Scoring bottom of door to prevent chipping?

Joined
22 Nov 2018
Messages
1,738
Reaction score
29
Country
United Kingdom
I lined circular saw cutting edge to where I wanted cut then righted the clamps . Do you score a line half a mm above this point to prevent chipping?

With air bags, I used one one hinge side with door open to line up to screw hole. Seemed easiest way
20210105_165230.jpg
20210105_162135.jpg
20210105_155331.jpg
20210105_161340.jpg
 
Sponsored Links
If you think it's going to chip then yes score the paint, might be as well to square the line around the door a score the other side at least then neither side should chip, finish with sand paper.
 
Cut through two sacrificial boards each side and it will prevent chipping.
 
If you think it's going to chip then yes score the paint, might be as well to square the line around the door a score the other side at least then neither side should chip, finish with sand paper.

Sand after cutting I guess. Once you've worked out where blade is cutting on circular saw do you score the door exactly where the cut is going or 1mm higher so any chipping will only be 1mm high?
 
Sponsored Links
If you turn the saw around the other way (so the majority of the base is sitting on the door, not just a tiny bit - your straight edge will need to be a bit further up from the bottom AND a lot thinner, say 12mm plywood) there is another technique:-

1. Set your straight edge up and clamp in place

2. Score the exit edge with a knife and steel square

3. Set the saw to make a 1mm deep cut - NO MORE THAN 1.5 MM UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES

4. Make a scoring cut by drawing the saw slowly backwards whilst holding it against the fence. THIS IS A CLIMB CUT AND NEEDS TO BE TAKEN VERY SLOWLY INDEED. ABSOLUTELY NEVER MAKE THIS CUT WITH MORE THAN ABOUT 1.5 MM OF BLADE PROJECTION AND NEVER STAND DIRECTLY BEHIND THE SAW. This is called a scoring cut

5. Set the depth for the main cut. I suggest sawing the door in 2 or 3 incremental passes if using a cordless saw or a corded saw if limited power

6. When finished if your door is veneer-faced I suggest adding a 1 to 2mm chamfer to the front and rear edges with a very sharp block plane used at a skewed angle, planing into the door, as this will limit any tendency for the veneer to catch on flooring and chip off. This is especially true of thickly carpeted floors. I sometimes do the same with laminate-faced commercial doors if there is no intention to protect the door bottom with a kick plate. Even if you don't do a scoring cut this micro chamfer can be very handy to deal with minor chipping

Even if you don't use your saw this way, running the larger part of the base on the door, as opposed to attempting to run the narrowest part of the base on a tiny ledge, as shown in your photos, will be safer and will more readily produce an edge which is perpendicular to the surface and is considerably safer
 
Last edited by a moderator:
1610554414100689183274755081065.jpg
View attachment 218337
If you turn the saw around the other way (so the majority of the base is sitting on the door, not just a tiny bit - your straight edge will need to be a bit further up from the bottom AND a lot thinner, say 12mm plywood) there is another technique:-

1. Set your straight edge up and clamp in place

2. Score the exit edge with a knife and steel square

3. Set the saw to make a 1mm deep cut - NO MORE THAN 1.5 MM UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES

4. Make a scoring cut by drawing the saw slowly backwards whilst holding it against the fence. THIS IS A CLIMB CUT AND NEEDS TO BE TAKEN VERY SLOWLY INDEED. ABSOLUTELY NEVER MAKE THIS CUT WITH MORE THAN ABOUT 1.5 MM OF BLADE PROJECTION AND NEVER STAND DIRECTLY BEHIND THE SAW. This is called a scoring cut

5. Set the depth for the main cut. I suggest sawing the door in 2 or 3 incremental passes if using a cordless saw or a corded saw if limited power

6. When finished if your door is veneer-faced I suggest adding a 1 to 2mm chamfer to the front and rear edges with a very sharp block plane used at a skewed angle, planing into the door, as this will limit any tendency for the veneer to catch on flooring and chip off. This is especially true of thickly carpeted floors. I sometimes do the same with laminate-faced commercial doors if there is no intention to protect the door bottom with a kick plate. Even if you don't do a scoring cut this micro chamfer can be very handy to deal with minor chipping

Even if you don't use your saw this way, running the larger part of the base on the door, as opposed to attempting to run the narrowest part of the base on a tiny ledge, as shown in your photos, will be safer and will more readily produce an edge which is perpendicular to the surface and is considerably safer
Just tried it. It worked great. The climb cut I mean. See photos. Door not painted yet though.

Regarding chamfre, I used blockpane at 45 degrees along bottom. I guess this would need painting afterwards.
1610554414100689183274755081065.jpg
1610554414100689183274755081065.jpg




20210113_160635.jpg
20210113_160350.jpg
20210113_160341.jpg
 
Last edited:
A good blade would've done better in 20 seconds.
I've never seen anyone wasting so much time on cutting a door which needs to be painted anyway.
I admire your dedication...
 
Regarding chamfre, I used blockpane at 45 degrees along bottom. I guess this would need painting afterwards.
Yes, but a very small chamfer isn't too noticeable. The old workarounds used to be Tippex for white doors or a Sharpie for black ones!

With regards to the mitre plane, I would recommend that you skew the blade a little (point the nose 10° or to the left as viewed in your picture) as this effectively reduces the attack angle of the blade, reducing the tendency to break out bits of veneer on veneered doors (these are normally applied to the door in vertical orientation and are more likely to tear or chip if planed straight across without a skewed blade)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Regarding chamfre, I used blockpane at 45 degrees along bottom. I guess this would need painting afterwards.
Sandpaper block, 10 seconds and impossible to mess up.
Bottom and top of the doors are treated by good craftsmen (varnish, paint or anything that would seal it).
 
Sandpaper block? Just as possible to mess up on veneered doors if you sand the wrong way.... (seen that far too many times)
 
I use a block plane out on site because it can be difficult to get decent sandpaper in the right grits out of contractors, and in any case there is always a nice sharp block plane in my box or in my pocket. It"s a personal preference I've had for more than 4 decades. In any case, if you rub any sandpaper across the bottom edge of the door and across the veneer last it can pick up and break out the veneer at the edge, especially brittle stuff like some oak veneers. It happens, especially if you are trying to keep an eye on a mixed bag of apprentices, improvers, non-English speakers, low grade agency staff, fly by night price work bods, etc
 
I use a block plane out on site because it can be difficult to get decent sandpaper in the right grits out of contractors, and in any case there is always a nice sharp block plane in my box or in my pocket. It"s a personal preference I've had for more than 4 decades. In any case, if you rub any sandpaper across the bottom edge of the door and across the veneer last it can pick up and break out the veneer at the edge, especially brittle stuff like some oak veneers. It happens, especially if you are trying to keep an eye on a mixed bag of apprentices, improvers, non-English speakers, low grade agency staff, fly by night price work bods, etc
I don't know where you get your sandpaper and how gigantic your muscles are, but I would have hard time chipping a veneer with 240 grit on a block of wood, even if I wanted to.
 
Yes, but a very small chamfer isn't too noticeable. The old workarounds used to be Tippex for white doors or a Sharpie for black ones!

With regards to the mitre plane, I would recommend that you skew the blade a little (point the nose 10° or to the left as viewed in your picture) as this effectively reduces the attack angle of the blade, reducing the tendency to break out bits of veneer on veneered doors (these are normally applied to the door in vertical orientation and are more likely to tear or chip if planed straight across without a skewed blade)

10 degrees is for climb cut pulling saw backwards with 1mm depth? Out of interest if I was to score I guess you run Stanley blades left side on right side of where saw is cutting? So you have width of Stanley blade above where saw is going to cut?



16106308847322797831658822606547.jpg
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top