Front door shrinking!

aperture1.4

Hi all,

Noticed in past few days that my front door(External door ... wooden) is no longer closing securely. It seems to have shrunk causing the "bolts" attached to the door itself to not fully engage with the "Latches" on the door frame. Basically looking to see if there is any "Fix", can anybody recommend someone who knows how to repair etc, or will i have to replace with a new door.... (Planning on moving to new house summer 2013, so not interested in investing in new door if at all possible).

Details ... Wooden door... 10 years old.
Location... North County Dublin.

A few pics attached....

These show the boor bolt (In body of door... 2 types....)
Door frame groove.


Thanks in advance.

ART6

I can't make much sense of your pics, I'm afraid, but a new door should never be necessary. If that were the case then the market for doors in Ireland, given our climate, would be the largest in the world. It should be a very simple fix that may involve no more than the application of a file to the receivers until the bolts go in, or repositioning the receivers a fraction or so. The latter fix might need the application of a wood chisel, but it's a half-hour job at most.

That's assuming that you are correct in saying that your door has shrunk. Before doing anything make sure that the hinges are tightly screwed in place and are not worn. Door alignments are as often caused by faulty hinges as anything else.

aperture1.4

ART6 wrote: »

I can't make much sense of your pics, I'm afraid, but a new door should never be necessary. If that were the case then the market for doors in Ireland, given our climate, would be the largest in the world. It should be a very simple fix that may involve no more than the application of a file to the receivers until the bolts go in, or repositioning the receivers a fraction or so. The latter fix might need the application of a wood chisel, but it's a half-hour job at most.

That's assuming that you are correct in saying that your door has shrunk. Before doing anything make sure that the hinges are tightly screwed in place and are not worn. Door alignments are as often caused by faulty hinges as anything else.

Hi

Thanks for reply,


Just to clarify, the bolts fit into the receivers perfectly, in that they don't need filing.. However the issue is that they,(the bolts), are not going deep enough into the receivers (on the door frame) to create a tight seal... Hence my belief that either the door has contracted away from the door frame where the receivers and bolts engage, or the door frame which houses the receivers has itself contracted created the resulting gap between where they both meet. In fact the bolts engage so little with the receivers that if the door is closed and you are standing in the hallway, you can almost forcibly pull the door open using your fingers, simply by placing your fingers in the small gap where both door and frame meet ... and simply pull towards you... The door remains closed simply because one of the 'bolts' in the pic, (the flat lever type) is deeper into the door frames receivers than the other round type which themselves give way.

There is also a pronounced gap which has developed along the length, from ceiling to floor, where the door and its frame meet when you close the door.

irelandspurs

I'm guessing your door has bowed top and bottom from latches being installed in the wrong position on frame and not catching properly but the middle one is tight.What you can try is with door open lift handle up as if your locking door then pull the door closed from the outside and you should see where the round bolts are sitting in latches and id say you will have to drop the top and botton latches on the frame a few mm.

whizbang

post a pic of the hinges please. they may be adjustable.

paddy147

Take the door out and get a Palladio Thermal Composite door supplied and fitted for 1100-1200 euro.


This will also help with house sale next year.

Job done

chris445

whizbang wrote: »

post a pic of the hinges please. they may be adjustable.

This^^^

If the hinges are adjustable an allen key could sort out the problem and cost about €1095-€1195 less.

beldin

Aren't the bolts adjustable as well. They are offset slightly so adjusting them with an allen key might make a better seal.