My colonial style bi-fold doors are too wide for the closet opening and will not shut completely. I want to cut about a quarter inch off of both doors....Which side of each door should I cut and what should I use to cut them. I have a skill saw but the doors are 6 feet long and I am no expert with a skill saw. Any advise will be appreciated...thanks

 

mmmmm...Skilsaw's not gonna cut it here very well (sorry bout that, Chief). Unless yer really really good with it and have an 80" straight edge to use. Best would be a table saw. Take basically a kerf width off the outside edges of each set of doors (if more than one set), not the hinge side. If you cut the hinge side you may have an issue with re-setting the hinges, depending on what type they are. Just don't try to cut only one edge, they won't fold right.

If you do decide to use the skilsaw, put masking/painters tape on the bottom of the shoe, to avoid marking up the door.

 

Another alternative would be to hit it with a door planer. 3 or 4 passes on each outside edge should do the trick.

You could use a Skil saw but you would have to use a carefully set guide and follow the other advice given above. Then you would have to clean it up with a hand plane or a door planer anyway since the resulting cut would be pretty rough.

Let me add, are you sure it's only 1/4 inch? If so, the doors should be able to just about close right now albiet with a fair amount of resistance and no gaps anywhere. Don't forget that you have to allow for the center reveal plus a larger reveal at both outside edges to allow for the square part of the door to rotate around the hinge axis and not rub the jamb.

 

Most circular saws come with a ripping guide that slides into/on the saw and tightened down with a thumb screw. These do work quite well as Ive cut down many bi-folds and other doors by using the guide. Just takle your time and dont force the saw. Be sure your blade is sharp.
I do put masking tape on the shoe to avoid damage to the doors as well as along the line Im cutting. Once I make the cut, I sand the edges to remove the sharp edge.

 

That's fine unless you're only cutting 1/8 inch. That narrow and you have the fence touching the blade.

 

Weinerville - What you have here is a tool buying opportunity! I use a Bosch power planer to trim doors. Just clamp the door to a bench or sawhorse and three or four passes and you're done.

If a power planer isn't in the budget, a hand planer will do the same job for a lot less money. It just takes a bit longer.

 

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He did say " I want to cut about a quarter inch off of both doors"
The fence guide will cover that gap without a problem.!!
Been there, done that!!