DIYbanter - View Single Post - Retrofitting interior doors - pre-hung?

aemeijers

wrote:
clipped

Start at the hinge side, get it vertical with shims, and pin it. Then
using the closed door as a guide, shim and pin the latch side. Once
you have a warm fuzzy that the door operates properly, install the
rest of the fasteners, stopping frequently to make sure door still
works smoothly. Be careful not to over-tighten any screws. Then
install the remaining trim to cover the shims. By the 3rd door or so,
you will have the hang of it. Hanging pre-hung doors is the first
thing they stuck me on as a kid, once they took me off sweeping duty,
because it is so easy.

I was much older when I did my first...three children, one of whom
knocked the door down trying to get to a sibling. Just a normal
squabble, but the door was not fastened in place other than by the
finishing nails holding the trim in place!! There are many ways to
learn how NOT to do things )

I have seen that myself, even on an upper-end 'custom' house. My old man
would have sent me home without my hammer if I ever tried that on a site
he was responsible for. 12d or 16d finish nails through jamb and shims,
into the stud, at at least 4 points on each side, BEFORE the casing was
nailed down. Set the nails. Solid-core and exterior doors got screws,
suitably hidden, and the strike plate and some of the hinge screws got
replaced with longer ones, so all the load was not on the jamb.

--
aem sends...