Hang interior door

sunnyday1234 · 12-06-2021 12:24pm #1

Hi All

I am good enough at DIY and have successfully laid floors etc but i recently bought a new interior door and i just cant get it right.

I have attached the 3 hinges but the door wont close (not even with a push ) so its a good bit off, but im stumped as to what is causing it.

When i go to close it and stand behind it it does look like the gap between the door frame and the architrave is too big and the door needs to go in further on the architrave if that makes sense but the hinge is in as far as it can go.

Any pointers ?

the_pen_turner · 12-06-2021 12:48pm

have yoy a pic
is the door hitting the rebate of the frame on the other side

policarp · 12-06-2021 11:14pm

Hanging a door is easy if everything is right.
Door could be in twist.
Frame could be in twist.
Both could be off square.
Door frame could be bowed.
Hinges set to wrong depth.
As Pen Turner says post a pic.

Fils · 12-06-2021 11:26pm

Architrave has no bearing on a door operation. It’s for decoration.

kadman · 13-06-2021 10:05am

Sounds like the hinges are not sunk deep enough into
the door or frame, or both.

Normally each leaf of the hinge is sunk flush into the door
and same in the frame.

jmBuildExt · 14-06-2021 2:54pm

+1 on the hinges not being flush.

Failing that, I'll add;
Make sure all hinges are fitted perpendicular to the door and frame (if that makes sense)
Does it work any better if e.g. the middle hinge is removed?

the_pen_turner · 14-06-2021 3:44pm

kadman wrote: »

Sounds like the hinges are not sunk deep enough into
the door or frame, or both.

Normally each leaf of the hinge is sunk flush into the door
and same in the frame.

I would think they are sunk too far in rather than not enough.
Sounds like the door is hitting the frame on the hindges side

jmBuildExt · 14-06-2021 4:14pm

Could be either or - the following sentence leaves it kind of ambiguous. Doesn't mention which side the gap is.

sunnyday1234 wrote: »

Hi All

When i go to close it and stand behind it it does look like the gap between the door frame and the architrave is too big and the door needs to go in further on the architrave if that makes sense but the hinge is in as far as it can go.

Definition of "not closing" would be handy

- OP - is it binding on hinge side or hitting the frame on the lock side?

kadman · 14-06-2021 8:13pm

the_pen_turner wrote: »

I would think they are sunk too far in rather than not enough.
Sounds like the door is hitting the frame on the hindges side

Door needing to move further to the architrave, on the hinge side, means not sunk deep enough.

Needing to move further on the lock side, means sunk too deep.

So one of us is definitely right.:D

The suspense is killing me:p

the_pen_turner · 14-06-2021 8:22pm

kadman wrote: »

Door needing to move further to the architrave, on the hinge side, means not sunk deep enough.

Needing to move further on the lock side, means sunk too deep.

So one of us is definitely right.:D

The suspense is killing me:p

Not necessarily. The door could be too wide. ðŸ€£ðŸ€£ðŸ€£

You could be right.
I think we need pics
I was inteperating it as the door was open few degrees and wouldn't close in when shoved

kadman · 15-06-2021 9:06pm

the_pen_turner wrote: »

Not necessarily. The door could be too wide. &#55356;&#56355;&#55356;&#56355;&#55356;&#56355;

You could be right.
I think we need pics
I was inteperating it as the door was open few degrees and wouldn't close in when shoved

Presumably the op fitted the door into the ope before any hinges were attached,
so that the correct clearances were around the door first.
Thats the rule of thumb before fitting any door furniture.

I agree we need pics....now mister:D:D:D

tabby aspreme · 15-06-2021 11:35pm

Anything is possible with current door hanging, these lads were run off a job I sorted a while ago, architrave on the wrong way around and an attempt to recess hinges on the face of the frame

LenWoods · 15-06-2021 11:53pm

I'm waiting on a door company to take back an oak door which was delivered the wrong size,
It's slightly wider than the size which we ordered,
Could be similar issue with yours but not noticed until now.

kadman · 16-06-2021 12:20am

LenWoods wrote: »

I'm waiting on a door company to take back an oak door which was delivered the wrong size,
It's slightly wider than the size which we ordered,
Could be similar issue with yours but not noticed until now.

How much is slightly. I doubt you are ever going to get a perfect match for your frame opes.

And if its only slightly wider, why would you be sending it back??

Slightly larger door, gives you the material to get a perfect fit into an existing frame.

LenWoods · 16-06-2021 8:35am

kadman wrote: »

How much is slightly. I doubt you are ever going to get a perfect match for your frame opes.

And if its only slightly wider, why would you be sending it back??

Slightly larger door, gives you the material to get a perfect fit into an existing frame.

It's 864mm wide and the other two are 813mm wide
So it's 51mm too wide for our home.

pncniAP3j

The finish is pre-varnished oak as saw above; so cutting a bit off would of course take away from the finish; if they were to be painted it could be cut,
Had a professional carpenter in to fit all Deanta doors, frames and flooring, I had mentioned trimming and was advised best to return it for the correct size in order to retain the finish which we agreed as not to risk impacting the finish.

kadman · 16-06-2021 2:16pm

Yep, stock sizes, and you got the wrong size right enough.
Good call from the chippy, as i know some would rip the door to size.

Either way after a bit of fitting, there is always the possibility that the finish needs a bit of touching up,
but nothing serious.

K.

sunnyday1234 · 16-06-2021 3:15pm

Thanks very much all, and the prize goes to "hinges not sunk deep enough", i have sunk them more now and they are much better

will drag it up the stairs and try again...

I have made a right bags of this tbh but its a learning experience

kadman · 16-06-2021 9:18pm

kadman wrote: »

Sounds like the hinges are not sunk deep enough into
the door or frame, or both.

Normally each leaf of the hinge is sunk flush into the door
and same in the frame.

Winner winner chicken dinner.

Where do i go to collect my prize.:D:D

Of course i had an unfair advantage, i used to contract fit for costelloe doors:P

the_pen_turner · 16-06-2021 9:42pm

kadman wrote: »

Winner winner chicken dinner.

Where do i go to collect my prize.:D:D

Of course i had an unfair advantage, i used to contract fit for costelloe doors:P

are they known for badly fitted doors:P:P:P:P:P

kadman · 16-06-2021 11:29pm

the_pen_turner wrote: »

are they known for badly fitted doors:P:P:P:P:P

Not my ones

This was many many years ago, when door fitting was first set up as a business.

But their imported doors were pure crap. I was taking out better doors than I was fitting.
And this was where we parted ways, as I told the customers exactly this.

Funny thing was they still wanted the indonesian crap. I took out some beautiful burmese teak doors that ended up as shed doors.

I was carrying 5 doors on an aluminium roof rack, on a Fiat 127:D:D
I laughed in the face of danger:p:p

I could not in all good concience keep fitting these, so I pulled the pin.

policarp · 17-06-2021 12:45am

Oh! Costello doors.
Cuban girlfriend door fitter.
Then Estate Agent.

sunnyday1234 · 17-06-2021 8:08am

ok so door still not closing :-) It closes with a good hard push alright so is definetely better than it was

Any ideas ? Seems to be catching more in the middle than anywhere else , the hinge is flush but the middle hinge in the picture attached isnt flush in the door jamb but its not possible to push it in any further.

Screws are a little out in that picture but even when tightened , the hinge wont slide in any more

kadman · 17-06-2021 9:02am

Sounds like its hinge bound. The door is too close to the frame rebate.

Loosen the hinge on the frame at the top leaf, and let the door weight pull it from the frame outwards.
Re position a screw to hold it there.
Loosen the bottom hinge leaf on the frame, and prise out the door from the frame, reposition
a screw to hold it there.

Door should close.

kadman · 17-06-2021 9:45am

There must be some contact between the head of the door frame and the door, or
between the hinge side of the frame and the door, preventing full closure.

This is what is meant by hinge bound.

sunnyday1234 · 17-06-2021 10:19am

ok so let it out a bit and still not closing. Top of the door looks like it will close fine, its the middle and the bottom that is the issue and now if i lie on the floor and look at the bottom of the door its higher at the end nearest the frame with the hinges and lower at the other side, as if its falling down a bit.

kadman · 17-06-2021 10:30am

Close the door, and take a pic of the top, middle, and bottom hinge
from the room side of the door face, with the door closed.

Need to see the door gap, and the hinge depth

k.

kadman · 17-06-2021 10:32am

each hinge leaf should be flush or slightly below the depth of the frame and door.

I.E. hinge leaf thickness 1mm, depth should be 1.2mm

jmBuildExt · 17-06-2021 10:58am

+1 on the pic
Is the door actually hitting the frame when the hinges are tightened up (and door is hanging square to the frame - or close to square).
Are you fitting new door in existing frame?

Hinges are possibly in wrong position altogether - harder to address - you might just have to plane the top or bottom

sunnyday1234 · 17-06-2021 11:01am

Thanks very much for the help so far

I attached the 3 pics, just to note there was a door hanging fine here before this door and had same hinges so i would think the door frame is not the issue

Also even when pushed the door wont close fully cos its getting stuck in one of those layers of sound reducer (i think i will remove that though)

sunnyday1234 · 17-06-2021 11:02am

jmBuildExt wrote: »

+1 on the pic
Is the door actually hitting the frame when the hinges are tightened up (and door is hanging square to the frame - or close to square).
Are you fitting new door in existing frame?

Hinges are possibly in wrong position altogether - harder to address - you might just have to plane the top or bottom

existing frame and previous door was hanging fine there with same hinges. I have planed the top already as it was rubbing. It looks to me like its hitting the door frame in the middle where the lock would go

sunnyday1234 · 17-06-2021 11:05am

this is where it hits

jmBuildExt · 17-06-2021 11:08am

I would take middle hinge out, tighten up the top, see if it closes.
If it does your middle hinge needs to go a bit deeper on either the door or the frame. You should be able to tell by eye if its slightly proud in parts.

If its still same (without middle hinge) top probably needs to go deeper too.

Edit: didnt mean the word too

jmBuildExt · 17-06-2021 11:09am

sunnyday1234 wrote: »

this is where it hits

Is the door precisely the same width as the one that came out?

sunnyday1234 · 17-06-2021 11:25am

jmBuildExt wrote: »

Is the door precisely the same width as the one that came out?

yeah same size. Door that came out doesnet look like it was planed

sunnyday1234 · 17-06-2021 11:37am

does everyone agree with this ? i have to go deeper ?

jmBuildExt · 17-06-2021 11:38am

sunnyday1234 wrote: »

does everyone agree with this ? i have to go deeper ?

Check without middle hinge first. Doesnt require any deepening.

sunnyday1234 · 17-06-2021 11:46am

actually worse now, top looks like it would struggle to close now and middle is worse than before

kadman · 17-06-2021 11:50am

Did you fit this door into the ope before you placed on any hinges.

The hinge side does not look too bad, the bottom hinge gap between the door and frame, looks a bit tight,
but should close . If any of the hinge side gaps get bigger when you force the door, then the problem
is on the right hand side, either to close to the rebate , or hinge bound on the hinges.

If on the other hand you never fitted the door, planed or whatever into the ope before you hinged it, then it may be as simple
as relieving it at the lock stile.

Its easier to fit properly into the ope before any hinges get fitted.
But dont panic, you will get their.

kadman · 17-06-2021 11:54am

sunnyday1234 wrote: »

does everyone agree with this ? i have to go deeper ?

Maybe, maybe not,

It may be hitting at the receiver point, but what is the clearance along the rest of the lock stile. If you deepen the hinge to make it fit here, you may end up with gaps along the rest of the lock stile.

tabby aspreme · 17-06-2021 11:56am

Remove the lock strike plate and see if that makes a difference

sunnyday1234 · 17-06-2021 12:03pm

so i removed the lock plate and no real difference , still getting stuck in the middle area

yeah the hinge gaps do not get bigger when i close the door so that looks like they are ok

how do i do this ? "relieving it at the lock stile."

I am not panicking but sweating like a dog :-)

sunnyday1234 · 17-06-2021 12:08pm

here are pics from the other side when closed, its clearly too tight as it goes down along the door

sunnyday1234 · 17-06-2021 12:16pm

ok i think i have it narrowed down, the bottom hinge was going in too far on the jamb as i am hanging the door myself without anyone holding it. I held the door out further from the jamb and it closes better, not correctly but better so i think i need someone to hold the door up dead straight while i screw in the bottom hinge

tabby aspreme · 17-06-2021 12:37pm

Do you have the old door to compare the width of both, a millimeter or 2 would make a big difference, to relieve the door on the lock stile you will need to plane a slight bevel on it, unless you have a sharp plane don't try this

kadman · 17-06-2021 12:42pm

You dont need anyone else at all.

Just loosen the bottom hinge, place a flat chisel between door and frame, prise it out
and screw in a new place,
job done

sunnyday1234 · 17-06-2021 1:32pm

thanks to everyone here, the door is closing and im happy with it. Slight bit of a pull needed at end but more than acceptable

Not going to use this thread but how hard / easy is it to attach the handles ? I dont need a lock at all , would i be able to do the lock, can you recommend any u tube videos please ?

kadman · 17-06-2021 1:58pm

Congrats you have just completed door hanging 101:D

jmBuildExt · 17-06-2021 3:49pm

Glad you got sorted!

Handiest way for doing the lock, I've found, is to use an auger drill bit and a sharp chisel.
Can use the chisel alone, but auger bit will make life a bit easier - but cant emphasise enough the chisel has to be sharp or it will break your heart

You've done the hard part don't stop now !!

kadman · 17-06-2021 4:32pm

In the lock and handle set, there would be templates to mark both, so you cant go wrong.

I would keep your posts or questions about locking it on this thread as well, keep it all together for the next door hanger

sunnyday1234 · 18-06-2021 3:45pm

ok thanks so much. Ill get the handle and drill bit and see how it goes

MyStubbleItches · 19-06-2021 7:31am

Glad you got sorted but just one observation - it looks to me like the lock plate is on the wrong way around. I could be seeing it completely wrong of course!

Hang interior door

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