Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

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Heuerville
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Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by Heuerville » Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:13 pm

Any DIYers or builders out there?!

I have an exterior opening (onto patio) that is 208cm (6.82 feet).. yet most off-the-shelf French doors are 20-30cm (8-12 inches) narrower.
How do I go about 'filling' the sides.. do I just use timber? or is there a proper way of doing this?

(I know I can get bespoke doors, but they cost a shit-ton more!!)
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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by HapaHapa » Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:18 pm

How about adding a tall window next to the doors ? Image
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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by Heuerville » Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:21 pm

Eric,
Yeah, sidelights are an option, but even doors + sidelights come in standard sizes, which don't fit my opening.
Plus, the extra cost of sidelights means I may as well get customer doors.
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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by toxicavenger » Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:28 pm

Put a bigger frame around the doors and the finish it off with some molding to fit over the door frame and the added frame. Does that makes sense?

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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by Heuerville » Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:42 pm

toxicavenger wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:28 pm
Put a bigger frame around the doors and the finish it off with some molding to fit over the door frame and the added frame. Does that makes sense?
Yes, Makes sense.. but the sides of the frame will be a lot wider than the top.. but it could work!
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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by HapaHapa » Sat Mar 03, 2018 7:01 pm

Would some stylized tiles in that framing work with your home?
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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by toxicavenger » Sat Mar 03, 2018 7:10 pm

Heuerville wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:42 pm
toxicavenger wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:28 pm
Put a bigger frame around the doors and the finish it off with some molding to fit over the door frame and the added frame. Does that makes sense?
Yes, Makes sense.. but the sides of the frame will be a lot wider than the top.. but it could work!
You can have different sizes of frame on the sides and top. But what ever trim board you use to cover the frame can be the same width all the way around. Sorry I can't explain this too well. :crybaby:

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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by Heuerville » Sat Mar 03, 2018 7:11 pm

toxicavenger wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 7:10 pm
Heuerville wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:42 pm
toxicavenger wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:28 pm
Put a bigger frame around the doors and the finish it off with some molding to fit over the door frame and the added frame. Does that makes sense?
Yes, Makes sense.. but the sides of the frame will be a lot wider than the top.. but it could work!
You can have different sizes of frame on the sides and top. But what ever trim board you use to cover the frame can be the same width all the way around. Sorry I can't explain this too well. :crybaby:
You've explained it perfectly.. I get it now - cheers T :thumbsup:
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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by toxicavenger » Sat Mar 03, 2018 7:13 pm

Heuerville wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 7:11 pm
toxicavenger wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 7:10 pm
Heuerville wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:42 pm
toxicavenger wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:28 pm
Put a bigger frame around the doors and the finish it off with some molding to fit over the door frame and the added frame. Does that makes sense?
Yes, Makes sense.. but the sides of the frame will be a lot wider than the top.. but it could work!
You can have different sizes of frame on the sides and top. But what ever trim board you use to cover the frame can be the same width all the way around. Sorry I can't explain this too well. :crybaby:
You've explained it perfectly.. I get it now - cheers T :thumbsup:
But use the same size molding all the way around. If not it will throw off the look to it. I have had to do this when our last house patched together from the previous owners.

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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by Captdave » Sun Mar 04, 2018 12:11 am

toxicavenger wrote:
Heuerville wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 7:11 pm
toxicavenger wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 7:10 pm
Heuerville wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:42 pm
toxicavenger wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:28 pm
Put a bigger frame around the doors and the finish it off with some molding to fit over the door frame and the added frame. Does that makes sense?
Yes, Makes sense.. but the sides of the frame will be a lot wider than the top.. but it could work!
You can have different sizes of frame on the sides and top. But what ever trim board you use to cover the frame can be the same width all the way around. Sorry I can't explain this too well. :crybaby:
You've explained it perfectly.. I get it now - cheers T :thumbsup:
But use the same size molding all the way around. If not it will throw off the look to it. I have had to do this when our last house patched together from the previous owners.
Or just sheet rock over the filled in framed extra space and use regular molding. That would be my choice I think. Sheetrock is cheap and easy to hang mud and texture. Then everything would look symmetrical and molding would match rest of the house.


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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by Heuerville » Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:19 am

Thanks all.. the tiles suggestion sounds interesting too!
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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by JP Chestnut » Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:42 am

Sell a Heuer and buy a custom door!

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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by Heuerville » Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:59 am

JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:42 am
Sell a Heuer and buy a custom door!
I might have to sell a few.. I need 2 sets of patio doors, a new bathroom, kitchen and new flooring :tap:
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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by JP Chestnut » Sun Mar 04, 2018 6:02 am

Heuerville wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:59 am
JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:42 am
Sell a Heuer and buy a custom door!
I might have to sell a few.. I need 2 sets of patio doors, a new bathroom, kitchen and new flooring :tap:
I'm buying a house right now (probably finding one and making an offer next week). House shit is expensive. It seems like $30,000 for a bathroom, and $50,000 for a kitchen. I'm just going to buy something that doesn't require updates.

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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by BlueSky » Sun Mar 04, 2018 8:03 am

JP is right. House shit is very expensive, not to mention the relentless hassle. Home ownership ain't all it's cracked up to be...

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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by streetracer101 » Sun Mar 04, 2018 8:36 am

Once you've done it yourself, you understand where the costs come from. I'm currently renovating my basement/downstairs bed and bath. Updating the electric (16 recessed LEDs), adding 3 electric thermostats, and relocating/adding outlets to bring it to code took a crew of 3 a total of 4 days. That alone was a $5500 bill and it was unfortunately a small fraction of the overall project. Reframing several walls plus the doors was another $7500. The doors alone were $2300 for 3 solid core doors and 2 solid closet doors!

In America we screwed ourselves by convincing society that everyone needs a college education. Now there's a shortage of tradesman and they get away with charging obscene fees for their services. I've seen some with hourly rates greater than that of doctors in my area. It's nuts.


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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by Heuerville » Sun Mar 04, 2018 10:07 am

JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 6:02 am
Heuerville wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:59 am
JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:42 am
Sell a Heuer and buy a custom door!
I might have to sell a few.. I need 2 sets of patio doors, a new bathroom, kitchen and new flooring :tap:
I'm buying a house right now (probably finding one and making an offer next week). House shit is expensive. It seems like $30,000 for a bathroom, and $50,000 for a kitchen. I'm just going to buy something that doesn't require updates.
:shock: :shock: I was always under the impression that stuff like that was way more affordable in the US!
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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by JP Chestnut » Sun Mar 04, 2018 10:13 am

Heuerville wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 10:07 am
JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 6:02 am
Heuerville wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:59 am
JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:42 am
Sell a Heuer and buy a custom door!
I might have to sell a few.. I need 2 sets of patio doors, a new bathroom, kitchen and new flooring :tap:
I'm buying a house right now (probably finding one and making an offer next week). House shit is expensive. It seems like $30,000 for a bathroom, and $50,000 for a kitchen. I'm just going to buy something that doesn't require updates.
:shock: :shock: I was always under the impression that stuff like that was way more affordable in the US!
I don't think stuff like this is cheap in any developed country
Image

Maybe it you use illegals, but Americans charge $$$ for good work.

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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by Chocodove » Sun Mar 04, 2018 10:14 am

JP Chestnut wrote:
Heuerville wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:59 am
JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:42 am
Sell a Heuer and buy a custom door!
I might have to sell a few.. I need 2 sets of patio doors, a new bathroom, kitchen and new flooring :tap:
I'm buying a house right now (probably finding one and making an offer next week). House shit is expensive. It seems like $30,000 for a bathroom, and $50,000 for a kitchen. I'm just going to buy something that doesn't require updates.
This. When we bought our house a requirement was we didn’t want to have to update anything. It may have been a little more expensive, but I just don’t have the patience to deal with work going on where I live. I know people that have been working on their houses for over a decade. First it’s one thing, then the next, etc. I guess some people enjoy that. Not me. We did get lucky and find something exactly where we wanted that met all requirements at the right price, though.
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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by Heuerville » Sun Mar 04, 2018 2:09 pm

JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 10:13 am
Heuerville wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 10:07 am
JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 6:02 am
Heuerville wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:59 am
JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:42 am
Sell a Heuer and buy a custom door!
I might have to sell a few.. I need 2 sets of patio doors, a new bathroom, kitchen and new flooring :tap:
I'm buying a house right now (probably finding one and making an offer next week). House shit is expensive. It seems like $30,000 for a bathroom, and $50,000 for a kitchen. I'm just going to buy something that doesn't require updates.
:shock: :shock: I was always under the impression that stuff like that was way more affordable in the US!
I don't think stuff like this is cheap in any developed country
Image

Maybe it you use illegals, but Americans charge $$$ for good work.
Something like that would be around $8k to $9k here.
https://www.wickes.co.uk/kitchen/showroom


The UK does benefit from European builders that do superb work for very reasonable rates.
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http://heuerville.wordpress.com/heuerville-straps/
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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by streetracer101 » Sun Mar 04, 2018 4:43 pm

Chocodove wrote:
JP Chestnut wrote:
Heuerville wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:59 am
JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:42 am
Sell a Heuer and buy a custom door!
I might have to sell a few.. I need 2 sets of patio doors, a new bathroom, kitchen and new flooring :tap:
I'm buying a house right now (probably finding one and making an offer next week). House shit is expensive. It seems like $30,000 for a bathroom, and $50,000 for a kitchen. I'm just going to buy something that doesn't require updates.
This. When we bought our house a requirement was we didn’t want to have to update anything. It may have been a little more expensive, but I just don’t have the patience to deal with work going on where I live. I know people that have been working on their houses for over a decade. First it’s one thing, then the next, etc. I guess some people enjoy that. Not me. We did get lucky and find something exactly where we wanted that met all requirements at the right price, though.
If you live in a home long enough, it'll get out-dated. Average life of a kitchen is less than 15 yrs.

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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by toxicavenger » Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:42 pm

streetracer101 wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 4:43 pm
Chocodove wrote:
JP Chestnut wrote:
Heuerville wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:59 am
JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:42 am
Sell a Heuer and buy a custom door!
I might have to sell a few.. I need 2 sets of patio doors, a new bathroom, kitchen and new flooring :tap:
I'm buying a house right now (probably finding one and making an offer next week). House shit is expensive. It seems like $30,000 for a bathroom, and $50,000 for a kitchen. I'm just going to buy something that doesn't require updates.
This. When we bought our house a requirement was we didn’t want to have to update anything. It may have been a little more expensive, but I just don’t have the patience to deal with work going on where I live. I know people that have been working on their houses for over a decade. First it’s one thing, then the next, etc. I guess some people enjoy that. Not me. We did get lucky and find something exactly where we wanted that met all requirements at the right price, though.
If you live in a home long enough, it'll get out-dated. Average life of a kitchen is less than 15 yrs.

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We just updated our cabinets/counter tops. It cost me 11k. :crybaby:

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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by JP Chestnut » Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:56 pm

Heuerville wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 2:09 pm
JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 10:13 am
Heuerville wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 10:07 am
JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 6:02 am
Heuerville wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:59 am
JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:42 am
Sell a Heuer and buy a custom door!
I might have to sell a few.. I need 2 sets of patio doors, a new bathroom, kitchen and new flooring :tap:
I'm buying a house right now (probably finding one and making an offer next week). House shit is expensive. It seems like $30,000 for a bathroom, and $50,000 for a kitchen. I'm just going to buy something that doesn't require updates.
:shock: :shock: I was always under the impression that stuff like that was way more affordable in the US!
I don't think stuff like this is cheap in any developed country
Image

Maybe it you use illegals, but Americans charge $$$ for good work.
Something like that would be around $8k to $9k here.
https://www.wickes.co.uk/kitchen/showroom


The UK does benefit from European builders that do superb work for very reasonable rates.
I was thinking more of taking a narrow 1970s galley style kitchen and knocking down a bunch of walls, adding spanning beams, etc.

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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by streetracer101 » Sun Mar 04, 2018 9:06 pm

JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:56 pm
Heuerville wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 2:09 pm
JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 10:13 am
Heuerville wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 10:07 am
JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 6:02 am
Heuerville wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:59 am
JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:42 am
Sell a Heuer and buy a custom door!
I might have to sell a few.. I need 2 sets of patio doors, a new bathroom, kitchen and new flooring :tap:
I'm buying a house right now (probably finding one and making an offer next week). House shit is expensive. It seems like $30,000 for a bathroom, and $50,000 for a kitchen. I'm just going to buy something that doesn't require updates.
:shock: :shock: I was always under the impression that stuff like that was way more affordable in the US!
I don't think stuff like this is cheap in any developed country
Image

Maybe it you use illegals, but Americans charge $$$ for good work.
Something like that would be around $8k to $9k here.
https://www.wickes.co.uk/kitchen/showroom


The UK does benefit from European builders that do superb work for very reasonable rates.
I was thinking more of taking a narrow 1970s galley style kitchen and knocking down a bunch of walls, adding spanning beams, etc.
That'll cost a fair bit. Figure 2-3k for each load bearing wall you knock out just to get started. LVLs are expensive and I wouldn't trust any dipshit to mess with my homes structural integrity.

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Re: Fitting French Doors that are narrower than opening

Post by HapaHapa » Sun Mar 04, 2018 10:19 pm

JP Chestnut wrote:
Heuerville wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:59 am
JP Chestnut wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:42 am
Sell a Heuer and buy a custom door!
I might have to sell a few.. I need 2 sets of patio doors, a new bathroom, kitchen and new flooring :tap:
I'm buying a house right now (probably finding one and making an offer next week). House shit is expensive. It seems like $30,000 for a bathroom, and $50,000 for a kitchen. I'm just going to buy something that doesn't require updates.
Those prices are pretty realistic if you’re talking all new cabinets and appliances. Cabinets are probably half the cost in the US for a kitchen. Anything that involves woodworking is frightening expensive. So much that lots of people just refinish the cabinet doors.

I should have been an electrician. Licensed electricians might as well be lawyers.
The Hapa

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