How to Convert a Solid Door to a Dutch Door

A dutch door is literally two doors in one. Dutch doors give you the option of only opening the top half of the door while leaving the bottom half closed. It is a great concept for families with young children. You can keep small children out of rooms they could get hurt in without having to completely close the room off.

Things You'll Need

• Hammer
• Flat-head screwdriver
• Tape measure
• Straight edge
• Table saw or circular saw
• 1 hinge with pin
• Wood chisel
• Drill
• Philips-head drill bit
• Sliding bolt

Instructions

1. Use your drill and Phillips-head drill bit to remove the screws from the hinges on the door and the door frame. Use the drill to loosen and remove the screws from the doorknob on the interior side of the door. Pull the door knobs off. It is not necessary to remove the door latch.

2. Measure the length of the door from the top down. Mark the door at 40 inches from the top. Use a straight edge and a pencil to draw a straight line across the door. Use either your table saw or your circular saw to cut along the line until you have two separate sections.

3. Reinstall the top hinge that you removed from what is now the top portion of the new dutch door. You will need another hinge for the bottom edge of this section. Place the new hinge on the edge of the door 4 inches up from the bottom. Make sure that the side that holds the hinge pin is facing the same way that the existing hinges were installed. Use a pencil to trace around the portion of the hinge that connects to the edge of the door.

4. Use a chisel and hammer to cut out the traced pattern. Cut the pattern down to the thickness of the hinge. Secure the new hinge to the door with the available screws. Repeat this section for the lower portion of the new dutch door, except install one of the existing hinges on the edge of the door 4 inches down from the top of that section. Reinstall the bottom hinge.

5. Place the top portion of the door to the door frame. Insert one screw to lightly holding it in place. Place the bottom hinge on the top portion of the door against the door frame, and trace around it. Remove the door from the frame. Use the chisel to cut out the pattern for the hinge. Repeat this section for the bottom half of the door.

6. 

   Install the sliding bolt lock on the dutch door. Use your drill to install the bolt section of the lock on the lower section of the door. Install it on the interior side of the door and the same side as the doorknob. It should not be installed by the hinges. Install the latch on the top portion of the door above the bolt. Make sure that the bolt can reach the latch before completely securing it to the door. The sliding bolt will keep the two door sections together until you are ready to open them.

Tips & Warnings

• Use wood filler to cover the holes from the where the center hinge used to be.

References

• Slide Bolt Locks

Resources

• Elegant Dutch Doors