[ProudMarineDad]

I just replaced exterior door. Measured and cut out for hinges. The door fit in on the top and bottom, but the door is too far to the latch side by about 1/8 to 1/4 inch and it wont close all the way. How do i move the door over towards the hinge side? Take off more wood stock under the hinges on the door? Or on the jamb? Any help is appreciated. Thanks

 

[rjniles]

I just replaced exterior door. Measured and cut out for hinges. The door fit in on the top and bottom, but the door is too far to the latch side by about 1/8 to 1/4 inch and it wont close all the way. How do i move the door over towards the hinge side? Take off more wood stock under the hinges on the door? Or on the jamb? Any help is appreciated. Thanks

If you have not cut the hole for the lock-set, plane the amount you need off the lock-set side. If you have installed the lock-set, remove the door , plane the hinge side and re-mortise the hinges.

If you have a metal door, you have made a big mistake. (Although some metal doors have enough wood at the edges to allow you to plane that amount off. I would split the difference and take the same amount from each side.)

 

[Ron6519]

Need a little more detail. The door should have about an 1/8" gap between the door and the frame at the top and both sides. This gap will vary on how you cut the mortises for the door and frame. The hinge should be flush to both the door and frame surface. If you cut the mortise too deep the door will bind on the hinge side. If you cut them too shallow, they will cause the door to rub or not close on the latch side.
Another reason the door will bind is if it's too wide for the opening. Or if the door has no bevel on the latch side.
Check out the door and see which issue you have.
Ron

 

[hayewe farm]

When you cut the mortises did you cut them as deep as the hinge plate is thick? The hinges should be deep enough on the door and jamb that they are flush with the wood. If this was a door blank then the side toward the lock needs to be cut off at a slight angle so the inside corner will clear the jamb.

 

[ProudMarineDad]

Thanks for everyone's info. I think i will start by setting hinges a little deeper in the door and then planing both sides if needed. There is probably 1/4 - 1/2 gap on hinge side of frame. It is a metal door but i have some wood on the sides to work with. I wiil let you all know. Thanks again.

 

[Thurman]

"It is a metal door but i have some wood on the sides to work with." There you go, as the previous post stated, you do have some wood to plane down. I suggest taking an equal amount from both sides of the door to start with, test fit it, and if needed take equal amounts off both sides again. Making sure the hinges are set flush is critical also. An old fashion carpenter's rule would be the trick for this one, the type with the sliding rule in the end, ( I still have my Granddad's) or if you can come up with two pieces of wood and a small c-clamp. Place the two pieces of wood between the door jamb, level, so that they overlap, clamp together snugly. Lay this measurement on the door, subtract 1/8", and you will know exactly what dimension the door needs to be. "Proud Marine Dad, Huh"? No doubt you can do it if you raised your son to be a Marine. Good Luck, David

 

[ProudMarineDad]

It worked out great

Thanks to rjniles, Ron 6519, hayewe farm and Thurman for all the help on door adjustment. I removed and set the hinges a little deeper in the mortises and planed a little off. It fits perfect. Looks like it was done by a pro. Thanks again for everyones help. This is a great site. Please pray for our troops safety.:thumbup: