Cutting Door Into Lower Level Floor

Sweep over the floor with a carpenter s level to reveal any depressions you may have missed.

Cutting door into lower level floor.

Remove any old door and molding such as a casing or bottom threshold inside the opening. Raise the lower end of the level until the bubble is centered then measure the distance from the bottom of the level to the floor to find the depth of the dip. Shop made sanding block to chamfer the cut edge of the door make a sanding block by cutting a 2 by 3 4 inch strip of wood 1 2 inch shorter than the diameter of the peel and stick sanding paper. Drill two or three holes through the wood and into the foundation material with a hammer drill and a 1 4 inch diameter masonry bit.

Many new homes are built with lower profile joists to achieve this effect but that doesn t help much when it comes to remodels. If you decide to cut off an exterior door make sure you have a plan for sealing the bottom of the door against the threshold when the door is closed. Leveling a floor can be either a do it yourself project or a job for the pros. Check the marks with a 4 foot level to ensure the lines are plumb and level.

Use a piece of chalk to mark all obvious high and low spots on the floor. Glenn mathewson a code official in westminster colo responds. Hold a 16 inch long two by four block of wood vertical 4 to 5 feet up and centered in the doorway that will be cut out. Mark any concrete bumps that are raised above the rest of the floor with an x and any dips that are lower than the floor with an o.

Determine the underlying problem. Strip the frame down to the side 2 by 4 inch studs top header plate and floor or subfloor. Cutting a few inches from the top of the existing joists. On the top side of the floor another fix it idea to lay down new hardwood over the existing floor.

Before taking steps to level a floor you must find out why it s not level. In these situations lots of builders take the approach you mention.