Transform Your Door into a Dutch door
The function of using a Dutch door is to provide extra ventilation plus adding old-world ecstatic to your house. To transform your single or double panel door into a Dutch door is not a complicated task. If you live in a cool climate, you will need to seal the gap between the two halves of the modified door. Here are the steps on how to turn your door into a Dutch door.
You will need:
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Level
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Tape measure
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Two sawhorses
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Hammer
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Sandpaper
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Circular saw
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3/8 inch rabbeting bit
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3/8 x3/8 length of lumber
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Finish nails
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Copper nails
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Screwdriver
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Two door hinges
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Chisel
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Wood filler
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Straight edge
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Router
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Safety glasses
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Wood glue
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Weather stripping
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Barrel latch
Steps:
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First, close the door and start working from inside. Draw a line across the middle of the door with a level where you plan to cut it. Make sure to create the perfect horizontal line and at least 3 inches above the existing doorknob.
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Then, use a screwdriver to remove the central hinge if the door has three hinges. Make four marks for the four new hinges position which are two for the bottom and two for the top half.
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You can use the existing hinges if they are placed near the top and bottom of the door. Make marks to the new hinges in the middle. Make marks for four new hinges above and below the old ones if the old hinges are located in the centre.
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Next, place the hinges on the marks and draw their outlines on the edge of the door and the door jamb. Remove the door from the jamb and lay it on sawhorses and chisel out mortises for the hinges. Remove the pins from the four hinges and screw one half of each hinge to the door and one half to the door jamb. Fit the hinges together and dropping the pins back in place to hang the door. Make sure that the door is able to swings freely.
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To cut the door, remove the hinge pins and door hardware to take the door down. Place the door on the sawhorses so that the line you have made is facing you.
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Make another ¼ inch line with a straight edge then cut along both lines with a circular saw. This will separate the door and create a small gap between them.
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Make a 3/8 inch rabbet using a router or groove which is ¼ inch deep in the top edge of the bottom door. Cut a piece of lumber about ¼ inches shorter than the door width to function as the door stop.
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Spread some glue to attach the door stop to the bottom edge of the top half. Placing it so each end is 1/8 inch from the edge of the door and use finish nails to nail it. Round the edges of the door stop using sandpaper when the glue dries.
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Nail the weatherstripping to the bottom edge of the top door and behind the door stop with copper nails. Then, hang the two halves of the door and replace the doorknob.
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To lock the two sections together when the door is locked, attach a barrel latch to the inside of the door.
Additional Reading:
http://www.ehow.com/how_6621907_turn-regular-doors-dutch-doors.html
Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spine/466844876/