I am installing a set of double doors in my bedroom doorway. I've hung
single doors before but not double and have some questions on what I
need to do. These will be 6 panel pine doors that will open into the
room. The active door will be the right-hand door (standing in the
room) and that's the door that will receive the lockset. I'm also
putting down a threshold.

My plan is to install the threshold, install a stop molding around the
jamb (there isn't one there now), put the doors in place align them and
mark the hinge locations. I'll then mortise the jamb and doors for the
hinges and mortise the side of the inactive door for the top and bottom
pins. Sound ok so far?

What do I need for an astragal? I've read that you use a "T" astragal
but then also read that all you need is a piece of molding that mounts
to the face of the active door to use as an astragal. Which is better?
If it is a "T" astragal, then this has to go on before the door is
mortised for the lockset, correct?

How big a gap should I leave between the doors?
Anything else I need to be aware of?

George

On 9 May 2005 09:35:01 -0700, wrote:

I am installing a set of double doors in my bedroom doorway. I've hung
single doors before but not double and have some questions on what I
need to do. These will be 6 panel pine doors that will open into the
room. The active door will be the right-hand door (standing in the
room) and that's the door that will receive the lockset. I'm also
putting down a threshold.

My plan is to install the threshold, install a stop molding around the
jamb (there isn't one there now), put the doors in place align them and
mark the hinge locations. I'll then mortise the jamb and doors for the
hinges and mortise the side of the inactive door for the top and bottom
pins. Sound ok so far?

What do I need for an astragal? I've read that you use a "T" astragal
but then also read that all you need is a piece of molding that mounts
to the face of the active door to use as an astragal. Which is better?
If it is a "T" astragal, then this has to go on before the door is
mortised for the lockset, correct?

How big a gap should I leave between the doors?
Anything else I need to be aware of?

George

Either will work but the t astrigal will work better . a molding
nailed on can come loose with use. if you use the nail on trim method
it will mount to the outside of the inactive door. not the active
door. the reason for this as far as i care is to allow the lock strike
to lip over the inside. if you mount the astrigal to the active door
you have to cut out a notch to allow for the lip strike. same with the
t astrigal. putting the astrigal on the active door is not the
prefered method IMHO. I have been hanging and hardwareing doors for
the past 20 years. the astrigal will be notched for the stop bead at
the top. you will also want slide bolts on the inactive door. some
mount on the face of the door while others motise into the edge of the
inactive door or astrigal. on interier doors you only need a slide
bolt at the top. 2 is better but dealing with flooring such as carpet
can be problematic. with a threashhold the bottom bolt gets
easier.another trick is to add the stop bead after hanging the doors.
allow 1/16" clearance between the door and stop.

skeez

wrote in message
oups.com...
I am installing a set of double doors in my bedroom doorway. I've hung
single doors before but not double and have some questions on what I
need to do. These will be 6 panel pine doors that will open into the
room. The active door will be the right-hand door (standing in the
room) and that's the door that will receive the lockset. I'm also
putting down a threshold.

My plan is to install the threshold, install a stop molding around the
jamb (there isn't one there now), put the doors in place align them and
mark the hinge locations. I'll then mortise the jamb and doors for the
hinges and mortise the side of the inactive door for the top and bottom
pins. Sound ok so far?

What do I need for an astragal? I've read that you use a "T" astragal
but then also read that all you need is a piece of molding that mounts
to the face of the active door to use as an astragal. Which is better?
If it is a "T" astragal, then this has to go on before the door is
mortised for the lockset, correct?

How big a gap should I leave between the doors?
Anything else I need to be aware of?

George


With a T the tail would have to be let into the door. I usually just flat
mount it to the fixed door, usually hardwood if the doors are softwood.

Here's a tip, don't mount the door stop until the doors are hung and your
happy with the way the meet in the middle and the upper and lower sliding
bolts are in. Same with single doors until the passage set is installed.
Doorstop should really be the very last thing installed.

Good point about the lip on the strike plate, didn't think of that.

"With a T the tail would have to be let into the door"
I don't understand. I haven't actually seen a T astrigal yet but I
assumed that the tail would be the full thickness of the door, 1-1/8"
or whatever, and that it would simply be nailed into the side of the
door....which, now that I think about it might look a little odd from
the other side. Are you saying that the astrigal is less than the
door thickness and I need to rabbet out the side of the door to accept
it?

What I meant to say was that I assumed the *length* of the tail would
be the same as the thickness of the door and that any mortising -
strike plate, slide bolts - would be mortised into or through the
astrigal.

wrote in message
oups.com...
What I meant to say was that I assumed the *length* of the tail would
be the same as the thickness of the door and that any mortising -
strike plate, slide bolts - would be mortised into or through the
astrigal.


Oh, ok, that would work. You will end up with a seam on the opposite side
though

On 9 May 2005 10:45:29 -0700, wrote:

Good point about the lip on the strike plate, didn't think of that.

"With a T the tail would have to be let into the door"
I don't understand. I haven't actually seen a T astrigal yet but I
assumed that the tail would be the full thickness of the door, 1-1/8"
or whatever, and that it would simply be nailed into the side of the
door....which, now that I think about it might look a little odd from
the other side. Are you saying that the astrigal is less than the
door thickness and I need to rabbet out the side of the door to accept
it?

you are corect the T is 1 1/2 and protrudes a little. usualy rounded
or detailed on the edge that protrudes for decorative purposes and to
make it easier to install for the less than profesional installer. it
will also add about 3/8 " to the inactive door. be sure to allow for
this or you will have to plane the doors to fit.

skeez

On 9 May 2005 09:35:01 -0700, wrote:

What do I need for an astragal? I've read that you use a "T" astragal
but then also read that all you need is a piece of molding that mounts
to the face of the active door to use as an astragal. Which is better?
If it is a "T" astragal, then this has to go on before the door is
mortised for the lockset, correct?

How big a gap should I leave between the doors?
Anything else I need to be aware of?

We normally use a T.
The T we use has a bevel on the side that goes toward the active door.
The flat side of the T nails to the inactive door. If you use this
style of T you will need to bevel the lock side of the active door if
that is not already done. This will allow you to keep a close
clearance between the doors. The T will also notch at the top where
it hits the stop. If you use edge bolts on the inactive side, they
will have to be mortised through the T. Be careful that you don't
have nails at the positions of the bolts or the keeper for your lock.
The T does not have to go on before the door is bored for the lockset.
If your active side is already bored you can still install the T and
just mortise the keeper to match the location of the bore in the
active door.
If your framing does not have room for the two doors plus the T you
may have to make the doors smaller. If the active door is already
bored you may need to remove the material from the inactive door only
(assuming it is not bored). If you take too much off of the bored
door, you will have problems with the lockset.

Mike O.