b

15/10/2007 1:07 PM

How to adjust stuck french door

I have a new french door installation which worked great until it
started to rain here in Seattle, and now it sticks, right around the
latches. I figure I need to plane a bit off the side(s) of the
door(s), but I am not sure which side(s) are best to plane down.I
anticipate taking 1/8 inch maximum off, but is it best to take it off
the latch sides or the hinge sides?


This topic has 6 replies

dd

"dadiOH"

in reply to [email protected] on 15/10/2007 1:07 PM

15/10/2007 8:58 PM

[email protected] wrote:
> the hinge side.

And redo the hinge mortices after doing so

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico


b

in reply to [email protected] on 15/10/2007 1:07 PM

15/10/2007 1:20 PM


the hinge side.

SI

Smaug Ichorfang

in reply to [email protected] on 15/10/2007 1:07 PM

16/10/2007 2:42 AM

"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>
> <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>I have a new french door installation which worked great until it
>> started to rain here in Seattle, and now it sticks,
>>
>
> Before you cut anything try spraying a bit of silicone on the spot
> where the rubbing is at.

May I recomend you try rubbing on some beeswax before you try thre
silicone. The reason for this is that the silicone will soak into the wood
(I'm assuming you're talking about bare wood here). Beeswax will sit on
the surface and can be scraped off if you need to paint or do other work.
Parafin from a candle or block of sealing wax could also be used.

Kk

KarlB

in reply to [email protected] on 15/10/2007 1:07 PM

24/10/2007 5:56 PM

[email protected] wrote in news:1192478850.058979.141320
@q5g2000prf.googlegroups.com:

> I have a new french door installation which worked great until it
> started to rain here in Seattle, and now it sticks, right around the
> latches. I figure I need to plane a bit off the side(s) of the
> door(s), but I am not sure which side(s) are best to plane down.I
> anticipate taking 1/8 inch maximum off, but is it best to take it off
> the latch sides or the hinge sides?
>

First, look at the top and bottom of the door. If they are not sealed, the
first thing to do is to sela them with a good quality varnish or sealer.

Next, if the margin at the hinge sides of the door is greater than the
thickness of your tr-=square blade, you could back shim the hinges. do this
by loosening the hinges in the jamb and insert a small piece (s) of paper
board ( thin cardboard) under the stop side of the hinge. then tighten the
screws back up. This will have the effect of moving the center of the pin
toward the jamb, thus opening the margin at the meeting part.

If that doesn't solve the entire problem, you might try bending the hinges
toward the jambs by using a 10/12" crescent wrench on the jamb hinges and
bend them back slightly. Be mindful that the margin at the jamb will be
getting tighter with these ideas, so you don't want to over-do either one.

These are the first things I do when trying to shim a steel door in a steel
frame that doesn't quite fit right.

Good Luck

Lr

"Leon"

in reply to [email protected] on 15/10/2007 1:07 PM

15/10/2007 9:19 PM


<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I have a new french door installation which worked great until it
> started to rain here in Seattle, and now it sticks, right around the
> latches. I figure I need to plane a bit off the side(s) of the
> door(s), but I am not sure which side(s) are best to plane down.I
> anticipate taking 1/8 inch maximum off, but is it best to take it off
> the latch sides or the hinge sides?
>

Before you cut anything try spraying a bit of silicone on the spot where the
rubbing is at. Chances are that the spot will loosen up with seasonal
changes and you don't want a bigger gap.

MO

Mike O.

in reply to [email protected] on 15/10/2007 1:07 PM

15/10/2007 5:25 PM

On Mon, 15 Oct 2007 13:07:30 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

>I have a new french door installation which worked great until it
>started to rain here in Seattle, and now it sticks, right around the
>latches. I figure I need to plane a bit off the side(s) of the
>door(s), but I am not sure which side(s) are best to plane down.I
>anticipate taking 1/8 inch maximum off, but is it best to take it off
>the latch sides or the hinge sides?

One thing to remember is that when it stops raining (if it ever does)
that door will likely shrink back so be careful not to remove too
much. I agree that you probably want to plane the hinge side/s.

If you plane the door edge, you will have to make the butt pockets a
little deeper. Before planing the door though, with the door closed,
I would have a look at the gap between the door and the jamb on the
hinge side.
If you have a little extra gap at the hinge/jamb side you may be able
to let the butt pockets in (on the door) just a little and solve the
problem there without having to plane the door. You can't go very
much or you will put the door (hinge) in a bind. If that happens, you
can solve that problem by planing the door edge anyway.


Mike O.


You’ve reached the end of replies