Help...fitting windows into a wooden door

[Clive Woody]

My first post and I come seeking advice/help...

We currently have a solid wooden door between our kitchen and utility room, we wanted to allow more light into the kitchen and had looked at replacing this door with a part glazed door. Upon shopping around a bit it seems we have an unusual sized door, so we can't buy off the shelf.

One idea we had considered was having sections cut out of the current door and safety glass put in. Has anybody ever done something similar? Would this be fairly straight forward for somebody with carpentry skills and the right tools?

Would appreciate anybodies thoughts....and if anybody knows a good carpenter in the West Sussex area please let me know?

My DIY skills are sadly not of a standard where I feel I could get a finish that would look acceptable.

 

[DaveL]

Hi Clive,

Welcome to the forum.

I have a friend who took panels out of the top of a four panel door and replaced then with glass. He used a router to take the bead off one side and then fitted a bead back on to hold the glass. It your door panelled?

 

[Clive Woody]

Hi Clive,

Welcome to the forum.

I have a friend who took panels out of the top of a four panel door and replaced then with glass. He used a router to take the bead off one side and then fitted a bead back on to hold the glass. It your door panelled?

Hi Dave,

Thanks for getting back to me. The door is solid so I don't see that panels could be removed by taking off the beading. I am not sure if it is moulded wood, I am afraid my technical skills/knowledge are limited.

My poor grandfather would be ashamed he was a carpenter all his life, my dad picked up on some of his skills but sadly none made it my way. While my grandad worked on many of the fittings for the Royal Yacht Britannia, I would be lucky to make a wooden toast rack without doing myself an injury.

 

[doorboy]

If your door is a flush veneered door--as in 'flat as a pancake'--then you could use a plunge router and a router template or jig and cut out an opening. A lite kit or glass bead could then be installed to hold the glass in place.
If your door is in fact paneled--solid wood, but with recessed or 'raised' panels, then DaveL is right on. A router and straight edge can be used to carefully remove the sticking from one face of the door, remove the wood panel, and install glass.
If your skills are limited, as you suggest, then a local carpenter should be able to get it done.

 

[Pecker]

Hi Clive, nice to see your question here. I'm under a diffent name in here... :wink:

woody

 

[Clive Woody]

If your door is a flush veneered door--as in 'flat as a pancake'

I was with you up until here.... =D>

--then you could use a plunge router and a router template or jig \/ :-({|= and cut out an opening. A lite kit or glass bead could then be installed to hold the glass in place.

It then all went a bit foreign with strange terms and tools... :shock:

If your door is in fact paneled--solid wood, but with recessed or 'raised' panels, then DaveL is right on. A router and straight edge can be used to carefully remove the sticking from one face of the door, remove the wood panel, and install glass.

That sounds like wot we got...ccasion5:

If your skills are limited, as you suggest, then a local carpenter should be able to get it done.

So where I would I find one of those then? :-k Would they be lurking in the power tools section of B&Q or hanging around a timber yard? :norm:

 

[Clive Woody]

Hi Clive, nice to see your question here. I'm under a diffent name in here... :wink:

woody

Cheers Woody,

Seems like this is the kind of place that people would be able to help with my door problem.

Who would have thought woodworking folk would have their own message boards....the interweb really is a wonderful place.

 

[Gary M]

Hi Clive, welcome to the forum
If you could post a picture of your door it would give a better understanding of what you are dealing with :wink:
What size is the door ?? It may be bespoke and perhaps that would be your best bet in replacing it, ie. get one made the size you require.
Cheers,
Gary.

 

[doorboy]

Clive,
If a B&Q is a hardware store, then yes, a carpenter might be lurking around the tool section. Even better if you know of an old-fashioned Mom & Pop type of hardware store, they might just have a business card or three to pass out.
I think you're on the right track, though, in wanting to make your existing door work for you. If it fits correctly and functions properly, then it should definitely save you some money.
Good luck!

 

[beech1948]

Clive,

I think we need to see a picture of the door. Then we can see what your problems are likely to be.

Alan

 

[lurker]

Doorboy

For B&Q think Home Depot but not as good and twice the price.

Clive
Post your location and somebody might live close

 

[RogerS]

Doorboy

For B&Q think Home Depot but not as good and twice the price.
.......

And about 1/1,000,000 the customer service

 

[wizer]

By the time you have paid a carpenter then you could have replaced the door. Where abouts are you?