How to Use a Jigsaw to Cut Through an Aluminum Door

You may need to cut an aluminum door for many reasons, such as adding a threshold or a new feature such as a dog door. Make cuts into aluminum using any type of jigsaw equipped with a metal cutting blade. The blade should be bi-metal with 24 or more teeth per inch. A common rule for saw blades is the more teeth it has, the smoother the cut it makes; this goes for cutting aluminum as well.

Saw horses
Masking tape
Straightedge tool
Marker
Jigsaw
Bi-metal jigsaw blade
Lubricant spray
Metal file

Instructions

- 1
  Place the aluminum door on a flat work surface such as a pair of saw horses. Adjust the saw horses so they won't interfere with the cutting process.
- 2
  Determine where the cuts will be made on the aluminum door and place masking tape in this general area. Lay out lines on the masking tape using a marker and a straightedge tool.
- 3
  Equip the jigsaw with the metal cutting blade. Inspect the jigsaw for any defects that may cause the tool to fail or cause injury.
- 4
  Lay the jigsaw table flat on the aluminum surface. Squeeze the jigsaw's trigger to start the tool and align the blade.
- 5
  Slowly push the jigsaw into the door, allowing the blade to cut the aluminum. Avoid pushing the saw too fast, which could cause damage to the aluminum because of the blade catching and pulling instead of cutting.
- 6
  Remove the masking tape when the cuts are complete. Remove any burs with a metal file.

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