door hinges; mortised or not?

[russ_1380]

Hi everyone

I've never really done any site joinery before but gave hanging an internal door a go for the first time this weekend. It looks pretty good for a first attempt but by no means perfect.

I have since become a little obsessed with hinges :shock: . Looking around the house I've seen what other joiners have done in the past.

One thing I noticed is on some doors the hinge is just mortised on the door, the other half of the hinge is not mortised and just sits proud of the frame. I'm guessing they've done this as its much easier (in my opinion) to cut the mortise on the door rather than the frame. Anyway, just out of interest are there any downsides to this technique. I could see a properly fitting mortise might add strength (less strain on screws?) but they're only ever a couple of mm deep.

I'm trying to find some pics online to better describe what i'm on about


Cheers

Russ

 

[MatthewRedStars]

Yep, I do the door only - generally do standard sized hinges so I just chuck the router jig on the door and thats that.

 

[russ_1380]

cheers

do you need to use special half mortise (i think thats what they call them) for this technique or would ordinary hinges be fine?

 

[Jacob]

It's a cheapskate way of doing it and inferior; the hinge housing also locates and supports the hinge leaf and the weight of the door, rather than the screws alone.
Looks cheapo too.
Difficult to cut the frame housing with a router but dead easy with a sharp chisel and a bit of careful marking up with a gauge and a combi square.

 

[Allylearm]

To add to what Jacob states. I would not say cheapo more esthetically correct and look the part with a correct fitting door with a uniform gap all down the edges between door and standard and hinges tailed and screws dressed. If a job is right it looks right.

It is usually found that a incorrect hung door relates to method described with ill fitted gaps running hand in hand, if he did not warrant time on tailing why would he waste time in allowing for a two pence gap, why not go for more clearance (greater spaced door standards) and not angle the hinge side to allow for door checking. Wait till you see some doors being nailed in the hinge, I have came across doors the Chippy or scoundrel had even run a hacksaw slit down a Wire nail head to look like a screw, quick but poor shoddy workmanship where time and money are King. Seen much on housing estates of mass builders remedied by buying Door sets in pre hung door cassettes and done on a CNC Door Centre Machine with the obligatory rounded top and bottom to hinge/lock, more often than not semi skilled do not need to be a joiner to carry it out, just screw to stud or fix by those nailing masonry fixing. I have came across gangs of so called tradesmen on sites and not just locals but the obligatory Poles who seem to pass anyone in possession of a pencil and tape as a Joiner. What is worse, employing people without the trade card like I carry to prove I served my time. I do not employ anyone without a card and are appointed and paid accordingly. In the past no one would be employed without it or is it employing poor managers on sites who are not up to the job of checking or over seeing quality workmanship. It seems to be time is not spent on work being allowed to dry or settle before finishes are started or allowed to climatise. Quick build with quick sale is the rule.

If you are doing a job it is worth doing it correctly and leaving a statement of your ability as a Joiner/Chippy, which seems to be a dieing trend I am afraid, I may be getting old in my thinking as I was the last Apprentice in my area to do 4 years apprentice. That is how I feel and would hate for my name to be tarnished with shoddy practice, word gets around easily. You never know when someone will see your work or ask who has done it, etc. You could call it pride if you like.

 

[Jacob]

Not just pride or job satisfaction - it's good marketing. If you make an effort to do a proper job then the cheapskate clients or employers will tend to avoid you but you will be sought after by the the ones who actually want things done properly, and are usually willing to pay more.

 

[Harbo]

"seen what other joiners have done in the past."

I think this is a very recent trend just to take short cuts and a shoddy one at that?
Not that I visit many very new houses but I've never seen it done.

Rod

 

[Setch]

I've never seen this done on full size doors, and I agree that it is a botch. As others have stated the recess for the hinge supports the weight of the door, so that the screws are under tension along their length when the door is open, and most of the weight of the door (when closed) is acting in compression on the end grain of the door frame. If there is no mortice the weight will be trying to pull the screws sideways, and this can lead to the screws splitting the grain of the frame to allow them to move down.

Conversely, a well fitted door will often stay in place even after you have removed all the screws.

 

[clk230]

shoddy work practice can't believe corners like that being cut, as Jacob says weres the pride gone.

 

[No skills]

Not come across nails in hinges yet ( :shock: ) but have noticed plenty of botched efforts in newish houses (from my perspective 15 years ish), on these big new build estates quick and dirty is king.

Any doors I've hung indoors have always had morticed hinges in frame and door (except one), if your not trying to scrape a living on it then why not take a bit more time and make a better job?

JMO