# Door frame and door



## ObservantGround28 (18 May 2020)

I’m about to replace the exterior “temporary” plywood doors I made when I built the workshop, with some nice half glazed cottage style ones. 

Is it best to install the frame into the opening (with the cill) and then hang the door (as I would have normally done). Or is there benefit to be had by creating a prehung door and doing it in reverse order?


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## Trevanion (18 May 2020)

I always pre-hang a door before painting it then plumb and square up the frame to suit the door in the opening with folding wedges after it's been totally finished.

Fix the hinge side plumb then adjust the other side of the frame according to the gap between the frame and the door.


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## Trigs (19 May 2020)

If I'm fitting doors with new frames I get the frames assembled and door hung in the workshop, including handles and lock, the only thing I leave off is the door stops which go on after the fitting. I find this is a good time to square the frame up and use a couple braces in the corners to keep it square
Also as Trev says secure the hinge side then the other.


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## ObservantGround28 (20 May 2020)

One last question; How far from the bottom of the door should the mortice lock be installed? The door is not split 50:50 by the rail (perhaps 60:40 glazed to unglazed). Should I line up the lock with the middle of the rail (that’s about 80cm from the bottom)? I had intended to install either a deadbolt or a push button mortice in addition to the regular 5-lever mortice. Thanks


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## MikeG. (20 May 2020)

I'd always suggest looking at adjacent doors rather than treating any one door in isolation. 

It can be nice to line up the mortise lock with a mid-rail, but it doesn't do any good for the strength of the joint if you chop much of it away.


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## ObservantGround28 (20 May 2020)

Only the upvc French doors to go off. I’ll aim to put the handle around mid point which puts the rail out of harms way. 



MikeG.":2z6jbu4c said:


> I'd always suggest looking at adjacent doors rather than treating any one door in isolation.
> 
> It can be nice to line up the mortise lock with a mid-rail, but it doesn't do any good for the strength of the joint if you chop much of it away.


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## Doug71 (20 May 2020)

It depends on the type of handle/lock etc.

If it's a mortice sash lock which has the lock and latch in one unit it's best around the middle of the door. You shouldn't really put it in line with the rail (despite it often referred to as lock rail*) as you will be cutting out too much of the tenon/dowels depending on the construction.

I like to use a separate mortice dead lock and latch, you can then put the latch in the middle of the lock rail without removing too much material and put the dead lock higher up near the middle of the door.

* in the old days you could put a rim lock on the lock rail because they don't remove any of the joint.


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## RobinBHM (20 May 2020)

observantground28 wrote:


> Is it best to install the frame into the opening (with the cill) and then hang the door (as I would have normally done)


No

It is best to have the frame in the workshop, get the door swinging in it, fit all the ironmongery etc

then when you have a finished doorset, fit the frame by putting it in the opening, wedge it in place then put door in frame and put a couple of screws in the hinges. Shut the door and adjust the frame around until the head has a perfect, even gap. Make sure the door sits nice and flush to the frame -if not, kick the door frame in or out to suit.

Then get a couple of screws in the hinge side, check door still swings fine, the put all fixings in. always fit wedge packers at each screw to avoid bowing the frame.

never use a square or level to fit a door, just use the door 

door handles often go 1050 from underside of door to the spindle (or at least majority of multipoint locks are set to that, so it tends to be standard these days)


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## Doug71 (20 May 2020)

RobinBHM":3ti4wz99 said:


> Make sure the door sits nice and flush to the frame -if not, kick the door frame in or out to suit.



So that's why I come across so many twisted door frames when I am fitting replacement doors #-o


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## ObservantGround28 (20 May 2020)

Installed the first door today. Thanks for all the advice, it was all very helpful!


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## ObservantGround28 (21 May 2020)

It’s a combined unit and I put the handle around the middle of the door so that the deadlock sits a couple of inches below that.

I wanted add more security to the doors and had been thinking about a button press code lock between the handle and the top of the door and a deadlock between the handle and the bottom. 



Doug71":2hyzmsbc said:


> It depends on the type of handle/lock etc.
> 
> If it's a mortice sash lock which has the lock and latch in one unit it's best around the middle of the door. You shouldn't really put it in line with the rail (despite it often referred to as lock rail*) as you will be cutting out too much of the tenon/dowels depending on the construction.
> 
> ...


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