Hinges on room doors

[Dibs-h]

Dibs,

Me personally, based on the stregth of your reinforced frame, I would space evenly.

I think it's easy to get carried away with getting it perfect every time ( and I do ) I recently hung 12 internal doors, all around 35+ Kilos. They were 4 panel Shaker style, and because of the height of the centre rail, it didn't look right if the 3rd hinge was fitted above it ( equidistant from top and bottom ) so based on aesthetics, I positioned it bang in the middle, I find my eye drawn to the middle one, as it's directly opposite the handle. they've been up for 4 months now, and had no issues at all

I appreciate it may not be as structuraly sound as per the explanations of the others ( who I know are right ) but sometimes you have to sacrifice something for the right look.

Perhaps you should do a mock up on the door and see if it looks right ?

Cheers

Jed

I think that installing locks and therefore handles at the middle rail, it was often called the lock rail, stems from the older rim locks that required little to be removed from the stile or rail in terms of morticing. This practice lead to the 'balancing' middle hinge position being opposite. It can be seen on some older properties that have escaped refurbishment or fashion.
My earlier post re the fourth hinge was that the architects had specified the positions on some very heavy fire and security doors, the explanation to me was that the extra hinge just below the top one would prevent the doors dropping, pulling the screws out of the top hinge.
Some of the things we are asked to do are a bit like the black art of designing a propeller for a boat design, you have no clue as to how it is worked out! :lol:

Thanks Chaps! Just popped into the house to get the chisels to recess the hinges into the door. I've surface mounted the hinges onto the jamb and whilst I wouldn't normally do it - left the knuckle protruding. With the jamb being steel - it would represent a lot of work!

Yes - a few alterations have had to be made to accomodate the rails and aestehtics at the same - without compromising the structural aspects.

I'll be posting an update - probably tomorrow, when I get back to work (for a rest). :lol: Man - I've had the door on and off 3 times already to make various adjustments and something along the lines of - measure 3 times and cut once, then again, 'cos you didn't cut enough off the 1st time. (super safe!)

Thanks again!

Dibs

 

[Setch]

I think that installing locks and therefore handles at the middle rail, it was often called the lock rail, stems from the older rim locks that required little to be removed from the stile or rail in terms of morticing. This practice lead to the 'balancing' middle hinge position being opposite. It can be seen on some older properties that have escaped refurbishment or fashion.

Makes sense to me. The practice of fitting locks in line with the centre rail must stem from somewhere, and this is as good a reason as any. It's still incredibly common to mortice locks fitted this way, which is very bad practice - it removes almost all of the tenon holding the joint together, and is significantly harder to do, as you're forced to mortice endgrain.