New interior door

[mntraveler]

Well, I guess I have one more chore left on my basement. The existing door does not match the new ones I put up and I want to change it out. From the research I've done it seems the best way is to buy a door slab and router in the mortise for each hinge using a jig, also cut the door handle in using a jig. What are other's experiences with doing this and getting the door to swing without closing on its own? Will I end up tearing off my trim and adjusting the jamb? Thanks for any help.

[minneman]

IMO, the best way would be to buy a pre hung unit to match. too many things to go wrong if this is something new for you.

if not,you should be able to rent a jig for the knob holes but that adds to the cost.

as for the door swinging shut, hold a level on the door in the shut position on the hinge side, this will tell you if the jamb/wall is out of level causing the problem. if the wall is out of level, there isnt much you can do about it.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Minneman is correct that the door swinging on it's own is likely due to either the wall or the jamb being out of plumb not anything to do with the actual door. As far as buying a slab and mortising the hinges it's not too difficult and you don't need a jig if you measure and router carefully. I recomend a small router, like a laminant trimmer, for the hinges as it's easier to handle. As far as the knob holes all you need is a hole saw and spade bit...again, if you measure and cut carefully.

[colonel42]

Good call Sidelake. After years of working on my home (built in the 40's) I believe I have replaced every door in my home and most of them had to be fudged here or there a tad because of the settling of the structure. There are ways to fudge the plumbness of your door jams and may have to cut new extention jams. Number one rule is to get your hungside plumb and your headachs will be less. Also if you don't have a router you can always do it like our forefathers did it with a chissle and a hammer. Not that big of a deal to mortise in a hinge. Measure out where your hinge will go and mark it with a sharp utility knife. Once this is done I like to go over my marks with the knife and cut deep enough so I know exactly how deep to set my hinge. Then take a sharp chissle and make relief cuts and slowly widdle the waste wood away. Practice a few times on your old door. By the way is that sidelake up north on the Range??

[DigitalFisherman]

SideLake is correct, no jigs needed (unless you were going to be hanging alot of doors, then I might rent a hinge jig). Any doorknob that you buy will come with a template for the holes, you will only need a hole saw and a spade bit. As for moritising the hinges, you could make quick work of it with a sharp wood chisel and a little finesse.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Colonel, yes it's Side Lake on the range. My inlaws have a place on the Lake just a short walk from Bimbo's!

[mntraveler]

Thanks guys. I decided to only replace one of the dozen right now. I went to one of the local big box stores and the manufacturer's hinge mortises were in the right spot for my existing jamb so I just ordered a pre-mortised and pre-bored door for this one. We'll see how ambitious I'm feeling when I decide to spend the money on all the rest of the replacements.

[Darrell Larson]

Door closing on it's own? Check the hinge side of the door for plumb. If the jamb is not out of plumb to bad, you can remove the hinge from the jamb and try to shim with some cardboard such as the back of a legal pad of paper. Trace the hinge on the cardboard cut to size and put behind the hinge, that appears to be out of plumb. Alot of times the mortise is cut deeper than is required and you may notice that the hinge is actually recessed into the jamb more than required, wiggle room is what I call it.

[mntraveler]

I guess my original post was not clear. This door is doing well right now. My question was whether I should buy pre-mortised doors or cut my own mortises on a replacement. For now I have put off that decision. I do have one door that does close on its own so I'll try see if shimming will help that ones. Thanks!

[colonel42]

SideLake

Cool My wife grew up on the lakes and my brother has a cabin on one of them. Bimbo's "Home of hot wings and a zaa!!! Have you ever fished the lakes before??

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Colonel,

I only fish Side Lake as I've got a 3 year old that we hit the panfish with. If were going to really fish we usually trailer to Vermillion or Lake of the Woods. Drop me an email if you've fished Big Sturgeon much, I've got a couple of general questions. dave_essen at hotmail dot com