Sagging Doors?
#1
11-12-03, 07:59 AM
Sagging Doors?
We recently did an addition to our ranch home and added a new fixed swing patio door out to our deck. I have noticed that even when new the door had a slight sag to it making it unlevel, it has 4 hinges with three screws each and I have checked to make sure they are all tight. Looking at the door from the inside the gap at the left top is small and it gradually gets bigger moving over to the right, at the bottom the door almost scraps at the right and has a bigger gap at the left where the hinges are. Frame is level at all sides (checked that first), is there a way to correct a slight sag in the door by adjusting the the hinges or something???
Thanks,
Mike
Thanks,
Mike
#2
11-12-03, 05:24 PM
Let me start by telling you that I don't trust vial levels as far as I can throw them!! They LIE to you more often than they tell you the TRUTH!
That's the bad news. The good news is that you can check them bot ways and compensate for their INACCURACY.
As for your door, You will have to pretty much reset it. Remove the casing and exterior trim from the door. Remove the screws or cut the nails that are holding the jamb in place. Use builders shims and drive them (with a hammer) between the trimmer studs and the door jamb to get the gap between the door and the jamb even, both top to bottom as well as across the top. Start with the hinge side. Use 2 shims, right on top of each other, at each location, and point them in the opposite directions. (One with the thick end to the outside, and the other with the thick end to the inside.) I use 3" screws to set a door. If I need to make an adjustment, I can remove the screws and do it.
After you have the door looking good, cut off the excess shims and reinstall the exterior trim and the interior casings.
That's the bad news. The good news is that you can check them bot ways and compensate for their INACCURACY.
As for your door, You will have to pretty much reset it. Remove the casing and exterior trim from the door. Remove the screws or cut the nails that are holding the jamb in place. Use builders shims and drive them (with a hammer) between the trimmer studs and the door jamb to get the gap between the door and the jamb even, both top to bottom as well as across the top. Start with the hinge side. Use 2 shims, right on top of each other, at each location, and point them in the opposite directions. (One with the thick end to the outside, and the other with the thick end to the inside.) I use 3" screws to set a door. If I need to make an adjustment, I can remove the screws and do it.
After you have the door looking good, cut off the excess shims and reinstall the exterior trim and the interior casings.
#3
11-12-03, 11:18 PM
Lefty,
I have exactly the same problem. The door jam is level (used both sides of the level) and my door is sagging from the top hinge. Is is possible to set the top and middle hinge a little deeper to pull the door in closer on the hinged side of thejam? This what I was about to do when I came online to see if there was anyone else out there with the same problem.
I have exactly the same problem. The door jam is level (used both sides of the level) and my door is sagging from the top hinge. Is is possible to set the top and middle hinge a little deeper to pull the door in closer on the hinged side of thejam? This what I was about to do when I came online to see if there was anyone else out there with the same problem.
#4
11-13-03, 05:31 AM
Lefty,
Thanks for the quick response, unfortunately for me my new door is wrapped on the outside and they already put the insulation and siding around the door and finished it off. I can easily get to the inside jamb to check things out but there is no way I can level the door if the outside needs to be taken apart, too much work and well beyond my skills to put it back together.
Would what Kralspace is talking about work to improve things a little bit? The door is not real far off but it does slightly scrape our floor molding in that area when closing. I only need to get back maybe an 1/8" or so to make things work OK, any other thoughts?
Thanks for the quick response, unfortunately for me my new door is wrapped on the outside and they already put the insulation and siding around the door and finished it off. I can easily get to the inside jamb to check things out but there is no way I can level the door if the outside needs to be taken apart, too much work and well beyond my skills to put it back together.
Would what Kralspace is talking about work to improve things a little bit? The door is not real far off but it does slightly scrape our floor molding in that area when closing. I only need to get back maybe an 1/8" or so to make things work OK, any other thoughts?
#5
11-13-03, 10:59 PM
IMHO, what kralspace is suggesting isn't the BEST way to correct the problem, but it certainly will work. (Done it my self on more than one occasion, and even in my own house!)
#6
11-14-03, 07:21 AM
Lefty,
Thanks for the confirmation (that you did it to your own house is testimony enough for me). My situation is exactly the same as Mike's in that the outside has already been stucco'd and the door was the center piece with existing side panels from the previous door. I had to remove the pre-hung door from the jam in order to get the jam in the openning (no clearance). I spent several hours on this and now I have to somehow adjust it with the hinges.
Mike, Good luck with your door.
Thanks for the confirmation (that you did it to your own house is testimony enough for me). My situation is exactly the same as Mike's in that the outside has already been stucco'd and the door was the center piece with existing side panels from the previous door. I had to remove the pre-hung door from the jam in order to get the jam in the openning (no clearance). I spent several hours on this and now I have to somehow adjust it with the hinges.
Mike, Good luck with your door.
#7
11-14-03, 04:37 PM
May I make a suggestion?
If your door is sagging and total reinstallation is not an obtion.
With the door in the closed position, remove all the hinge pins then shim the door so it's square in the frame.
Now your hinges will be out of allighnment, so with vise grips, grab each knuckle on the frame side and re allighn them so you can drop the pins back into place.
Done....your door will now close properly, though if if not done carefully and they're painted, the hinges may need a touch up.
If your door is sagging and total reinstallation is not an obtion.
With the door in the closed position, remove all the hinge pins then shim the door so it's square in the frame.
Now your hinges will be out of allighnment, so with vise grips, grab each knuckle on the frame side and re allighn them so you can drop the pins back into place.
Done....your door will now close properly, though if if not done carefully and they're painted, the hinges may need a touch up.
#8
11-20-03, 08:30 PM
Sagging Doors
Hello all, I am a long time lurker and a first time poster here.
Seeing this question I had to finally register to answer this question.
I have seen this problem many times over the years. From what you all have described ( Top of the door Sagging). This might be a very simple solution to all of this and there can be multiple causes on the installation end but it all reverts back to the weight of the SOLID CORE door pulling down and sagging. This could be that the sides of the jamb werent shimmed properly and the jamb is pulling away slightly or it could be the screws in the hinges are loosening up over a period of time ( Ive seen this alot).
Most door companies will provide the installer a small plastic package with a 2 1/2 to 3" screw. This screw is suposed to be secured in the middle of the hinge where the hole is set back into the framing. You would be surprised how often this screw isnt secured albeit the installer simply threw it away or it never came with the door.
Go get yourself some 2 1/2 to 3 inch corse threaded screws and take the 2 middle screws out of the hinge and secure these larger screws catching the framing underneath on the top hinge this will essentially pull the jamb back and raise that door where its supposed to be, but be careful not to over tighten =). Hope this works for you. Youd be surprised how 1 or 2 simple screws into that framing might fix that problem.
Good Luck
John K
Classic Touch Windows Doors and HardWood Floors
Seeing this question I had to finally register to answer this question.
I have seen this problem many times over the years. From what you all have described ( Top of the door Sagging). This might be a very simple solution to all of this and there can be multiple causes on the installation end but it all reverts back to the weight of the SOLID CORE door pulling down and sagging. This could be that the sides of the jamb werent shimmed properly and the jamb is pulling away slightly or it could be the screws in the hinges are loosening up over a period of time ( Ive seen this alot).
Most door companies will provide the installer a small plastic package with a 2 1/2 to 3" screw. This screw is suposed to be secured in the middle of the hinge where the hole is set back into the framing. You would be surprised how often this screw isnt secured albeit the installer simply threw it away or it never came with the door.
Go get yourself some 2 1/2 to 3 inch corse threaded screws and take the 2 middle screws out of the hinge and secure these larger screws catching the framing underneath on the top hinge this will essentially pull the jamb back and raise that door where its supposed to be, but be careful not to over tighten =). Hope this works for you. Youd be surprised how 1 or 2 simple screws into that framing might fix that problem.
Good Luck
John K
Classic Touch Windows Doors and HardWood Floors
#9
11-27-03, 07:15 AM
Great Info here guys. My door situation has been resolved with a combination of deepening the mortise on the upper hinge and pulling the jam in tighter along the center hinge (2" braid nailer). In my case, I had existing side panels with glass (no studs here) to deal with. I only made a 3/32 adjustment, but that is all that was needed to allow the door to operate smoothly.
