"Steve Manes" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 27 Apr 2005 21:13:33 -0400, "ng_reader"
wrote:

However --- insightful, she was.

Tack the top hinge corner, then shim the frame till it's plumb and
square.

With all due respect to the door company lady, no.

What you do first is check that the hinge-side jack stud in the rough
opening is plumb. Following her instructions, if the top of the stud
was leaning "away" from the opening then there wouldn't be any way to
shim the hinge-side of the door frame so that it was plumb.

Center the door in the opening. If the jack stud is leaning "into"
the opening, drive a finishing nail into the top of the door frame,
then use shims to level the bottom. If the jack stud is leaning
"away" from the opening, nail at the bottom first. Drive the nail in
just far enough that the door frame is secure. Then align the plumb
of the frame using a level on both the face and edge of the frame.

Add shims under each hinge point. Insert two shims from opposite
sides so the frame remains square (i.e. 90 degrees) to the sides of
the opening. Don't force them in or you could bow the frame. Then
nail through them. Use your long level to make sure the frame is
straight (neither cupped nor bowed). Then complete driving in the
nails.

This will ensure a plumb door. The rest is just sighting along the
reveal between the door and the frame to make sure it's even, using
shims as before.

She also told me if it's not plumb and square the first time - I'm
screwed
for life. A real horror story.

No. If the door is really out, use a sawzall to cut the nails and
start over. It just means more nail holes to fill later.

Is that true, will it get worse over time?

Only if you didn't fasten it securely in the rough opening.

Is there a trick to understanding what the MAGIC words plumb and square
mean?

square = 90 degrees to the intersecting side(s)
plumb = exactly vertical on both axis.
level = exactly horizontal on both axis. (bonus word!)

Steve Manes
Brooklyn, NY
http://www.magpie.com/house

Thanks!

Good post, nice site, nice house.