French Doors - Hanging

**GMC** · 23rd December 2007, 10:08 AM

My next project is a little daunting... for me anyway, as I have spent some real money on some nice doors, some nice hardwood timber for the jams and a sill board.

So I dont want to screw it up and have to rebuy any of this

I have cut a hole in an old 50's house and have started the deck from it - I have posts Beams and bearers on at the moment.

I was looking for instructions on how to make and fit the doors and frame, and happened across this response

Originally Posted by Dirty Doogie

Hi Brissie - there are a few approaches to hanging these doors depending on the dictates of the site.

If the door kit came with a sill board (the large timber moulding at the bottom of the door) then you will have to preassemble the frame using screws, hang doors in it, lock it square with plywood blocks in the corners, also insert folded paper or card into the small gap between the doors and the frame at regular intervals. This maintains the closing tolerance of the doors while you play about with the assembly.

You can now take width measurements of each door assembly and add 6 mm to the width . this measurement is the distance between your jamb studs. Some kits with sill board have the sill board projecting about 10 mm past the door jambs . In all likelyhood each door assembly could be a different width. The 3mm gap either side is a "manouvering" tolerance to cover such problems as studs bowing slightly, bent door jambs,studs and door jamb not parralel etc.

Fix your jamb studs - you may need double jamb studs depending on the weight of your doors. Also install knee and shoulder (approximate positions) nogging from jamb studs back to next stud.

Move the door assembly into position - You may then find that the door assembly doesnt want to stand vertical (becuase the slab isnt level). Bring the door assembly vertical by packing PLASTIC shims under the sill board. The dampproof course has to go under the sillplate as well.

Then use shims to pack the gap between door jambs and studs and screw jambs in place. then fit the door header. Fill gap under sill board.

If the sill plate isnt supplied in the kit then I would adopt a similiar approach - assembly and locking square of doors and frame, then fitting jamb studs, levelling and squaring door assembly etc.

Dont try fitting locks until doors are hung. unfortuneately I cant advise on what tools you need to fit them unless I see the locks but generally you will need maybe a sharp 10mm chisel and a spade bit (maybe 16 mm).

A special drill bit called a drill saw often comes in handy - it is a drill bit covered in lots of tiny sharp spikes that cuts sideways through timber to make grooves and other shaped openings.

Hope that helps
Doog

In this thread

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f84/hanging-french-doors-plus-mortice-locks-55097

Doog gives me some very good advice, but I am stuck on a couple of things

1. How wide do I need to make the "closing tolerance" of the doors???
2. How are these doors waterproof - do I add something to the back of one of the doors to cover the "gap"??
3. Why and how - do I fit the door header last...maybe I am missing something important here, but I cant "see" it!
4. Do I deck the deck first or build the door first?

I probably have a million other small questions... but as i havent started yet - I havent got myself in any trouble or self doubt

Thanks to all that assist

Cheers

GMC

**les88** · 23rd December 2007, 03:57 PM

Have you bought a kit or just a collection of timber and doors.
Are the door rebated
does the sill have a rebate cut out to weather proof a few photos of what you have would help me give you the correct method of doing the job
les

**addo** · 23rd December 2007, 06:47 PM

Sounds like either the doors are intended to be rebated onsite (unusual!) or are not weatherproof...

The deck should cede to the doors/threshold, as they are likely to last beyond reinventions of the deck in many cases.

My install would vary from DD's by assembling the jamb set (including cutting hinge rebates) and threshold first, then checking for square as a unit, bracing off with a couple of diagonal scraps, and levelling/installing. Never fix through the head; it should "float" below the frame or masonry.

If the door is exposed to weather (I get the feeling it isn't, but anyway...) make sure head and sill flashings are fitted as per your BCA.

Then you mock up the doors one at a time, to get them dialled in for square and hinge positions set out. Remove and rebate, taking care not to overcut on the depth - a decent rule of thumb is a hair past leaf thickness. If you have three hinges, expect that the middle one will need some adjustments to its position, as it must be on the same pin axis as the other two - check with a long straightedge.

Fit the doors up, and examine what's happening where they hit in the middle. Adjust to the thickness of about a 20¢ coin gap (when unpainted), remembering that they swing in an arc and the mating faces are therefore not intended as dead square.

Finally (OK, not finally!) fit the appropriate lockset, top and bottom concealed bolts and make sure this exercise doesn't compromise the door's structure (IE; see you boring through 90% of a tenon).

Now remove the doors again and prime behind every rebate and into every drill-hole with the sealer of chice (Penetrol for me). You're pretty right now to reinstall and finish off.

Regards, Adam.

**GMC** · 2nd February 2008, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by addo

Sounds like either the doors are intended to be rebated onsite (unusual!) or are not weatherproof...

The deck should cede to the doors/threshold, as they are likely to last beyond reinventions of the deck in many cases.

My install would vary from DD's by assembling the jamb set (including cutting hinge rebates) and threshold first, then checking for square as a unit, bracing off with a couple of diagonal scraps, and levelling/installing. Never fix through the head; it should "float" below the frame or masonry.

If the door is exposed to weather (I get the feeling it isn't, but anyway...) make sure head and sill flashings are fitted as per your BCA.

Then you mock up the doors one at a time, to get them dialled in for square and hinge positions set out. Remove and rebate, taking care not to overcut on the depth - a decent rule of thumb is a hair past leaf thickness. If you have three hinges, expect that the middle one will need some adjustments to its position, as it must be on the same pin axis as the other two - check with a long straightedge.

Fit the doors up, and examine what's happening where they hit in the middle. Adjust to the thickness of about a 20¢ coin gap (when unpainted), remembering that they swing in an arc and the mating faces are therefore not intended as dead square.

Finally (OK, not finally!) fit the appropriate lockset, top and bottom concealed bolts and make sure this exercise doesn't compromise the door's structure (IE; see you boring through 90% of a tenon).

Now remove the doors again and prime behind every rebate and into every drill-hole with the sealer of chice (Penetrol for me). You're pretty right now to reinstall and finish off.

Regards, Adam.

This took me longer than I expected but I appreciate the help here guys - they are up

I had to rebate on site... so I guess I bought the wrong doors

and now I have to move onto the next project

Thanks

GMC

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