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threeapples

Anyone lengthen a door by adding a strip of wood to the bottom?

threeapples
11 years ago

if the door was painted, did it turn out well (invisible seam)? our doors were hung with an inch between them and the floor and the huge space is bugging me since i expected a tighter one. the trim guys won't remove the jambs and redo them so my only option is to add wood with bond-o to the bottom of the doors. will this be ok or will it become obvious over time? these are solid core wood doors that will be painted. thanks.

Comments (9)

  • kirkhall
    11 years ago

    Does it need to be a larger space for proper ventilation/air movement between rooms when the doors are closed? (is it a necessary component of your ventilation or HVAC operation?)

  • threeapples
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    nope, it's not necessary for our HVAC. it doesn't look how i want it to (no disrespect to those who like large gaps beneath their doors) so i really want it corrected. and, don't worry, there won't be carpet near the doors.

  • athensmomof3
    11 years ago

    We have gaps like that in a few areas. I wasn't happy either, but thankfully it is not on all our doors. I would be concerned that trying to fix them from the bottom would either not look right, either now or in the future as the wood expands/contracts, or that it would throw off the proportions of the doors (if they are paneled, etc.).

    I do think these sorts of things are things that really bug you during construction but won't bug you down the road when you are not looking at every tiny detail. The ones like that in our house are in our back hall and frankly I haven't given it another thought after we moved in.

  • renovator8
    11 years ago

    Traditionally a larger door undercut allows a door to open over a carpet but it is rarely greater than the standard 5/8". When a large undercut is specified a door "saddle" is usually installed to fill the gap. People today don't like saddles especially for wheelchairs so carpets must be kept clear of doors or recessed into wood flooring.

    Adding a strip is easy but it should be secured with fasteners and glue.

  • rrah
    11 years ago

    I would assume your flooring is not yet in place. Once flooring is in that one inch gap will be smaller.

  • kirkhall
    11 years ago

    I was thinking the same as rrah--is your flooring all in?

  • threeapples
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    yes, the flooring is in. it looks bad when you look down the hallway and see all these big gaps (one inch). the double doors to the master bedroom look the worst because they are at the end of the hallway and, when the light is on in there it will seep under the door. not to mention, the sound that will come out from this space, especially given i have two kids and their doors are high off the ground as well. i guess i thought since this was a custom house the gaps would be tight, but in fact they are much larger than my small, non-custom home's door clearances. my doors look like they are wearing flood pants :)

  • chiefneil
    11 years ago

    It should look fine initially depending on the skill of the person doing the work. Over time the seam might start to show depending on the material and construction of your door, and the material of the piece used to extend it.

    If the seam does start to show, I suspect you'd be the only one to ever notice it. If it bothers you that much, go ahead and fix it.

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