New doors have grown in the last 35 years

[Wild Turkey]

LOML decided we needed some new luan doors (35 years and two boys and misc. pets have taken their toll on the originals)

So I go to the lumberyard that supplied the originals (same guys still behind the counter ) and order replacement slabs.

Got the Lufkin door knob/hinge guide kit (that's a whole nother rant ) and did the hinge and door latch routing, drilling, etc.

Then tried to hang the first one.

It's a quarter-inch too large

Likewise for all the others.

So now I'm trying to decide between table saw, jointer or hand planer to take off the excess.

But first I'll have to reroute the hinge notches a quarter inch deeper.

This simple little project has taken forever

[CLETUS]

Hmmm.... my house is 40 years old. This year I'm replacing doors, trim and casing so size doesn't really matter. But now you've got me wondering.

[mike4244]

Remove the excess from the lock side,the latch will still work.
Most doors today have rails 4-1/4" wide.Used to be wider,up to 5+" if I recall.
If you remove 1/8" from each side and re-rout the hinges ,the rails will appear symetrical.
I would plane each side, remove the excess any way that you are comfortable doing.I have seen carpenters that are not familiar with a plane,hand or power,saw the excess off.If you do this,install a rip blade. Clamp a straight edge. Bevel the hinge side 1° or leave square.
The lock side is beveled 3° for doors up to 1-3/4" thick.One note,saw the bevels on a scrap 2 x first. The vernier angle settings on circular saws are not particularly accurate.You could make a jig from scrap with the angles on opposite ends by cutting on a miter saw.This will assist you in getting the correct angles.
With the right blade no sanding is necessary.
mike

[Cub_Cadet_GT]

Track saw is your friend for trimming doors.

[Wild Turkey]

Cub_Cadet_GT said:

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Track saw is your friend for trimming doors.

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Yeah, but this project is way over budget already


mike4244 -- they're flat luan veneer hollow core so trimming one side won't unbalance them.

Just be a pain in the neck.

and lower back.

[Robert Adams]

Replacement door slabs are all a little wide and tall. Remember to cut a 3* angle on the latch side. I have had a few in our house have slab doors fit with no trimming so I don't worry about the taper then.

I run them through the table saw when It's convenient to. Otherwise a circular saw or track saw as mentioned.

[Curlycherry]

I don't think I have ever installed a non-pre hung door that didn't need at least 1/8" take off of the long side. Only pre-hungs come fit to the jambs. Porter cable power planer to the rescue. It is the only thing (just about) that I use mine for.

[theeviltwinn]

Slabs always need to be cut to size. A 3-0 slab is a full 36" wide while a 3-0 door is only 35-3/4".

It's usually faster to buy a pre-hung and throw the frame away.

Twinn

[John Mihich]

I found that out last summer. Someone mentioned it allowed for trimming.

I just replaced our back door. Side to side was fine. The new door was 1/4 taller - that was the jam. And of course the header was right in the way. Something that should have been a 1/2 job turned into an hour because I had to trim 1/4" off the header; back door is metal.

[Wild Turkey]

theeviltwinn said:

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It's usually faster to buy a pre-hung and throw the frame away.

Twinn

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but about $100 higher