Hanging doors has always been one of those mystical things that carpenters do, something that ordinary blokes like myself never attempt, or if we do attempt it, never get it right.
Well for the best part of this week I’ve been hanging doors. We have 9 of 18 doors hung, and a couple trimmed out. Like anything else in carpentry all it takes is some patience, some knowledge, and some attention to detail. If I can do it…
Because the doors we had wanted for the B&B were not going to be ready in time to make the sealift ship I agreed to get some thinner (1 3/8"), hollow core doors instead. It was a decision that I regret, and I wish we had waited, and paid for the extra shipping. The doors that arrived later, are far superior, with jambs that are much, much better. Those jambs supplied with the hollow core doors, are thin, not very precise, and far from straight. To make matters worse, the crate containing our doors and closet bi-fold doors leaked, and we lost some bi-folds to damage, and all of our doors are water stained.
Here is a door to a storage area above the kitchen. Some of the jamb detail isn’t visible as a jamb extension has been added. This particular wall is a bearing wall, and is built with 2X6’s, so adding extra material to extend the jamb (which are designed for 2X4 walls) was necessary.
One of the keys to hanging a door, is to make sure the hinge side is solidly attached, and plumb. Start with the area where the hinges attach and then shim the rest of the jamb so it runs straight. Once that is done, you hang the door in place and then securely shim and anchor the top corner. This will help ensure the jamb doesn’t shift out of square. Next you move across to the opposite top corner and shim and secure it in place. Shim the top of the door straight and level. The gab at the top of the door should be even all the way across.
Now it is a simply a matter of taking a measurement across the top of the opening, and shimming the latch side of the jamb to that same measurement down to the bottom. Again the gap between the jamb and the door should end up even, all the way down.
Install the knob, and then the strike plate, lining the plate up so the door is flush with the jamb. Then put the stop in place, tight to the door, so there is no play when the door latches. Voila. Repeat as necessary.
Of course, not everything has gone that smoothly and I’ve installed a knob three times on one door before I got it right, pulled hinges right out of the jamb (like I said, cheap wimpy doors and jambs, the screws supplied are the shortest screws I’ve ever seen. Of course once the door is hung we replace all the hinge screws with 2 1/2 or 3 inch screws so the whole thing is attached to the framing itself), and started to hang a door upside down. But they are going on, and I have new skills.
Gary and Johnny were doing other detailing all this week, and amongst all of their jobs they finished trimming out the dining room windows. Take a look… I think it looks pretty sharp. The sills and trim under the sills is birch, and is finished as natural wood. The jamb extensions, trim and the rosettes are being painted white.
Most of the windows on the client side have been trimmed out, the Great room is about half done. The jamb extensions take a lot of time, getting them accurately in place. After that the trim goes quicker.
All in all, the window, door and closet trim looks very fine.
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Clare, do you know the book “The Most Beautiful House in the World” by the architecture critic Witold Rybczynski? It’s the story of the design and building of his house (or one of his earlier houses I suspect)–your stories recall for me the delight that Rybczynski took in the design and building of his house. . . And I like your windows–very important parts of houses. In my house in Washington, I have a south-facing wall of windows, which I especially like at night and leave them uncovered to enjoy the fall of the darkness into my living room.
Larry,
I’m not familiar with the book but will try and find it now. Another “house” book that is supposed to be very good is called “The House”, however I’m not sure of the author. It is sort of a Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance sort of book I understand.
Man, I’m just not going to be able to keep up with your book suggestions.