Cutting Off Exterior Metal Door

Mcdonoughman

I laid some tile in a kitchen and need to cut off the metal french door leading to the deck. Any tricks of doing this. Thanks!

Burby

Might not be what you want to hear but... Based on what you offered above I would guess the floor is now to high for the door to swing properly.
If the new tile floor is to high for the door to open / close properly, cutting the door will allow the swing, but now ya have a problem with the margin between the door & threshold once closed...
Either switch to an outswing door or remove & raise the existing door, if its condition is worth the labor to do this.
Depending on what part of the country you are in, metal doors are best used as a walk out door in a garage if at all. That is my opinion cause here in the S/E metal doors never last long unless inland enough from the coast, even then their life is very limited.
It would be a great time for the H/O to upgrade to a fiberglass unit.

That is what I would do or offer for info, cause cutting a metal door, even if would do the trick, I personally would not want the liability of doing so.

Wish I had better Turkey Day info to offer you..

But remember, the above is only "my" opinion, others may have another solution for you.

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genecarp

Grinder. with metal cutting wheel, take your time.

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A W Smith

so what happens to the vinyl sweep or threshold afterward? do you have pictures?

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rbsremodeling

I usually cut a piece of wood and put in the bottom and screw a new sweep on the bottom of the door.

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plazaman

cut grind, new sweep... really no need to go through all that work just to lift the door 1/4 inch

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Mcdonoughman

I cut off the door w/ no problem. I do have a gap now between door and theshhold. I guess I will cut out threshold and raise it up some

genecarp

Or, custom fabricate new threshold and lay over existing..

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j_builder

How about just adding a 1 3/4" door shoe...just a thought.

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Burby

If only a reasonable margin, G is correct instead of cutting existing threshold and getting into to the problem of disturbing the moisture seal / pan flashing that should be below. You never did say how much had to be cut off door. Depending on how much build up you did as well as the height of bottom of door to start with. It could be only a 1/4" up to 1".

Let me explain a bit more. This don;t just pertain to doors, any construction project I reply to.
I probably suggest a bit more than some do, but is because of I work 2 different lines of work, I guess, would be a way of saying it. Not saying others are right or wrong and or depending on what your customers will or won't accept. Not that my way is better than any other, just based on over 30 years of my experience.
Because of doing litigation work as well as upper end Construction.
So many doors I have changed out, have been because with time, H/Os got tired of never having a scatter rug in front of their door to wipe feet when entering, no joke, I can;t count the number of doors for this reason alone. In brand new homes as well. So many doors are installed just a 1/2 inch or less above finished floor making it impossible to have a decent scatter or throw rug in front of the door. Even if the customer loved their new floor at first, with time this seemed to always be an issue I would hear when asked what I could do to change this. Or if I changed a door for one H/O not long after, I received calls from several of their friends asking me to do the same for them as they thought they had to live with this problem. Listen to customers complaints of other workers and one can develop a better company. Customers are what make our Companies what they end up being. The simplest things can offer you a Customer base to keep you working thru the hardest of times, cause if there is a house, there is work as with healthcare.
Equally so, (especially here in the Southeast), I have done so many repair jobs pertaining to wood decay to the band joist under doors that have been tampered with to make work and or improper flashing pans.

There are a lot of Contractors out here that are starting out & or growing and wanting to grow in ways to always better themselves & their Company.
In these trying times we are in, this will break a lot of Companies, come back in the next year and see how many are still here self employed.
So if I can offer anything to anyone I try. As any of you know, for as many that are here, there are that many different ways to do the same job.
Having worked in litigation for the years I did, I learnt so much, from mistakes of others, regardless of the reason. So if I can help others by passing on things that could better their company & lives in general, I try to. None of which has to be followed, it don't matter to me if laughed at or ignored, but to some they will give some consideration. Depending on their part of the country and or knowledge of Contractors being or have been drug into a law suit, or dealing with what they believe to be difficult customers, it just may help them.
I still work today because I love my work, always have. I could have stayed retired, but due to customers request I returned to work, but work limited, 4 day work weeks if that & only for customers that understand the work schedule I choose to have. Once in a while depending on circumstances I will take on a new customer if referred to me by a long standing customer.

I hope everyone of us survive thru this economic mess we are in, keep in mind we are just in the beginning of this mess.
Keep the glass half full & you will survive well

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Mcdonoughman

My gap at the bottom of the door is about a 1/4". If I put something on the bottom of the door it will drag, hence why I cut it off in the first place. How can I build up the existing threshold to compensate this gap.

1mancrew

A couple of pictures would help alot.

genecarp

If you could post a picture of the existing threshold, i could tell you how to build it up. NOTE, if you are dealing with only a 1/4'', many doors come with ADJUSTABLE SILLS, if you see a piece of hardwood about 1'' wide, running the full width of the door, with large screws (about 5) . start turning these screws,(clockwise), the saddle will raise. G

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Patrick

I hope its a non adjustable sill with an aluminum threshold for all you guys that told him to cut the slab

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Originally Posted by Celtic
Like I said...I'm sure you are very good at what you do ~ whatever that is and where ever it happens.

AtlanticWBConst

Door sweep?

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Burby

Did you mean "you hope it's "not" a non adjustable sill with an aluminum threshold"??

That is the first thought that came to mind when asked about cutting the door & this would only cause further problems with the door in the closed position, now with a gap.

Then have to add an adjustable threshold or some other method to correct the problem. If just an aluminum threshold, screws thru the bottom would chance a hole in the flashing pan.
With you specializing in doors & windows, I'm sure you have seen the same problems as I mentioned when going to inspect or replace a door.

Depending on the area of the country in, improper flashings, installations, modifications, ect, keep business steady in the slowest of times.

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davitk

It sounds like a can of worms to me, could we see a pic of the cut off door? I never did cut a metal door myself.

If it were an interior door you could use a drop sweep.

Patrick

Nope, there were no errors in my post

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Originally Posted by Celtic
Like I said...I'm sure you are very good at what you do ~ whatever that is and where ever it happens.

genecarp

Who advised him to cut the door? His question was "how do i cut a metal door". not SHOULD i cut the door......

Additionally, if a fellow tradesman got himself in a pickle due to a mistake, why would you find that amusing ?

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