Just a door, right?
We have lived in this house for over 10 years. I finally decided to address the front door which always had to be slammed.
After some examination, I determined that the door is not the original. The installation was done very poorly.
The hinges on the door do not match the hinges on the frame, are thicker on the door side. Since the pattern cut into the door is not as deep, the door is wider in the frame.
The screw holes on the door are stripped, I started using rivets to attach the hinges to the door better. The stripped holes caused additional width when the screws would slide out.
I will replace the thicker hinges. Yes, I will have to drill out and replace the rivets but no big deal.
The hinge side of the steel door has edges that stick out from the body of the door causing the hinges to stick out an extra eighth of an inch or so. I guess I should cut gaps there but I am hoping all of the other steps I take will not require this. I’ll look into whether there are special hinges for this situation.
The frame has several holes that will not take a screw. I’ll fill with wood glue and paint over and screw the hinges in there.
Some of the screws were rounded instead of flat, causing additional ‘width’ to the door. This is not an issue while closing the door but should be addressed.
I’ve also noticed the transom on the right side has shifted due to the door being slammed so often. I’ll get clamps to widen the distance between the frames as well. I only need a little less than a quarter inch for the door to close smoothly when I address all of the above.
There is more but I’ve written enough.
So, why am I writing about this?
Whoever installed the door did a really poor job. I sure as heck hope it was not a professional! I’ve owned many houses by now, the number of poor installations of different things has continued to astound me.
Please take pride in your work. I know it can be hard sometimes.
