HANGING
THE DOOR:
Setting the Hinges on the Door-
Set the top hinge in place on the edge of the door, 7" from the
top of the door. The barrel of the hinge should be 1/4" (this may
vary with the type of hinge used) from the edge of the door and
should be on the inside, the side to which the door will swing open.
Holding the hinge firmly in place, carefully mark the outside edge
with a sharp utility knife. Cut about 1/8" deep into the wood as
you make the outline. Repeat the process for a bottom hinge at 11
" from the bottom of the door. Most doors require a third hinge
centered between the first two, though some interior doors have
only two.
Cutting
The Mortises on the Door-
The outlines mark the edges of the "mortises" for the hinges. These
are finished by chiseling with a sharp wood chisel of roughly the
same width as the mortise and a rubber or wood mallet. Cut down
to a depth equal to the thickness of the hinge leaves. Make a series
of small chisel cuts across the mortise outline with the bevel of
the chisel blade pointing down. Then remove these small cuts with
the chisel, beveled edge pointing up. You may want to practice first
on scrap lumber if you are not experienced with this type of work.
If you
are experienced with a router, cutting the mortises can be much
easier. You may want to make a homemade jig or, better, use a mortise
template kit to ensure uniform, professional-looking cuts.
Assembling
the Door Jamb-
The head jamb goes into the dado (groove) cut into each side jamb.
Slide the head jamb into place and fasten with 4d finishing nails.
Set the assembled jamb in the rough opening to test for ft. There
should be sufficient room on the top and sides for shims to level
the door. You may need to trim the bottom edges of the side jambs.
Cutting
the Mortises on the Jamb-
A helper is needed to assemble the door into the jamb. Lay the jamb
on the floor and place the door in it. Shim the door all the way
around so that the space between t The important factor is that
the space is even all the way around. Mark the mortise locations
on the jamb. Remove the door and cut the mortises in the jamb in
the same manner as before.
Installing
the Door Jamb-
Set the jamb into place, centering it in the opening at the top.
Carefully level the jamb and check to be sure that the sides fit
correctly at the bottom. Insert wood shims as necessary at the top.
Cedar shakes will also work, but are usually more expensive.
Slide
the shims together until you get a snug ft. Nail up through the
jamb, shims, and into the header with an 8d casing nail. Do not
drive the nail all the way in at this time. Check the top with the
level again. It is critical that you get the top perfectly level.
Add shims and nail about every 12" along the top.
Level
the hinge side of the door frame and secure with three nails, one
at the top, and at the bottom, and one in the center. Use shims
as before and DO NOT drive the nails all the way in. Do not secure
the other side at this time. Install the hinges in the mortises
on the door and jamb. Pre-drill pilot holes for the screws, then
drive the screws flush with the surface of the hinge leaves.
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