Interior Door - Notch for the Hinge
#1
10-12-07, 04:45 PM
Interior Door - Notch for the Hinge
I bought a new interior door and all the hardware to replace an existing door. How do I notch out the sid eof the door where the hing goes? A router? I have a dremel maybe there is an attachment?? Any other way that I am not thinking of? I can't imagine chiseling it out and having it look nice - well I could but that would take an hour or more.
I have to cut two inches off the bottom. I do not have a table saw but could borrow - how can I use a cuircular saw and get it exactly straight? If I do use a circular saw do I put the side I want a cleaner cut on facing down?
I have to cut two inches off the bottom. I do not have a table saw but could borrow - how can I use a cuircular saw and get it exactly straight? If I do use a circular saw do I put the side I want a cleaner cut on facing down?
#2
10-12-07, 06:42 PM
Group Moderator
Making a mortise with a chisel really isn't that hard. It's been done that way for years, and only with the advent of power tools have we become too lazy and unskilled to do things the old fashioned way.
If you'd like to try your hand at using the chisel, here's a couple pointers:
Carefully measuring the location of the hinges is critical! Usually you measure from the top of the jamb down to the top of the first, second and third hinges, then subtract 1/8" to allow for the 1/8" of clearance between the door and the top of the jamb.
If your door has a predrilled hole for the knob, you also need to consider it's placement. If you cut 2" off the bottom, that predrilled knob might end up being 2" lower than your latch, and you wouldn't be happy. If it's not predrilled, no worries.
As for mortising the hinges, compare the backset of the hinge to what you currently have. This will determine how close the door sits to the door stop.
When you are ready to mark the locations of the hinges, mark only the top edge of the hinge. Then mark the backset. Lay the hinge so that it rests on both marks. Predrill a pilot hole and install 1 or 2 screws to temporarily hold the hinge onto the door. Now trace around the hinge with a utility knife with a SHARP blade. (and don't cut yourself). Try to score about 1/8" deep. You've just made an outline for the hinge which will limit the amount of material your chisel removes. The hard part is over- the chiselling is easy, provided you own a sharp chisel.
When you use a chisel, the bevelled edge of the chisel should be down, the flat side should be up.
While I've mortised plenty of doors using power tools, there are still plenty of occasions where nothing beats a hammer and chisel.
Regarding how to cut the door off, the best thing to do is to lay the door flat and score a line on the door where you want the cut. Again, use a sharp utility knife and a metal straightedge to score the surface of the door. You might want to clamp the straightedge on each end so that it doesn't move. Once you've scored the surface of the door, you can clamp a straight board (like a 1x4) onto the door. Take note of how far away your skilsaw blade is from the edge of the foot (such as 1" or 1 1/2") and clamp your straightedge that far away from your cut line. The board will guide your saw along the line and prevent you from crossing the line you scored on the door. A nice 40-tooth carbide blade usually works well for cutting doors. The teeth will produce a clean cut as they come up through the door, and as long as the blade stays on the waste side of that line that you scored, it will produce a clean cut as it comes up through the door as well. The line you scored limits the amount of wood fibers that want to blow up through the surface. Some people have found that tape works well, but I prefer the method I've described.
You might want to put some duct tape on the bottom of your saw foot just in case it would want to scratch the door as you run the saw over it. If your door is hollow core, the waste that you cut off will need to be cleaned up, and reinserted into the bottom of the door, held with glue and clamps until it has been given plenty of time to dry. Ease the cut edges with some sandpaper and you're in business.
Prior to doing ANY of this, carefully checking the corners of the old door frame with a framing square and doing some measuring will help prevent you from cutting 2" off the bottom of the door, only to find out that the top needed an angle cut off of it, and the bottom should also have had an angle on it due to the out of square condition of the old opening.
Once you have the door cut to the correct size (and shape) it often works best to dry fit the door prior to mortising and mounting the hinges, or drilling the hole for the knob.
If you'd like to try your hand at using the chisel, here's a couple pointers:
Carefully measuring the location of the hinges is critical! Usually you measure from the top of the jamb down to the top of the first, second and third hinges, then subtract 1/8" to allow for the 1/8" of clearance between the door and the top of the jamb.
If your door has a predrilled hole for the knob, you also need to consider it's placement. If you cut 2" off the bottom, that predrilled knob might end up being 2" lower than your latch, and you wouldn't be happy. If it's not predrilled, no worries.
As for mortising the hinges, compare the backset of the hinge to what you currently have. This will determine how close the door sits to the door stop.
When you are ready to mark the locations of the hinges, mark only the top edge of the hinge. Then mark the backset. Lay the hinge so that it rests on both marks. Predrill a pilot hole and install 1 or 2 screws to temporarily hold the hinge onto the door. Now trace around the hinge with a utility knife with a SHARP blade. (and don't cut yourself). Try to score about 1/8" deep. You've just made an outline for the hinge which will limit the amount of material your chisel removes. The hard part is over- the chiselling is easy, provided you own a sharp chisel.
When you use a chisel, the bevelled edge of the chisel should be down, the flat side should be up.
While I've mortised plenty of doors using power tools, there are still plenty of occasions where nothing beats a hammer and chisel.
Regarding how to cut the door off, the best thing to do is to lay the door flat and score a line on the door where you want the cut. Again, use a sharp utility knife and a metal straightedge to score the surface of the door. You might want to clamp the straightedge on each end so that it doesn't move. Once you've scored the surface of the door, you can clamp a straight board (like a 1x4) onto the door. Take note of how far away your skilsaw blade is from the edge of the foot (such as 1" or 1 1/2") and clamp your straightedge that far away from your cut line. The board will guide your saw along the line and prevent you from crossing the line you scored on the door. A nice 40-tooth carbide blade usually works well for cutting doors. The teeth will produce a clean cut as they come up through the door, and as long as the blade stays on the waste side of that line that you scored, it will produce a clean cut as it comes up through the door as well. The line you scored limits the amount of wood fibers that want to blow up through the surface. Some people have found that tape works well, but I prefer the method I've described.
You might want to put some duct tape on the bottom of your saw foot just in case it would want to scratch the door as you run the saw over it. If your door is hollow core, the waste that you cut off will need to be cleaned up, and reinserted into the bottom of the door, held with glue and clamps until it has been given plenty of time to dry. Ease the cut edges with some sandpaper and you're in business.
Prior to doing ANY of this, carefully checking the corners of the old door frame with a framing square and doing some measuring will help prevent you from cutting 2" off the bottom of the door, only to find out that the top needed an angle cut off of it, and the bottom should also have had an angle on it due to the out of square condition of the old opening.
Once you have the door cut to the correct size (and shape) it often works best to dry fit the door prior to mortising and mounting the hinges, or drilling the hole for the knob.
#3
10-13-07, 05:27 AM
Great Write-Up
Thank you for the details. I can do it and I'm fairly anal so I generally do a nice job... but if I do not do it great I'll be dissappointed!!
I didn't mention the door knob but it does pose an issue. Of course I bought doors predrilled. The knob would be 36" from the floor. Cut 2" off the bottom and now it's 34" from the floor. The existing door's knob is 40" from the floor. Must be 36" is standard (and some in the home are 36")... the new knob will be considerable lower than the existing. I can notch out a new spot in the existing frame and patch the old - I plan to use 1/2" or whater size necessary drill bit and then chissle as needed.
Good point about looking for the top of the frame to be square - I would not have done that before I cut 2" from the bottom.
I didn't mention the door knob but it does pose an issue. Of course I bought doors predrilled. The knob would be 36" from the floor. Cut 2" off the bottom and now it's 34" from the floor. The existing door's knob is 40" from the floor. Must be 36" is standard (and some in the home are 36")... the new knob will be considerable lower than the existing. I can notch out a new spot in the existing frame and patch the old - I plan to use 1/2" or whater size necessary drill bit and then chissle as needed.
Good point about looking for the top of the frame to be square - I would not have done that before I cut 2" from the bottom.
#4
10-13-07, 07:26 AM
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Porter Cable makes a great little hinge mortising template, that is adjustable to several size hinges. It costa about 20 bucks or so, but it is a great tool to have when you need it.
It comes with the appropriate router bit that should fit in you
dremel.
The mortise cuts are perfect.
As for cutting your doors straight, securely clamp a straight edge across the door and run the saw base against it. Thats it- no tricks except for accounting for the distance from you saw blade to the straight edge.
Is your door is a hollow core door ? If so, then you should be aware that you may very well cut the door's bottom framing member completely off, leaving a void that you will have to fill.
It comes with the appropriate router bit that should fit in you
dremel.
The mortise cuts are perfect.
As for cutting your doors straight, securely clamp a straight edge across the door and run the saw base against it. Thats it- no tricks except for accounting for the distance from you saw blade to the straight edge.
Is your door is a hollow core door ? If so, then you should be aware that you may very well cut the door's bottom framing member completely off, leaving a void that you will have to fill.
