What can I do about pocket doors that are blocked by floor tiles?
Could you cut out the bottom (1/4-1/2 inch) on a pocket door while it is still in the frame? What tools would you use? How would you make sure cut is straight?
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You could use a vibrating saw, but the cut, as your next question implies, will be ragged unless you clamp a guide on the door.– Richard RaustadSep 7, 2013 at 3:24
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Ideally, you should take the door off and use a power planer to remove small amounts from the bottom. The one at harbor freight is dirt cheap and could do a small job like this.– Evil ElfSep 7, 2013 at 15:23
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5 Answers
Shave the bottom of the pocket door so it clears the tile. You have about an inch and a half of plug inside the hollow core door to trim. Don't shave more than 3/4" off the bottom. If you can, trim equal amounts off the top and bottom.
answered Sep 7, 2013 at 2:37
The face of hollow core doors can be easily cut with a couple passes of a utility knife.
Do that first on both sides
Then use a recip saw like a sawzall to cut the whitewood. Leave a 1/16 inch margin. Use blocking on the floor for a level cut.
I'm years late to the party; I just came across this question. I'd use an undercut saw (a/k/a a jamb saw). An online search will show you images, and you'll see exactly how they work. They're made specifically for cutting a narrow slice off the underside of baseboards or door jambs, plinth blocks, &c. so that a (higher) floor can run under them. They're a specialty tool so I don't know about renting. A good flooring installer will likely have one.
I just did this myself. I have a pocket door that is NOT coming out, and in order to tile under it I needed to shave about a quarter inch off the bottom. I ended up renting a Crain jam saw for like $30 to do most of the damage. It cut most of it, but in order to get the rest of the door back in the frame I used a kobalt multi use saw to finish the cut. Its a bit of a pain, but if you want to get it done you'll work through it. Didn't have to rip out any wall, and my door is cut properly.
