Cutting 20" off a door & frame

[ntexastom]

I have a hot water heater-pantry below my stairs on a 20 x 30 1.5 story plan where I need a door about 20" shorter than standard. My guess is taking a circular saw to an open core door and frame assembly would be splinter city. Any advice on this? We have installed all the other doors so we have enough skill to install a standard frame & door assembly but do not want to build/cut a door and frame from scratch. Thanks

[Don_P]

First off, the closet needs to be sheetrocked inside to protect the stairs (exit) from fire. No exposed framing under there.

You can tape and score the cutline with a utility knife to prevent splintering.... you can cut thru the entire skin with one if you want. Use a straightedge clamped to the WH side of the door and saw from that face, any blowout will be in the closet. Push the cardboard fill up enough to get in a new bottom rail, glue and clamp and you're ready to sand.

[rocking23nf]

My brand new home is not drywalled under the stairs, so i doubt theres any code for that.

[MountainDon]

I know for certain if there is a gas water heater or a gas furnace inside the habitable walls, the space must be sheetrocked with fire rated material. If it's a gas heater the space can not ne used for storage of any kind.

And I believe the space must have a combustion air intake and the doors weatherstripped.

I'm not sure about electric water heaters.

[Squirl]

I do know there are differences based on fuel.  Fuel water heater rooms are prohibited from being used as storage also.

But this is in TX so I assume there is no code to follow.

[MountainDon]

I don't have time to check on the details right now, but TX does have building codes just like every other stete. But I do believe there are special considerations or rulesof some kind when it comes to unincorporated areas... or something like that.  More later..  gotta run

[rick91351]

Our house, a 1960's ranch style.  Under the basement stairs was not dry walled.  For safety safe they should.  They were never built with the intended purpose of storage or closet.  But it was not long after we moved in I found the neatest place to store the back packs, and the suitcases.  I still have not gotten around to fireproof under there.     The narrow opening I really don't know if it could be done.  I know you would not get any 4X12 sheets in there.   

[MountainDon]

links of special interest to TX

http://www.cityapplications.com/building-permits/TX-Texas/bldg-Texas.html

http://www.houstoninspections.com/buildingcodeinte.html

[rocking23nf]

well my house is fully insulated in the basement, i have a high efficiance gas furnace and water heater, and there is no drywall anywhere in my basement nor is under the stairs drywalled.  The inside of the stairs is drywalled only.

Brand new construction and we have some of the strictist building codes around in Alberta.

[MountainDon]

I've been in the SW so long I forget that some folks have basements. A residence with a basement is virtually unheard of here.

A basement is probably not considered to be a habitable space, unless it is finished.  

[Don_P]

That was just a comment on the way to answering the original question.. I think I sidetracked us

R302.7 Under Stair Protection;
Exposed accessible space under stairs shall have walls, under stair surface, and any soffits protected on the enclosed side by 1/2" gypsum board.

You're protecting the way out, code or not it is the thing to do.

[ntexastom]

Original post was seeking door butchering advice but thanks for the fire code heads up. This is in rural Oklahoma (code-less) and that is an electric water heater. I do not want to burn down the house we just built.

So back to the door, change to a fine tooth saw, go slow and hope for the best. Worst case I loose the $54 door frame.

Thanks

[MountainDon]

...and place tape on the cut line. That keeps the cut line from splintering. Use a straight edge as a guide so the saw doesn't wander even a little bit. (clamp a straight board or metal angle to the door is one way)