How to fix door cut to size?

[Samara1]

i feel like crying ☹

my door top head is shaved 10cm.

door height is 2400mm but the door guy cut the top head 10cm in order to fit it in my entry

he should have cut evenly in both top and bottom ☹

he simply did for easy work. he told he already did and he wants one side to be cut instead of both

[EricL]

Hello @Samara1 

I'm sorry to hear your door was cut improperly. But from a visual perspective, had you not told me that the top was shorter than the bottom, I honestly would not have noticed it unless I was really looking for that error. Will you be painting the door white, or will you be leaving it in its natural finish? If you were to paint it a bright colour that would make the lines less noticeable, and you would totally miss the portion that was shorter. 

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @Nailbag for their recommendations.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Samara1]

i attached more photos after closing the door and the 10cm cut piece.

i can see the top part head shaved before and after closing the door visually

this is main door and planning to do clear stain with cedar color to match my garage door color Cedar.

[Dave-1]

Good Evening @Samara1 

I was thinking about your post earlier 😕 I Feel you pain and its such a hard thing to have to solve.

One possible solution to add to @EricL's painting idea is to add a new piece of timber at the top (all the way across), trim off the bottom piece so it matches the top and then add a new piece of timber rail all the way across the bottom. That way both top and bottom will match.

So rail across the width on top of the door 5cm in height

The too short section stays as is at 10cm in height

Middle part of the door ?? (2100cm?)

The 20cm section is trimmed down to 10cm in height.

Then a new rail is added at 5cm to the bottom height.

Your doors overall height will stay the same 2400cm (id double check my measurements just in case)

Note - The door lock/latch will need to be adjusted as well if you install the rails as it will move 5cm.

Dave

[Samara1]

thanks this involved many works and adjustment and i feel this wont bring a perfect door as lot of patch works

how strong this cut and pasting the extra wood pieces on top or bottom 

total available space is 2300mm for the door inside the frame.

[EricL]

Hi @Samara1 

That is a very good suggestion from @Dave-1. If you still have the cut piece perhaps you can glue and screw another piece at the top and bottom to fix the error. Just make sure to double check your measurements before you start cutting again.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[Nailbag]

Hi @Samara1 

I'm very sorry to hear about the door, I can understand how disappointing that would be. In the photos supplied I can't visually see this from the outside when the door is closed. Can you please supply photos of the issue. And why does he want to shave the sides, I assume this is because the door ins't closing? In which case the width of the door should have been checked against the jamb opening.

If there are visual external gaps, my recommendation would be not to modify the door in anyway or adjust the door striker plate. Since your oiling not painting doing so would result in a patchwork finish.

A simple solution would be to simply fix additional hardwood/Tasmanian oak stop trim on top of the existing. Brad nails punched and filled will cover any issues the top gap. Fixing a weather sheild along the bottom will cover any issues with the bottom gap. This is the type of repair/coverup I have had to do in the past when doors I have replaced are within an out of square door jamb. Different issue, same problem and fix.

Hope this helps, Nailbag

[R4addZ]

Hi @Samara1 

Is this a new build or a reno? If new, simply inform the builder that you won't be authorizing the final payment until it is replaced! If a reno then tell the contractor that you will not be paying them until it is replaced. Poor workmanship is not your responsibility to fix. Also for the correct appearance the bottom should have been trimmed because a small part of the door is hidden at the top and sides by the door frame. So for a truly symmetrical look when the door is closed, that has to be accounted for.

[Samara1]

@Nailbag 

please see my second photo in my original post which shows the door closed. 

Door guy said - after adding the frames around the door, space is 2300mm height for the door. so he reduced the height of the 2400mm door by simply cut the top header by 100mm to fit the door in 2300mm height

Builder told he cannot replace this door and i have to buy a new door so he can cover the installation cost. 

[Nailbag]

Hi @Samara1 I still can't see the gap. That aside as with @R4addZ if there has been an error by a professional installer, then I would be holding back payment until rectified, it's not your responsibility to make good. 

A standard door height is 2040mm. Width varies with modern wider entrance doors. The acceptable gap is around 2-4mm. Sounds like the builder may be at original fault for not installing the door jamb to suit the door. Then the installer has cut a ridiculous amount off to suit. Both are at fault. 

Find out if the builder is HIA registered and contact them if he fails to comply to have the issue resolved.

Nailbag