Thread: Framing/hanging French Doors - how difficult

Go for it.
The first time I hung french doors I nailed a brace across the two doors and fitted them to the opening as one, it seemed to simplify the logistics.

Fuzzie has a great suggestion there.
If frame is square and dimensions are right, go for it. Just remember that it takes longer than any video. Depending on the work involved, your tools and experience it could take two to four hours, maybe more.

Thanks Fuzzy and Handyjack you have given me confidence. A neighbor who was long ago a cabinet maker said an easy way for beginners was to hang the doors on thehardwood frame sides independently and then put in the header 3mm above the door on eachside and square up using temporary braces while working the sill. He also saidto block the doors together with nogs as well.

I assume you will be fitting some door handles/locks as well. This again could take 1 - 2 hours depending on what is required and what is already fitted.

Regarding latches. On the doors I recently installed instead of a bolt and/or roller catch I found these rare earth magnet latches that work much better than I expected, and are a WHOLE lot easier to install than french door lock sets!

I'd allow a day for the job (and I'm a carpenter.)

Any type of double doors 'can' go smoothly sometimes, but they can often be a struggle also. Usually because of the twists and bows in the doors and doorframe/house.

As you will be making up the jamb, very important to make sure you include enough margins/gaps and also to allow for the depth of the checkouts/rebates in the sill and head for the styles (sides of door frame) There can often be an allowance in the opening width for mushroom stops etc. All this and the jamb still has to*fit in the hole.

It's by no means rocket science, but very easy to make a mistake, or get unlucky with 1 way warped doors twisting the complete opposite way to each other. Once the jamb is all cut and dry fitted, I squirt a small amount of sikaflex or similar in the checkouts of the jamb while assembling. Just enough to seal but not seep out too much.

I check out and screw the hinges to the styles before assembly. Much easier doing on saw horses than once its fixed up and in position. Its also very important to make sure the door won't bind on the stops when closing. A 1-2mm gap is essential. (I fit the 3 knuckle half of the hinge on jamb, 2 knuckle half to door)

Once jamb is assembled and tacked in position (plumb+level=square), Hold up and pack doors in exact position (Height) tightly against hinges (height, level) and mark the hinge placement on the door using a knife or super sharp pencil) Checkout, fit hinges and hang. Finish packing and fix off jamb. Next fit mushroom stop [If app] fine tune all edge margins, fit door furniture, cut and fit architraves inside and [if applicable] *the jamb has been cut neatly into the weatherboards/cladding which was all calculated during the planning process.

If the doors are badly twisted (Can be common with cheap imports) then hinge checkout variations and/or minor jamb twisting can be carried out. Hopefully not necessary. All up, a good full days work for me.

Good luck,

Ozka,

Ozka
The twisted cheap imports advice has got me worried. Would the $160 Hume doors from Bunnings be warped?

Originally Posted by Rubyrose

Ozka
The twisted cheap imports advice has got me worried. Would the $160 Hume doors from Bunnings be warped?

They shouldn't be if they are don't accept them have them replaced before fitting.
Regards Rod.