Old house, weird door size

[Le Poisson]

I have an old house where tenants are asking that a door be installed on the opening to the den so they can use it as a bedroom.

The opening is 33"x83". I can cut down a 34" door to 33" but I'm not sure what to do about the 83" dimension since 80" is standard. I need to grow a door by 3".

Has anyone removed the lower rail from a hollow core door cut a new one oversized, glued it in, and put on a Masonite skin? Any other ideas to stretch a door?

[Omy]

Most contractors I've worked with stretch the wall to meet the door.

[Le Poisson]

Most contractors I've worked with stretch the wall to meet the door.

I can put in 3" of trim at the header, but it will look pretty funky, especially since it's right next to another doorframe.

[PMG]

Can you bring the frame down 1.5 inches and then add a nice sweep to the bottom of the door?

[ysette9]

Please don’t install a hollow core door. They suck and someday someone else will have to spend time and money to replace it with a solid door.

[Le Poisson]

For an extra $50 I found this door at Home Depot: https://www.homedepot.ca/product/masonite-k-style-knotty-pine-interior-door-slab/1001064179

It's meant to go on rails on one of those "Barn Door" assemblies, and it doesn't really match the rest of the house' style, but it took all of 15 minutes to cut it to size. I'm heading over with it now for the install. Only challenge will be that it is 1-1/2" thick as opposed to the normal 1-3/4" We'll see how it goes.

Tenant can choose whether to keep it natural or to paint it.

[SunnyDays]

Put in an even shorter door and add a transom.

[Papa bear]

Most contractors I've worked with stretch the wall to meet the door.

I can put in 3" of trim at the header, but it will look pretty funky, especially since it's right next to another doorframe.

Are you saying that the other door openings on the property are 83” as well?

The right answer is to lower your RO to 82”, frame out a door, and then trim it in.  And if you buy a 32” prehung, which is much easier to find than 34”, then just shim out one side.  32”x80” finished door with an 82”x 34” RO. (Tear out the 1/2” drywall on each side to get to 34” RO) Easy peasy.


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[lthenderson]

Although I agree with the others it is easier to use a standard door and shim, trim to cover the opening, I have "stretched" doors before to fit in rare cases. However I always start with a solid wood door onto which I cut and glue strips of hardwood to extend the door in the direction I want (typically height), do a really good job sanding and then paint. Stretching a door that will be stained is about impossible.

[BlueMR2]

Please don’t install a hollow core door. They suck and someday someone else will have to spend time and money to replace it with a solid door.

100% this.  Hollow core doors are one of my pet peeves after having worked in the construction industry.  Everyone throws them in because they are cheap.  If you want to be that cheap just throw a sheet over the opening, it's almost as effective.

[Fishindude]

If you'd rather not jerry rig a standard size door, any reputable lumberyard (not Lowes, Home Depot or Menards) can order you a door to fit your opening size.