How to Trim a Wood Door With a Circular Saw

Set up two sawhorses outdoors, or on a drop cloth indoors. Place them parallel, and approximately 4 feet apart.

Press a strip of painter’s tape across the bottom of the door as it faces you. Apply more rows of tape above the first row until the lower portion of the door is covered with tape, up to approximately 10 inches from the bottom edge. Tape protects the door from damage while you mark and trim.

Mark the left and right sides of the door on the tape with a marker, showing the amount that needs to be trimmed. If necessary, open or close the door to the point where it sticks as a marking guide.

Open the door to reach the hinges. Push a doorstop wedge under the door as a brace.

Remove the screws that fasten the hinge to the door frame using a flat or Phillips head screwdriver, depending on the type of screws in the hinge.

Lift the door off the doorstop wedge, and lay it across the sawhorses, taped side facing up.

Place a yardstick or straightedge on the door, and align it with the marks on the tape. Trace the yardstick or straightedge across the door, making a straight cutting guide on the tape.

Plug in the circular saw, if it is electric.

Face one end of the cutting line. Engage the saw blade and align it with the end of the cutting line.

Push the saw along the cutting line slowly, keeping the blade engaged. The base of the saw should remain flat against the door as you cut.

Cut straight across the pencil line to the opposite side of the door, then disengage the blade and unplug or turn off the saw. If you cannot reach across the entire line to cut the door, pull the saw back toward you, disengage the blade and reposition yourself before continuing.

Peel off the tape, and sand the cut edge lightly with fine sandpaper.