# cutting panels out of hollow core doors



## Jokarva (Jan 17, 2010)

Has anyone cut the top and bottom panels out of hollow core doors?

The non profit I volunteer with needs to turn a hollow core door into a see-thru door. Cost of a custom door is about $300... so that's not happening. I've seen the top panels of doors cut out for a glass insert, but not both top and bottom, and worry it will fall apart. There will be wood strips to close the hollow areas, and plexiglass attached over the openings.

Any experience, info, random thoughts or educated guesses welcome.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

No experience, but IMO you have two options>
1. Cut out the hollow core area only and leave the top and bottom solid core intact.
2. Use wood strips to close the hollow areas.

1. will work as you still have some structural integrity 
2. will work for a short time and have to be redone, since you lost structural integrity


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

I would not use a hollow core if this is for an out side door, I would use a low cost solid core, (the cheap ones are basically particle board, core). but still better than a hollow core for exterior,

and to answer your question above, should be doable if your windows are that big, I would not want to reduce the remaining door to less than a 1/3 of the original width, so if it is a 30" door I would want at least 5 inches on each side of the window, or a window no larger than 20" wide, and I would think the smaller the window that looks good, would be best, I have no facts for my suggestion but that is what I would think would be good, (and I have cut hollow core in two for Dutch doors and cut them off to shorten them and so on, I think they make a special molded trim (usually a glass in it for door inserts for windows,


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## Jokarva (Jan 17, 2010)

Thanks guys.

This is actually an existing interior door, the room it leads to needs to be viewable with the door closed. The other rooms have screen doors or storm doors. 

I believe the middle vertical and horizontal rails are wood, so if I cut out the individual panels we might be ok. What a pain that's going to be, and probably pretty ghetto looking, but that's what you get with volunteer labor, lol.


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## RonM (Jan 6, 2008)

All I say is good luck...


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Can you remove the skin on one side of the door?


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## carasel (Dec 31, 2009)

Jokarva,
check your p.m.


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## Jokarva (Jan 17, 2010)

fishhead said:


> Can you remove the skin on one side of the door?


I have no idea. Would that just tell me how the inside is built? That would be good to know.

While at my sister's today for Christmas my bil showed me three doors in their basement (he is a bit of a hoarder), one of them might work. It also might fall apart once I start cutting on it...but it's free! And either way my sister gets it out of her basement.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I was thinking that it might allow you to put more bracing inside to compensate for the parts removed.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I once installed a dog door for a former employer in a hollow core exterior door , interior won't have as thick of an outer and inner panel , but the same concept , I drilled holes in the 4 corners then cut the hole with my saber saw , then cut blocks on the table saw that fit between the inner and outer veneer coated the inside of the door and the blocks in glue and placed them in and pin nailed them with the brad gun to hold them , then I could fit the dog door into the hole and drill for the screws


if all else fails you can build your own door as this sounds like it may be a temporary situation 

use 1/4 inch plywood cut your inner and outer veneer , cut support blocking and lay it all out , glue it , use pin nails to keep it from moving then inlet for the hinges and drill and fit for the door knob


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

There isn't much too a hollow core door. They have pine rails, head and bottoms, 1/4" veneer covered skin each side, then the interior space is typically just honeycomb cardboard to maintain the thickness.

It may work, but in my opinion, when you cut a big hole in it, then add a heavy piece of glass and some more wood framing, the remaining door will be pretty weak and likely not hold up.

Note - Windows in doors need to be tempered glass, which is expensive.


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## rugby1725 (Jun 11, 2013)

Since it sounds like they are already OK with buying the plexi for the windows I would just buy a wooden screen door (~$20 new) and screw the plexi to it. Done and done.

http://www.menards.com/main/doors-w...4428708769-c-6252.htm?tid=6595395005884965772

Of course if you're set on doing the hollow core door then do what GREENCOUNTYPETE said, that's how we used to trim down doors in the cabinet shop I used to work in.


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