hanging and adjusting doors

[disco_monkey79]

I’ve got some period (i.e. used!) doors for my house, to replace the current ugly ones.

The first that I’ve hung seems to have a twist (though I doubt the frame is perfectly square either). The door is neat to the frame all the way up on the hinge side. On the other side, it sits exactly right at the bottom, but juts out at the top by ¾” or so.

Can anyone direct me to an idiot’s guide to door hanging, which shows how to adjust for this twist? All the guides that I’ve found don’t go in to that level of detail. FYI, it isn’t binding on the hinge side.

Thanks

 

[carlb40]

It could be the door or the frame is warped. You will find with a lot of old doors they can take on the shape of the frame over the years as they dry out.
First thing i would do is make sure the frame is plumb on both legs. If not at least make sure they are both the same using a level.

If both sides of the frame are plumb or out of plumb the same - the door is warped.

In which case, i would remove the fixings from the latch/ lock side. Then move the frame leg to suit the door, unless the warped door is really bad?.
If that is the case you might have to remove the fixings on the hinge side aswell. Then try to equal things up on both frame legs to get the door closing properly

 

[biff8910]

Exactly what he just said - spot on!
:wink:

 

[twothumbs]

You often find a door has a twist on the latch side where it has been banged or banging. They can also get a twist towards the cold side Door leafs can also get a twist from standing against a wall for a time. You dont know if the twists are old or recent. That doesn't exactly help you. You can move the lower hinge out and reset it and 'lose' some of the 3/4" at the head rather in the way you would adjust a car door. Personally, I would live with it rather than start moving frames , but...... Best wishes.

Added. I am presuming the leading edge is effetively Banana shapes.

 

[disco_monkey79]

Thanks all for the replies.

The frame is vertical on both sides. On closer inspection of the door, it seems is curves in at the bottom, rather than curving out at the top. I'll try adjusting the stop, and see how it looks. It should mean only the very bottom of the door is out of true, which I reckon I can live with.

Thanks again for your help. Hopefully this door is the worst of the lot, rather than the best!

 

[carlb40]

Ahh if you have a plant on stop then yes removing and moving the stop will sort it. Will be a pain but as the door curves in you are lucky. You may be able to keep moving the stop back towards the original position bit by bit every few months. If you are lucky you may be able to eventually remove the bow from the door that way. However for this to work, the door would need to be kept closed as often as possible

I take it the doors have been dipped? Often a lack of proper drying after dipping can cause warping of the doors aswell.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Old doors, dipped or not, burn beautifully.

 

[disco_monkey79]

This one is on a box room, so will be shut 99% of the time (and has the added advantage that people will only ever see one face of it!).

I don;t think this door was ever painted - that or someone's done a remarkable job of stripping by hand, as the joints are all tight and it shows no sign of having been dipped. Sadly, all the others are currently painted, which will be keeping me busy for a good few months... ;-)