solid wood on the top and bottom as well as both sides. I meant as opposed to all-solid panel doors, which are usually made of considerably harder wood if not actual "hardwood", such as are found in older homes up to about the 1940s or so.

[space-time]

OK so a hardwood would be more difficult to cut. House is 1988, I bet is hollow core.

[Paul F.]

If it was a solid wood door, you'd know it the first time it was slammed... the whole house would shake.
Even foam-core doors have a wide strip of wood at the bottom for "trimming"... as long as you're not "trimming" more than an inch or two, you should be good.

[Cary]

space-time wrote:
OK so a hardwood would be more difficult to cut. House is 1988, I bet is hollow core.

Hardwood is actually easier to cut - it won't splinter as easily. Most hollow core doors use a masonite or fiber board skin that splinter badly - need to take more care and score the skin and cut on the waste side of the cut.

House being built in 1988 does not determine whether doors are hollow or solid core.

If it's hollow core, and if you cut off enough that there is no filler left on the bottom, just strip off the face and reuse the filler that you just cut off - use some carpenter's glue and clamp the faces to the filler.

[Racer X]

Solid doors make a far better fire break.

[NewtonMP2100]

......just make sure one is on an official 'break'.....before dating someone else.....it might cause issues.....

[Carm]

From experience, the bottom of the door has 2-3 inches of wood for stability/trimming. If you do cut to much, you can always fill the void with the bottom piece that was cut out, just remove the particle board from both sides.