I am making a set of Dutch Doors for my mother.
I am making a set of Dutch Doors for my mother. They have three dogs and two cats. Sometimes they want to shut the doors to the bedrooms to keep their pets out. They have an evaporative cooler and a pellet stove in the back bedroom. So, they also want to keep the bedroom doors open for heating and cooling. A set of Dutch Doors is the perfect solution. This is the first blog post in a three-part series about our Dutch Door project.
“So, they also want to keep the bedroom doors open for heating and cooling. A set of Dutch Doors is the perfect solution. This is the first blog post in a three-part series about our Dutch Door project.”
The First part to making a Dutch Door is to cut the door in half. To do this you will need a sturdy work bench and 2 sawhorses. I used my table saw for a work bench and supported the door with two Haul-Master roller stands. But any work bench and a set of good sawhorses will do. You just don’t want the door to fall on the ground after you cut it.
The next thing you will need is a tape measure and a good straight edge to mark your cut line in the middle of the door. Remember to measure twice and cut once. You will need to measure from the door handle hole to the bottom of the top panel. My door measured three inches. So, I marked the door and drew a line at one and a half inches from the bottom of the top panel on the door.
Now you will need to clamp a cutting guide to the door to ensure a strait cut. I used a 48-inch Aluminum I-Beam Level and two 6-inch clutch style clamps to firmly secure it to the door. Another clamp is also necessary to secure the top section of the door to the work bench.
Once you have measured twice and tightened all three of the clamps it time to cut the door. I used a Black+Decker Circular Saw to cut the door in half. Remember to go slow and cut as straight as possible. The I-Beam Level will help you to stay on your cut line.
You can get started now or you can wait for my next blog post for some tips on how to fill the gap in the hollow core door.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
The Bessey Clutch Style Bar clamps and the Black+Decker circular saw used in this blog post and video can be purchased at Amazon. If you are interested in purchasing these item you can click on the Amazon Shop now button in the links on the left.
The Hart 48" Aluminum I-Beam level was bought at Walmart.
The two Haul-Master roller stands were purchased from Harbor Freight.