This does not seem right to me -- but it did resolve my issue.

I have an exterior door that the door used to be 'cocked' a bit in the
frame such that the weather seal did not seal well all around the
door. There was a gap along the bottom of the latch side. The botton
latch side of the door needed to be lifted about 1/8" to make the door
fit better into the frame. I added a shim to the bottom hinge --
pushig the hinge out about 1/8". It's a nice fit all around now.

I did some checks to see that the frame was perpendicular and it
checked out ok (plumb bob). I did not chech to see that the top of
frame was square to the sides nor that the bottom was square to sides,
but visually, the door was just not "square" inside the frame. The
bottom hinge side ( the hinge I shimmed) fit snug to the frame, while
the top hinge side was 3/16" open.

To me, it seemed that the hinges were allowing slightly more or less
of an opening between the door and the frame - almost like the hinges
were not the same.

This is a Jeld-Wen exterior door.

This does not seem right to me -- but it did resolve my issue.

I have an exterior door that the door used to be 'cocked' a bit in the
frame such that the weather seal did not seal well all around the
door. There was a gap along the bottom of the latch side. The botton
latch side of the door needed to be lifted about 1/8" to make the door
fit better into the frame. I added a shim to the bottom hinge --
pushig the hinge out about 1/8". It's a nice fit all around now.

I did some checks to see that the frame was perpendicular and it
checked out ok (plumb bob). I did not chech to see that the top of
frame was square to the sides nor that the bottom was square to sides,
but visually, the door was just not "square" inside the frame. The
bottom hinge side ( the hinge I shimmed) fit snug to the frame, while
the top hinge side was 3/16" open.

To me, it seemed that the hinges were allowing slightly more or less
of an opening between the door and the frame - almost like the hinges
were not the same.

This is a Jeld-Wen exterior door.

It sounds like the hinge-side jamb has twisted. To fix it:
* Take the door off the hinges.
* Remove the casing (the trim around the opening).
* Remove the screws holding the jamb to the rough opening (or saw
through the nails if that's what's there).
* Put tapered shims behind the hinge points to cause the jamb to be
vertical and square. Use a four- or six-foot level and a good square.
* Drive long screws through the hinges, though the shims, and into the
2x4s of the rough opening. Leave them a little loose so you can adjust
things.
* While you're in there, you might as well do the same thing to the
jamb on the knob side as well.
* Double-check that the top and bottom of the opening are equal.
* Put the door back up.
* Make sure the opening on all sides is consistent. You probably can't
get it back to the factory condition, so just get it as close as you
can. Also check that it doesn't swing open or closed by itself. This
would be an indication that something isn't plumb.
* Drive all the screws down tight, and check everything one more time.
* Put the casing back on, fill nail holes, caulk edges, and paint.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA

On Jan 6, 3:07*pm, "SteveBell" wrote:
This does not seem right to me -- but it did resolve my issue.

I have an exterior door that the door used to be 'cocked' a bit in the
frame such that the weather seal did not seal well all around the
door. *There was a gap along the bottom of the latch side. *The botton
latch side of the door needed to be lifted about 1/8" to make the door
fit better into the frame. *I added a shim to the bottom hinge --
pushig the hinge out about 1/8". *It's a nice fit all around now.

I did some checks to see that the frame was perpendicular and it
checked out ok (plumb bob). *I did not chech to see that the top of
frame was square to the sides nor that the bottom was square to sides,
but visually, the door was just not "square" inside the frame. *The
bottom hinge side ( the hinge I shimmed) fit snug to the frame, while
the top hinge side was 3/16" open.

To me, it seemed that the hinges were allowing slightly more or less
of an opening between the door and the frame - almost like the hinges
were not the same.

This is a Jeld-Wen exterior door.

It sounds like the hinge-side jamb has twisted. To fix it:
** Take the door off the hinges.
** Remove the casing (the trim around the opening).
** Remove the screws holding the jamb to the rough opening (or saw
through the nails if that's what's there).
** Put tapered shims behind the hinge points to cause the jamb to be
vertical and square. Use a four- or six-foot level and a good square.
** Drive long screws through the hinges, though the shims, and into the
2x4s of the rough opening. Leave them a little loose so you can adjust
things.
** While you're in there, you might as well do the same thing to the
jamb on the knob side as well.
** Double-check that the top and bottom of the opening are equal.
** Put the door back up.
** Make sure the opening on all sides is consistent. You probably can't
get it back to the factory condition, so just get it as close as you
can. Also check that it doesn't swing open or closed by itself. This
would be an indication that something isn't plumb.
** Drive all the screws down tight, and check everything one more time.
** Put the casing back on, fill nail holes, caulk edges, and paint.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I initially thought the same thing, but now I'm really thinking the
issue is with the hinges themselves. It's like the top and middle
hinges don't close together as closely as that bottom hinge?

I was about to undertake the procedure you outlined (but thanks for
detailed instructions in case I need to do this), but when I look down
at the hinges, the bottom hinge plates are closer together than the
middle and top.

Ah.. but I just took a measurment from hinge side frame to lock side
frame. At the top it measures 36", at the center, it's 36-2/16" and
bottom it's about 36-3/16", so it's spreading out top to bottom.
Sounds like I need to do the procedure afterall. At least for now, it
seals up better.

On Jan 6, 4:50�pm, coloradotrout wrote:
On Jan 6, 3:07�pm, "SteveBell" wrote:





This does not seem right to me -- but it did resolve my issue.

I have an exterior door that the door used to be 'cocked' a bit in the
frame such that the weather seal did not seal well all around the
door. �There was a gap along the bottom of the latch side. �The botton
latch side of the door needed to be lifted about 1/8" to make the door
fit better into the frame. �I added a shim to the bottom hinge --
pushig the hinge out about 1/8". �It's a nice fit all around now.

I did some checks to see that the frame was perpendicular and it
checked out ok (plumb bob). �I did not chech to see that the top of
frame was square to the sides nor that the bottom was square to sides,
but visually, the door was just not "square" inside the frame. �The
bottom hinge side ( the hinge I shimmed) fit snug to the frame, while
the top hinge side was 3/16" open.

To me, it seemed that the hinges were allowing slightly more or less
of an opening between the door and the frame - almost like the hinges
were not the same.

This is a Jeld-Wen exterior door.

It sounds like the hinge-side jamb has twisted. To fix it:
�* Take the door off the hinges.
�* Remove the casing (the trim around the opening).
�* Remove the screws holding the jamb to the rough opening (or saw
through the nails if that's what's there).
�* Put tapered shims behind the hinge points to cause the jamb to be
vertical and square. Use a four- or six-foot level and a good square.
�* Drive long screws through the hinges, though the shims, and into the
2x4s of the rough opening. Leave them a little loose so you can adjust
things.
�* While you're in there, you might as well do the same thing to the
jamb on the knob side as well.
�* Double-check that the top and bottom of the opening are equal.
�* Put the door back up.
�* Make sure the opening on all sides is consistent. You probably can't
get it back to the factory condition, so just get it as close as you
can. Also check that it doesn't swing open or closed by itself. This
would be an indication that something isn't plumb.
�* Drive all the screws down tight, and check everything one more time.
�* Put the casing back on, fill nail holes, caulk edges, and paint.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I initially thought the same thing, but now I'm really thinking the
issue is with the hinges themselves. �It's like the top and middle
hinges don't close together as closely as that bottom hinge?

I was about to undertake the procedure you outlined (but thanks for
detailed instructions in case I need to do this), but when I look down
at the hinges, the bottom hinge plates are closer together than the
middle and top.

Ah.. but I just took a measurment from hinge side frame to lock side
frame. �At the top it measures 36", at the center, it's 36-2/16" and
bottom it's about 36-3/16", so it's spreading out top to bottom.
Sounds like I need to do the procedure afterall. �At least for now, it
seals up better.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I had a door with that problem, try picking up door at outer part
where handle is.

mine had worn hnges after a gazillion opening and close cycles. if
theres slop hinges are bworn. how many miles on your vehicle? this is
a test for odometer accuracy too

now I oil hinges twice a year

wrote:
On Jan 6, 4:50�pm, coloradotrout wrote:
On Jan 6, 3:07�pm, "SteveBell" wrote:





This does not seem right to me -- but it did resolve my issue.
I have an exterior door that the door used to be 'cocked' a bit in the
frame such that the weather seal did not seal well all around the
door. �There was a gap along the bottom of the latch side. �The botton
latch side of the door needed to be lifted about 1/8" to make the door
fit better into the frame. �I added a shim to the bottom hinge --
pushig the hinge out about 1/8". �It's a nice fit all around now.
I did some checks to see that the frame was perpendicular and it
checked out ok (plumb bob). �I did not chech to see that the top of
frame was square to the sides nor that the bottom was square to sides,
but visually, the door was just not "square" inside the frame. �The
bottom hinge side ( the hinge I shimmed) fit snug to the frame, while
the top hinge side was 3/16" open.
To me, it seemed that the hinges were allowing slightly more or less
of an opening between the door and the frame - almost like the hinges
were not the same.
This is a Jeld-Wen exterior door.
It sounds like the hinge-side jamb has twisted. To fix it:
�* Take the door off the hinges.
�* Remove the casing (the trim around the opening).
�* Remove the screws holding the jamb to the rough opening (or saw
through the nails if that's what's there).
�* Put tapered shims behind the hinge points to cause the jamb to be
vertical and square. Use a four- or six-foot level and a good square.
�* Drive long screws through the hinges, though the shims, and into the
2x4s of the rough opening. Leave them a little loose so you can adjust
things.
�* While you're in there, you might as well do the same thing to the
jamb on the knob side as well.
�* Double-check that the top and bottom of the opening are equal.
�* Put the door back up.
�* Make sure the opening on all sides is consistent. You probably can't
get it back to the factory condition, so just get it as close as you
can. Also check that it doesn't swing open or closed by itself. This
would be an indication that something isn't plumb.
�* Drive all the screws down tight, and check everything one more time.
�* Put the casing back on, fill nail holes, caulk edges, and paint.
--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
I initially thought the same thing, but now I'm really thinking the
issue is with the hinges themselves. �It's like the top and middle
hinges don't close together as closely as that bottom hinge?

I was about to undertake the procedure you outlined (but thanks for
detailed instructions in case I need to do this), but when I look down
at the hinges, the bottom hinge plates are closer together than the
middle and top.

Ah.. but I just took a measurment from hinge side frame to lock side
frame. �At the top it measures 36", at the center, it's 36-2/16" and
bottom it's about 36-3/16", so it's spreading out top to bottom.
Sounds like I need to do the procedure afterall. �At least for now, it
seals up better.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I had a door with that problem, try picking up door at outer part
where handle is.

mine had worn hnges after a gazillion opening and close cycles. if
theres slop hinges are bworn. how many miles on your vehicle? this is
a test for odometer accuracy too

now I oil hinges twice a year

I have found that OP's problem can usually be solved by longer screws in
the top hinge, on both sides. A lot less work than stripping the casing.
The short crappy factory screws that come with a prehung door are almost
always junk, and work loose quickly. If there is a shim behind the
hinges like there is supposed to be, I like the screw to reach all the
way over into the stud.

--
aem sends...

On Tue, 6 Jan 2009 13:50:18 -0800 (PST), coloradotrout
wrote:

On Jan 6, 3:07*pm, "SteveBell" wrote:
This does not seem right to me -- but it did resolve my issue.

I have an exterior door that the door used to be 'cocked' a bit in the
frame such that the weather seal did not seal well all around the
door. *There was a gap along the bottom of the latch side. *The botton
latch side of the door needed to be lifted about 1/8" to make the door
fit better into the frame. *I added a shim to the bottom hinge --
pushig the hinge out about 1/8". *It's a nice fit all around now.

I did some checks to see that the frame was perpendicular and it
checked out ok (plumb bob). *I did not chech to see that the top of
frame was square to the sides nor that the bottom was square to sides,
but visually, the door was just not "square" inside the frame. *The
bottom hinge side ( the hinge I shimmed) fit snug to the frame, while
the top hinge side was 3/16" open.

To me, it seemed that the hinges were allowing slightly more or less
of an opening between the door and the frame - almost like the hinges
were not the same.

This is a Jeld-Wen exterior door.

It sounds like the hinge-side jamb has twisted. To fix it:
** Take the door off the hinges.
** Remove the casing (the trim around the opening).
** Remove the screws holding the jamb to the rough opening (or saw
through the nails if that's what's there).
** Put tapered shims behind the hinge points to cause the jamb to be
vertical and square. Use a four- or six-foot level and a good square.
** Drive long screws through the hinges, though the shims, and into the
2x4s of the rough opening. Leave them a little loose so you can adjust
things.
** While you're in there, you might as well do the same thing to the
jamb on the knob side as well.
** Double-check that the top and bottom of the opening are equal.
** Put the door back up.
** Make sure the opening on all sides is consistent. You probably can't
get it back to the factory condition, so just get it as close as you
can. Also check that it doesn't swing open or closed by itself. This
would be an indication that something isn't plumb.
** Drive all the screws down tight, and check everything one more time.
** Put the casing back on, fill nail holes, caulk edges, and paint.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I initially thought the same thing, but now I'm really thinking the
issue is with the hinges themselves. It's like the top and middle
hinges don't close together as closely as that bottom hinge?

I was about to undertake the procedure you outlined (but thanks for
detailed instructions in case I need to do this), but when I look down
at the hinges, the bottom hinge plates are closer together than the
middle and top.

Ah.. but I just took a measurment from hinge side frame to lock side
frame. At the top it measures 36", at the center, it's 36-2/16" and
bottom it's about 36-3/16", so it's spreading out top to bottom.
Sounds like I need to do the procedure afterall. At least for now, it
seals up better.

Sounds like the jamb is bowed. When is was installed and over fastened
it pulled the jamb inward towards the RO studs. Use a level on each
side jamb and both sides of the stop. See a difference in space
behind the level?

If it's bowed like you mention then pull the door casing off and
gently pry the jamb out where need be to remove the bow. Shims may be
needed...

On Jan 6, 4:55*pm, Oren wrote:
On Tue, 6 Jan 2009 13:50:18 -0800 (PST), coloradotrout





wrote:
On Jan 6, 3:07*pm, "SteveBell" wrote:
This does not seem right to me -- but it did resolve my issue.

I have an exterior door that the door used to be 'cocked' a bit in the
frame such that the weather seal did not seal well all around the
door. *There was a gap along the bottom of the latch side. *The botton
latch side of the door needed to be lifted about 1/8" to make the door
fit better into the frame. *I added a shim to the bottom hinge --
pushig the hinge out about 1/8". *It's a nice fit all around now.

I did some checks to see that the frame was perpendicular and it
checked out ok (plumb bob). *I did not chech to see that the top of
frame was square to the sides nor that the bottom was square to sides,
but visually, the door was just not "square" inside the frame. *The
bottom hinge side ( the hinge I shimmed) fit snug to the frame, while
the top hinge side was 3/16" open.

To me, it seemed that the hinges were allowing slightly more or less
of an opening between the door and the frame - almost like the hinges
were not the same.

This is a Jeld-Wen exterior door.

It sounds like the hinge-side jamb has twisted. To fix it:
** Take the door off the hinges.
** Remove the casing (the trim around the opening).
** Remove the screws holding the jamb to the rough opening (or saw
through the nails if that's what's there).
** Put tapered shims behind the hinge points to cause the jamb to be
vertical and square. Use a four- or six-foot level and a good square.
** Drive long screws through the hinges, though the shims, and into the
2x4s of the rough opening. Leave them a little loose so you can adjust
things.
** While you're in there, you might as well do the same thing to the
jamb on the knob side as well.
** Double-check that the top and bottom of the opening are equal.
** Put the door back up.
** Make sure the opening on all sides is consistent. You probably can't
get it back to the factory condition, so just get it as close as you
can. Also check that it doesn't swing open or closed by itself. This
would be an indication that something isn't plumb.
** Drive all the screws down tight, and check everything one more time.
** Put the casing back on, fill nail holes, caulk edges, and paint.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I initially thought the same thing, but now I'm really thinking the
issue is with the hinges themselves. *It's like the top and middle
hinges don't close together as closely as that bottom hinge?

I was about to undertake the procedure you outlined (but thanks for
detailed instructions in case I need to do this), but when I look down
at the hinges, the bottom hinge plates are closer together than the
middle and top.

Ah.. but I just took a measurment from hinge side frame to lock side
frame. *At the top it measures 36", at the center, it's 36-2/16" and
bottom it's about 36-3/16", so it's spreading out top to bottom.
Sounds like I need to do the procedure afterall. *At least for now, it
seals up better.

Sounds like the jamb is bowed. When is was installed and over fastened
it pulled the jamb inward towards the RO studs. *Use a level on each
side *jamb and both sides of the stop. See a difference in space
behind the level?

If it's bowed like you mention then pull the door casing off and
gently pry the jamb out where need be to remove the bow. Shims may be
needed...- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yeah.. looks like when weather warms up, I'll be pulling off the
interior/exterior trim and truing up the frame. That should give me
an even snugger fit.