Ask This Old House

Replacing an interior hollow-core door with a new solid-core door
Tom helps a homeowner replace an old "hollow-core" door with a new "solid-core" model. The bathroom had a door with no panels, otherwise known as a "flush door." The existing door had only a thin plywood skin on each side, was very lightweight, and didn't provide much sound deadening. The new door is heavier because its core is made up of compressed sawdust and glue. Tom begins by removing the old door and hinges. He then uses the old door as a reference for making mortises for the hinges on the new door. After chiseling out the mortises, Tom screws the new hinges onto the door. He then cuts the new door to the proper length using a circular saw and straight edge. Tom then uses wood scraps and glue to fill the screw holes in the door jamb before installing the other half of the new hinges. He then uses a holesaw and a special jig to bore holes for the doorknob and latch. After installing the lockset, Tom positions the door in place and inserts the pins into the hinges, completing the installation.

Where to Find It
Hollow-core, solid-core and block-core doors were provided by:
J&C Adams Co., Inc.
800-446-0303

Interior doors of all types can also be purchased at your local home center or lumber yard.

Tom installed a new interior lockset manufactured by:
Schlage
800-847-1864

The jig that Tom used to bore the holes for the lockset (item no. 3111002) is manufactured by:

Irwin Tools
800-464-7946

Repairing a leaky kitchen faucet
Richard visits a homeowner in Philadelphia with a leaky kitchen faucet. The homeowner explains that whenever the faucet is on, water leaks from where the spout meets the base of the faucet. Richard determines that the reason for the leak is that the faucet's o-rings are worn out and need to be replaced. He begins by closing the shut-off valves underneath the sink. Richard then removes the faucet's "index" cap to reveal a screw underneath. He then removes the screw and pulls off the faucet's handle. He then unscrews the cap assembly and pulls the spout off. Richard then removes two rubber o-rings and installs two new ones. Before reassembling the faucet, he lubricates the o-rings with waterproof grease to prolong their life. Then, back in the loft, Richard shows how to disassemble several other common types of kitchen faucets.

Where to Find It
The kitchen faucet that Richard repaired is manufactured by Kohler, model number K-12175. For more information on repair parts and new fixtures, contact: Kohler
800-456-4537

O-rings and other kitchen faucet repair parts can also be purchased at your local plumbing supply house or home center.