hanging a door
 

Hello,
I am about to try and hang my first doors and have learned from various
places, this group included, that it's more difficult than it looks. Can't
say I'm surprised. Apparently a critical item is getting the jambs
perfectly spaced, plumb and square, again no big surprise. One suggestion
I've read involved cutting a 1x2 brace of the final door width + 1.5in
(2xwidth of jamb stock) + say 1/8in for the hinge side gap and tacking that
flush to the outside edges of the jamb assembly while shimming to ensure
that the desired opening is maintained.

What also comes to mind (though I haven't read this anywhere) is to cut 2
braces of say 10" in length and tacking these so as to brace the top corners
in a 6/8/10 triangle thus ensuring the tops of the jamb assembly are square.
Yes these would have to be mitered so no material overhung into the shim
space but that's pretty simple to do. Anyone care to comment on this?
Seems to me if you can get this braced assembly centered in the opening and
shimmed plumb on both sides you are good to go.

Eagerly awaiting responses telling me how wrong I am. (actually that's
true.. cause that's when I learn things)

ml

On 2005-04-29, wrote:

I am about to try and hang my first doors and have learned from
various places [. . .] One suggestion I've read involved cutting a
1x2 brace of the final door width + 1.5in (2xwidth of jamb stock) +
say 1/8in for the hinge side gap and tacking that flush to the
outside edges of the jamb assembly while shimming to ensure that the
desired opening is maintained.

This sounds like a good idea, particularly for a non pre-hung door. A
small allowance for a gap on the non-hinge side should be made.

What also comes to mind (though I haven't read this anywhere) is to cut 2
braces of say 10" in length and tacking these so as to brace the top corners
in a 6/8/10 triangle thus ensuring the tops of the jamb assembly are square.

This could be done, and I've seen windows come this way, in which case
it makes sense to leave these braces on while installing the window.

However, for a prehung door, the usual simple way to do things is
this: remove the door from the jamb. Position the jamb approximately
correctly. Plumb, straighten, align, shim, etc. the hinge side of the
jamb. Reinstall the door and close it. Use the door when shimming
the non-hinge side of the jamb to get an even reveal between the door
and the jamb on the top and non-hinge side of the door.

Cheers, Wayne

I recently had to remove a door frame in order to get a new Jacuzzi
bath tub into place. I did something like you suggest. I tacked on one
long
diagonal brace at about 45 degree angle, high on one side, low on
the other. Thne I put one horizontal cross brace near the bottom.
Worked very well.

Another thing I did was to drill holes through the frame, all the way
into the
2x4s. The size was selected to give a snug fit for some big nails I
happened
to have... perhaps 1/8". I did this at 2 places along both sides and
2 in the
head piece at the top. To reinstall the frame I just jockeyed it
around till I could
slip all of the nails in, then did the permanent nailing. The big ones
were then
removed and the holes filled with FixAll or something. Worked great!

Ed


wrote in message
news:2sfce.593$0Z.211@fed1read02...
Hello,
I am about to try and hang my first doors and have learned from
various
places, this group included, that it's more difficult than it looks.
Can't
say I'm surprised. Apparently a critical item is getting the jambs
perfectly spaced, plumb and square, again no big surprise. One
suggestion
I've read involved cutting a 1x2 brace of the final door width +
1.5in
(2xwidth of jamb stock) + say 1/8in for the hinge side gap and
tacking that
flush to the outside edges of the jamb assembly while shimming to
ensure
that the desired opening is maintained.

What also comes to mind (though I haven't read this anywhere) is to
cut 2
braces of say 10" in length and tacking these so as to brace the top
corners
in a 6/8/10 triangle thus ensuring the tops of the jamb assembly are
square.
Yes these would have to be mitered so no material overhung into the
shim
space but that's pretty simple to do. Anyone care to comment on
this?
Seems to me if you can get this braced assembly centered in the
opening and
shimmed plumb on both sides you are good to go.

Eagerly awaiting responses telling me how wrong I am. (actually
that's
true.. cause that's when I learn things)

ml

On Fri, 29 Apr 2005 00:44:00 GMT, wrote:

I am about to try and hang my first doors and have learned from various
places, this group included, that it's more difficult than it looks. Can't
say I'm surprised. Apparently a critical item is getting the jambs
perfectly spaced, plumb and square, again no big surprise. One suggestion
I've read involved cutting a 1x2 brace of the final door width + 1.5in
(2xwidth of jamb stock) + say 1/8in for the hinge side gap and tacking that
flush to the outside edges of the jamb assembly while shimming to ensure
that the desired opening is maintained.

During my renovation here I rebuilt most of the door frames, and many
of the doors for that matter. PS: excellent source for inexpensive
but quality hardwood doors: http://www.interiordoors.com/. I buy them
as blanks (undressed) but you can order them prehung, just not for
mortise-type locks.

I pre-assemble the door frames in my basement shop on a set of saw
horses, using thin oak scraps taped to the sides of the door to
maintain the reveal. Then I build the frame as a 4-sided box,
mortising the sides into the door header and brad nailing a
butt-jointed footer, which is removed just before installation. To
keep it square for the haul upstairs I brad nail a diagonal brace
across one face. This stays in place until the hinge side vertical is
fastened.


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