[gregdonovan]

i want to put a left hand hinged door into the doorway that leads upstairs.

the opening is 32x80. the walls are plaster. i am sure i will have to trim part of the jambs for the stairs.

if i understand correctly if i want a 32 inch pre hung door i need a 34 inch opening.

if i am ok with a 30 inch door can i just put the pre hung door in the existing opening if it is square enough without ripping out the plaster?

here is the room in question:

i am also going to put in taller mopboards and put some facing on the other openings.

 

[DangerMouse]

as long as you're ok with the 30" door, i see no reason why not. the only issue i can see from your pic will be baseboard strategy.
trying to match the casement with the baseboards might be a good idea. maybe corner rosettes to simplify/beautify the bottoms?

DM

 

[gregdonovan]

as long as you're ok with the 30" door, i see no reason why not. the only issue i can see from your pic will be baseboard strategy.
trying to match the casement with the baseboards might be a good idea. maybe corner rosettes to simplify/beautify the bottoms?

DM

the baseboards that are in there are going away. they are cheap 3" things that i am pretty sure are not real wood.

the casement in the rest of the house is just simple flat boards with butt joints at the top. i think there are small flat plinths on the bottoms. the baseboard plan is to put in 6 or 8 inch high boards (depending on the rest of the house mesurements) with 1/4 round shoe cap. we arent in the house yet so i havent had a chance to nail down the specific dimensions of everything yet. the wall outlets are mounted horizontally and will need to be put into the mopboards. right now they are sort of half in the 3" baseboards and half on the wall. they are very ugly. functional but ugly.

assuming all the financing goes well we will be in there on the 1st of july. right now we are just waiting for the underwriters. we are in the no news is good news phase. and it is killing me to wait.

 

[wrangler]

From the pic, it looks like you need a RH (right hand ) open door so that it opens toward the other door opening, though I can't tell if there is a light switch to take into consideration there. A 30" prehung will fit there, but on the stair side of the opening you will not be able to use the cased part of the split jamb. The casing that is attached to the jamb adds about 5" to the width of the door, meaning that a 30" door + casing will be 35". So, you can either try an alternate way to trim the stair side of the door jamb, or go down to a 28" door and add a 2x4 to each side of the door way to attach the pre-hung unit to.

 

[DangerMouse]

a light switch to take into consideration

good point wrangler.... it needs to have the handle/knob on the same side as the lightswitch, yes?

and greg, that's GOT to be ugly!! (the outlets)
post us a pic of them! we can all use a good laugh now and then.... Po)

DM

 

[gregdonovan]

good point wrangler.... it needs to have the handle/knob on the same side as the lightswitch, yes?

and greg, that's GOT to be ugly!! (the outlets)
post us a pic of them! we can all use a good laugh now and then.... Po)

DM

is the lightswitch thing a code requirement? there is a lightswitch on the left wall. my wife wants to door to open into the corner because if the door opens the other way we cant put anything besides a picture on that wall between the doors. but if code says knob and switch on same side then i will have to move the switch or hinge the door on the right.

sounds like i might get a lesson in building my own doorframe for this job.

 

[DangerMouse]

i do believe it is, the elec. inspector checked mine to be sure.
hmmm, post the same question in the electrical forum and you'll get a faster answer.

DM

 

[wrangler]

is the lightswitch thing a code requirement? there is a lightswitch on the left wall. my wife wants to door to open into the corner because if the door opens the other way we cant put anything besides a picture on that wall between the doors. but if code says knob and switch on same side then i will have to move the switch or hinge the door on the right.

sounds like i might get a lesson in building my own doorframe for this job.

I agree that it would be better for that door to open into the corner, but was telling you that that would be a 'right-hand' door. Different people have different methods of how they determine the 'handing' of a door, and the simplest way ever explained to me "was imagine standing in the doorway with your back to the hinges. If you then need to use your left hand to grab the knob, it is left-handed and of course, using your right hand dictates a 'right-handed' door. So, whether or not you desire an inswing or outswing interior door, look at the door at the store use the same method.

 

[Gary in WA]

Nope. Not according to code: http://books.google.com/books?id=SsKjyECbZHcC&pg=PA80&dq=stair+landings+and+doors+codes

Landing required at top and bottom of stairs- IRC 312.1 UBC 1003.3.3.5 You could build out into the room, then a door. The opening looks about 3" short, anyway.
When you go to sell, it would have to meet code or rip it out. Be safe, G

 

[Scuba_Dave]

Is upstairs an attic or bedrooms?
I've seen lots of doors flush with the stairs on older houses - no landing
But I have not seen it on any new houses
Coming down is very awkward to reach down & open the door while on the stairs

 

[Paragon]

Greg,

Yes to get the door swing into the corner you need a RH swing (covered umpteen times)

I am curious why you ar einstalling the door is it so that you can shut down the upstairs without having to heat and cool it unless necessary? As far as the landing yes that is what the code reads but I am guessing the origional condition of the home had a door so you would not be violating the code by reinstalling the doorway after all it was just taken out right? It is not the safest arrangement by any means and if you can avoid it I would but if it is something you have to have then knock yourself out. I tis hard to tell from the photo but the bottom tread looks awfully tight to where the door would be so you might want to rethink the doorway.

Also by looking at the picture I am seeing a possibility that the railing does not have returns on it? If it does not have returns and if you are redoing the home I would make sure I put returns on the new railing. Returns prevent a rode sleeve or loose fitting clothing from hooking on the open unreturned end and taking a tumble down the stairs and in the older homes that is a very steep fall to take.

I would look through the house and attempt to find the origional design of the woodwork. I think I know what the design is and I think you explained it well. The mopboard though do not usually have the shoe on the top it usually runs along the floor line and depending on the craftsman that origionally trimmed the house and how ornate the mops were done there was either no detail on top or an ogeee style trim piece on top, again that would depend on the architecture of your home as it could be a toss up with that period of home. I know that you metioned you were going for the "not crappy" look and so if you went with a simple flat stock mop with shoe in front it would be simple and classy at the same time. I am guessing that the house has been sectioned up and the origional architecture all i all lost and so now you could go with a paint grade material and save a few dollars again depending on your budget and where you want to take the house over the next few years.

Just like I said before the design process can go umpteen different directions depending on whether you are seeking to recreate the origional or get close while working within a budget.

Well enough gibberish for now and if there is anything else I can help with in person don't hesitate to ask.

**Ohh and good luck on the purchase and you could also add a pocket screw jig set up (Kreg mkes a good set up for not too much money for that cabinet kit) for the rails and stiles of the face frames.

Take care Greg!

James
Owner, Paragon Renovations
Fargo/ Moorhead
http://www.paragonrenovations.net/

 

[gregdonovan]

the attic is a "master suite" minus a bathroom. ie. a bedroom and sitting area. my wife works over nights as a nurse and we thought about adding the door for some privacy for her during the day when the kids are home on the weekends and summer time.

sounds like it could be more trouble than it is worth so we will probably just leave it. hadnt really thought about opening it on the way down. that would be a pain.

the old farmhouse i grew up in had a similar set up with a door. however it didnt have a latch on it. now i know why it just pushed open and kind of wedged itself closed due to the settling of the house.

yeah, for the trim the plan is mopboard and 1/4 round on the bottom (what i called the shoe cap) along the floor with nothing on top.

the only thing that has been structurally changed in the house is that there used to be two doors off the entryway up front. one went into the living room and the other went into a "parlor". that doorway was closed off to make the "parlor" another bedroom and the doorway was turned into a bookshelf. which is kind of nice because it will be easy to open it back up later if we want.

i think the best solution to my door dillema is to install a motorized bookcase in front of the door that can be operated by remote control or moving a book on the shelf. the shelf could slide to the right towards the kitchen.

 

[gregdonovan]

and greg, that's GOT to be ugly!! (the outlets)
post us a pic of them! we can all use a good laugh now and then.... Po)

DM

wait 'till you see the outlet that some genius stabilized by using expanding foam. it sticks out a good 1 1/2" from the wall. :jester:

 

[rwa]

caution, a 30" door and reducing the overhead is going to restrict what furniture or other items you can move through the stairway

 

[DUDE!]

rwa beat me to it, someone bought the house, it had door leading up the stairs, limited anything you could try to get up there. Another option, can you put a door at the top of the stairs? The house I referred to had half walls at the top, wouldn't work. Keep in mind, ears plugs

 

[rwa]

greg, another thought ... if you have a 32" opening and you put in a 30" door, you do not have the dimension necessary to add your trim

 

[Scuba_Dave]

By the looks of it getting stuff upstairs is already restricted
And who says you need 3" of trim on either side?
I'd install a 32" door if it will fit & put minimal trim up

Was there a door there at any time?