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Post by Clinton Cool on Jul 15, 2019 8:05:41 GMT
Following the success of the project to build and fit doors to cover the storage space under my bed I've embarked on another. The pair of doors at the front of my boat have been rotten for years (frame is OK). It seems there are less and less joinery workshops around these days and when you find one they want silly money (200 quid for 2 opening lights 350 x 1100, really?) So I measured up, ordered 3 x 2 from Potter's in Nantwich, 45 quid for everything. I've put the doors together and created a glazing channel using 18mm quadrant. Fitted the hinges to the doors, glazing beads cut in preparation, ready to go now.
The tricky bit; any tips on hanging the doors? I've left the glass out for now, reckoned the extra weight would do me no favours. I've a decent clearance around the doors, 10mm or so total on both the height and width. When I offer the doors into the frame everything seems reasonably square. So how to hang the doors? I've thought about measuring up as precisely as I can but reckon the chances of it being bang on first time are virtually zero. I've thought about using short screws at first until it's right, so I don't bugger up the wood in the area of the hinges, before the final longer screws.
Any tips?
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Post by samsam on Jul 15, 2019 9:29:09 GMT
Fit hinges to the doors with just a couple of small screws.
Put doors in frame and pack to adjust gaps.
Mark hinge positions on frame.
Remove doors, fit hinges to frame with a couple of small screws.
Check all fits and opens OK. If not, make adjustments and fit screws in different holes.
Fit all correct screws to hinges.
If you have such a decent gap you may not need to recess the hinges in the doors or the frames.
I cheat sometimes and use decorative surface hinges!
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Post by Clinton Cool on Jul 15, 2019 9:38:44 GMT
Cheers. One mistake already, I've firmly fixed the hinges to the frames with long screws! I can remove them though, move the hinges slightly so the holes are covered. With the doors in the frame, how do I mark the positions for the hinges in the frame? the doors being in there will prevent that I think.
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Post by samsam on Jul 15, 2019 9:57:10 GMT
You mark the top and bottom of each hinge and measure the depth of the door in the frame or if the door is recessed enough draw a line down the outside of the hinge, the knuckle, onto the frame.
Its easier to fit hinges to the frame last.
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Post by Jim on Jul 15, 2019 10:11:39 GMT
Use wedges, maybe a chisel, to raise the door to the right height. I have a couple of aids for full size doors, one is a seesaw foot plate to raise and lower door, a better tool is the small airbag and pump, more precise and stays at the height you leave it. Aldi or lidl were selling them.
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Post by Clinton Cool on Jul 16, 2019 7:44:56 GMT
Cheers for the advice doors hung, not perfect, but good enough!
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Post by Telemachus on Jul 16, 2019 8:57:34 GMT
Probably too late for a comment now, but don’t make the doors too tight a fit. You want a small gap of a few mm at the bottom, to avoid water wicking in there and eventually penetrating the wood. Also the wood will swell across the grain in winter, more than you might think!
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Post by lollygagger on Jul 16, 2019 10:39:55 GMT
Part of your wincing at £200 is your lack of DIY experience. These things take time and customers expect a near perfect product. You might say you don't but he/they will have dealt with some right awkward fussy feckers and will know the best way to avoid that is do a perfect job = time = money. Most people who say they aren't looking for perfection are trying to get the price down but then 9 times out of ten moan about the imperfect product they'd agreed to. Add to that your reputation depends on quality, they won't want a moaning minnie bad mouthing them so again, everything they do has to be to a good standard.
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Post by Clinton Cool on Jul 16, 2019 10:50:05 GMT
Part of your wincing at £200 is your lack of DIY experience. These things take time and customers expect a near perfect product. You might say you don't but he/they will have dealt with some right awkward fussy feckers and will know the best way to avoid that is do a perfect job = time = money. Most people who say they aren't looking for perfection are trying to get the price down but then 9 times out of ten moan about the imperfect product they'd agreed to. Add to that your reputation depends on quality, they won't want a moaning minnie bad mouthing them so again, everything they do has to be to a good standard. Fair enough that. The price I had was supply only, me doing the fitting. |
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Post by Clinton Cool on Jul 16, 2019 10:53:44 GMT
Probably too late for a comment now, but don’t make the doors too tight a fit. You want a small gap of a few mm at the bottom, to avoid water wicking in there and eventually penetrating the wood. Also the wood will swell across the grain in winter, more than you might think! I hadn't thought of that, probably explains why the old ones rotted! Decent gap under the new ones, around 5mm. |
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Post by samsam on Jul 16, 2019 13:31:28 GMT
Probably too late for a comment now, but don’t make the doors too tight a fit. You want a small gap of a few mm at the bottom, to avoid water wicking in there and eventually penetrating the wood. Also the wood will swell across the grain in winter, more than you might think! Always good to Hang 'em high! |
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Post by Jim on Jul 16, 2019 14:36:06 GMT
Probably too late for a comment now, but don’t make the doors too tight a fit. You want a small gap of a few mm at the bottom, to avoid water wicking in there and eventually penetrating the wood. Also the wood will swell across the grain in winter, more than you might think! Always good to Hang 'em high! Rumour has it he's always well hung. |
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