On 19/05/2017 16:30, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
I have an outside door to the roof terrace here. A fairly recent one -
perhaps 30 years old. Just a basic wood frame with a single full sized
double glazed plain glass panel.

The door opens inwards and has leaked off and on since it was fitted. It's
rather exposed up there. I fitted fancy seals which helped - but notice
some of the rubber has started to perish, and the wood frame of the door
isn't that great either.

It's not a period feature, and security isn't an issue, so I'm considering
replacing it with a UPVC one which hopefully would have better seals.

The present door in set into a custom made window frame - pretty chunky as
it is load bearing. If I removed the door and the planted on stops, I'd be
left with a basic wood frame made out of 4x2" which is well braced by
horizontals for the window - of the same size.

I've a horror of double glazing firms that install things. Googling has
found several firms that will supply a door and frame made to size.

Any gotchas about a DIY install? I've done PVC windows and patio doors OK
some time ago.


A single pane fully glazed uPVC door isn't very rigid at the corners,
and will lozenge given half a chance. You prevent this by strategic
placement of packing pieces between frame and sealed unit - by what is
called "heeling and toeing". The sealed unit then gives the frame the
necessary rigidity.

The door hinges usually have adjusters for in and out, and to and away
from the frame - using Allen keys which effectively vary the
eccentricity of the hinge pins.

It's as well to make the frame slightly undersize, and use packing
pieces to allow for the brickwork (in your case wooden frame) being
slightly out of square - and then cover the gaps with a bead of mastic.
--
Cheers,
Roger
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