Fixing door lining gaps...

[hlvd]

Well that makes sense. I'm actually not too far off being parallel, it's more just latch side being too big. Hinge side and top and all pretty good, certainly enough that I'm happy with. I know my limitations and I'm not expecting a dead on 2mm all round, just need to get to a place I'm happy with.
I've made my peace with removing the lining where the gaps are too large, trimming the head down to lose the extra width at the top, refitting the hinge side and head back in where they were and then wedging the latch side to close it all the way down.

I think there's a good chance I can get to a 2/3mm gap all around with minimal variation.


Yes, I'm finding that now. In hindsight, I think I would have left the linings out and fitted them with the doors. However I'm sure that would have brought additional headaches with where the new plaster finishes, so swings and roundabouts really.

It's a flippant answer for those thinking of doing this in the future but still true - a 6ft long, spirit level (checked to be straight you would be surprised how many are not), packers and lots of checking.

Use more screws if you have to, to pull any twist out of the lining sides (has happened to me several times) as 99% of lining kits are made from cheap rubbish wood - putting screws closer to the edges of the lining kit instead of just down the middle like almost every bodger does, this will help to keep it flat once the wood starts to acclimiatise - screws just down the middle allow it to cup more, so you'll find when you fit it - the door swings just fine, but 2 days later..... the door is catching as the lining kit edges have cupped because when they assemble the lining kits they never check the grain direction so any cup goes towards the wall.

Lining kits properly installed [my version not industry stadard] should have AT LEAST FIVE pairs of screws in each side - not a meagre "three down the middle" that I see most of the time. Five pairs ensures you can hang any door you want, including a hardwood glazed door without twisting the lining kit and that the lining kit will behave during extreme humidity and temp variations in the future.

Sadly it's actually pretty rare that I come across a door where the linig kit has been installed without a several mm difference top to bottom. It should be standard practice to put battens on the lining kit to hold the frame parallel in the middle and bottom.

When I fit a lining kit - I don't even have to touch the door bought for that hole.

Not even a lead on the latch/lock side?

 

[Tgra85]

Not even a lead on the latch/lock side?

I’m a fan of a leading edge.

 

[shorn]

OK, quick little update. Spent the last day righting these wrongs. All seven doors are looking good now. I'm happy with the gaps on all of them and I'm pleased I spent the time getting them right.

Used a variety of methods in the end as each one required a something a little different.
One door I was able to get away with just unscrewing the latch side and packing it out. This closed the gap nicely.

The next one required a bit more work. This was the first door that I did, for the airing cupboard. I had also cut the first hinge on the woring side, so from inside you could see the error. So, I cut 3mm off the hinge side of the door, which removed the hinge recesses. Sanded back and routed the hinges onto the door again, properly this time.

The I filled the hinge recesses on the lining and flattened...

Glued and pinned a 6mm filler strip on. The gap will be covered by the stop.

Filled and made good, ready for new hinge recesses to be cut...

New hinges cut and door hung. On this on the gap was about 3/4mm too big, so by taking 3mm off the door and adding 6mm filler strip, it closed it up nicely.

On two other doors, I unscrewed the linings, tapped them out, removed the head, shortened it down 3/4mm, reattached and the refit the lining. Hung the door and all was good.

Finally it was the bathroom/ensuite which had the bow in the middle. I removed the door, and cut the hinge side down by 3mm and recut for hinges. Then removed the lining like the others and packed the top and bottom to get the gap consistent and no bow. (I didn;t fancy planing anything).
Gap before...

Gap after...

So some good lessons learned, but fortunately I've ended up with it all feeling about as spot on as I could have hoped for. Taken a bit more time that I thought it would but really happy with the end result. Thanls for all the help, tips and suggestions. It certainly pushed me to get it right!

 

[aet1]

It's great to hear the experts, and their comments on how to fit doors from scratch will be useful in future.
Some of the comments give the impression the writers have never made a mistake, the skill is being able to correct errors and having the patience to do it.
I think you've done a great job, you want them right and have not lowered your standards. You ought to sit back and be proud of your work.

 

[joncooper27]

We just had some doors fitted in our new build extension they were all tight initially but once the heating has been on and the moisture level dropped they all fitted perfectly

 

[hlvd]

We just had some doors fitted in our new build extension they were all tight initially but once the heating has been on and the moisture level dropped they all fitted perfectly

That’s not really how door hanging works.

 

[Doug71]

We just had some doors fitted in our new build extension they were all tight initially but once the heating has been on and the moisture level dropped they all fitted perfectly

I find on new builds it often works the other way and doors seem to get tighter.

As the casings dry out the rebates seem to curl inwards making the gap down the handle side smaller.

 

[BucksDad]

Amazing job for your first doors! I just hung a door for my workshop and it’s nowhere near your standard.

 

[pe2dave]

Re hinges. For some reason all my doors have a removable pin holding the two halves of the hinge
together.
This makes it so much easier to remove the pin, paint up against a wall, then re-hang.