Compensating for the distortion in a front door frame

Zen83237

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Mar 25, 2010, 11:10:48 AM3/25/10

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The front door frame on my 1930s house is distorted on the hinge side of the
frame. When the door is closed there is a 5mm gap betwen the door and the
frame but in the middle of the door the gap is 10mm.
This door is now an inner door as a porch was constructed 15 years ago. I
was wondering if I could jack ot the distortion in the frame the add extra
hinges on the door to try and keep it in shape but by just pushing on the
frame it is far too solid to jack out the distortion. So I could fill the
gap by glueing in a shaped piece of wood between the door and the frame to
fill the gap. Now making it might be a problem but that is another issue
where I have to make a 79 inch long half inch deep slither of wood that
start at nothing thickens to 5mm the reduces back to nothing.
Perhaps it could be done by progressively adding longer and longer pieces of
veneer.
Or is there another way I can deal with this or just live with it. The
trouble is it makes it difficult to effectively draft proof the door.
The door can quite easily be forced to eliminate the gap but then I can't
effectively distort the door.
So any other ideas?

Kevin

John Rumm

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Mar 25, 2010, 12:21:39 PM3/25/10

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Are the stops not removeable? If so, just prise them off, close the
door, and then refit them against the door (with some playing card
spacers to allow for paint in the future).

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Hanging_a_door#Fitting_door_stops

Fine tapers on long runs are easy enough to cut off the side of
something bigger using a sawboard and a circular saw.

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Sawboard

--
Cheers,

John.

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stuart noble

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Mar 25, 2010, 12:29:37 PM3/25/10

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Smear the door edge with vaseline, then fill the gap with 2 part filler.
You may have to put some tape on the door first to create a small
clearance gap. Should work ok until the door moves again :-)

d...@gglz.com

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Mar 25, 2010, 1:59:01 PM3/25/10

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First off, you need to understand exactly how the door and/or frame
has distorted - and why. No point fixing up the current gap if it's
only going to distort further.

Measure the door diagonals, measure the frame diagonals, have a very
careful look at the hinged to see if it's wear in one or more of the
hinges that has caused odd movement, put a straight edge against
everything in every plane.

BTW I'm not clear if you're describing a gap in the rebate and door
(i.e. what the hinges are screwed to), or between the stop and the
door (the bit the door physically bangs against when you close it)

If you do need to make a thin, curved fill-in piece, saw or plane the
profile you need onto the edge of a wider board - then cut off the
thin sliver dead straight, and you have your packing piece.

Lobster

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Mar 25, 2010, 3:07:08 PM3/25/10

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Zen83237 wrote:
> The front door frame on my 1930s house is distorted on the hinge side of the
> frame. When the door is closed there is a 5mm gap betwen the door and the
> frame but in the middle of the door the gap is 10mm.

As well as or instead of the other ideas you might want to consider this
stuff, which I've used to good effect in similar circumstances:
http://tinyurl.com/y9hcg4w (or
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/21554/Ironmongery/Draught-Rain-Excluders/Rain-Draught-Excluders/Heavy-Duty-Around-Door-Strips-Aluminium-1025mm-Pack-of-5#)

David

fred

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Mar 25, 2010, 3:47:21 PM3/25/10

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In article <evOqn.38039$ti6....@newsfe24.ams2>, Lobster
<davidlobs...@hotmail.com> writes

Or just http://www.screwfix.com/prods/21554/ , screwfix urls are
prunable just after the end of the part code.
--
fred
Now and again a light like the beam of a warship's searchlight swept the Common
- wow, that Five TV DOG is bright

Jules Richardson

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Mar 25, 2010, 4:00:45 PM3/25/10

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On Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:10:48 +0000, Zen83237 wrote:
> This door
> is now an inner door as a porch was constructed 15 years ago.

In that case, you might be best off replacing both it and the frame and
sort out the distortion as part of the rough opening; I doubt interior
doors are that expensive, and you could spend forever with slivers of
wood (shaping will take a while - making the 'repair' invisible will take
much longer)

What's the reason for the distortion? Is it warping due to moisture, or
settling of the surrounding walls? If the latter, is it something that's
going to continue to get worse, or has it done all it's going to do?

I replaced our back porch (exterior) door and frame a couple of days ago
because the old one was leaking air, and I'd been there with the 'sliver
trick' in the past but it was still never going to seal properly - not
only was the door out of true, but after 60-odd years the whole porch
rear wall was out by about 1/8" top to bottom.

cheers

Jules

Zen83237

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Mar 26, 2010, 5:15:39 AM3/26/10

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<d...@gglz.com> wrote in message
news:91af516c-9a57-4712...@n34g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...

It is the door stop that has the gap. The gap around the edge of the door ie
the bit the hinges fit to is ok. The wole frame is bowed outwards. I should
say this is a typical 1930s semi type door and frame. Leaded panels above
the door, leaded panels to the side, and solid panels to the side lower
down. So replacing the whole door and frame is not really an option for such
a niggley problem.
What you suggest is obvious now you mention it.
I add that I want to pack the gap with wood rather than filler because the
frame and door is unpainted so wood will match better.

Kevin