I just installed a pre-hung/double-hung closet door and am having trouble with one door always swinging to the open position. No matter which position I try to leave the door (closed or partially closed), it swings to a completely open position. I did a admirable job of watching the squareness, levelness, and plumbness of the door frame during installation. I also adjusted some of the hinges that were over recessed from the factory, while I think this improved the situation, it really just made the swing to the open position slower then before.

Any and all tips as to how I can tune this door to correct this problem are aprciated.

Thanks,
Andy

 

Usually the frame is out of level at the hinge side, what part of Va.?

 

I know you did a good job checking the level, etc. but just for fun, check the hinge sides for plumb in both directions. Anything can happen while you are nailing, shimming, etc. and I just believe you will find, now that you have moved some of the hinges, the door is not plumb (not the frame, the door). Post back and let us know how it goes.

 

Check the wall. Is it plumb? I bet the wall is leaning in the direction the door wants to swing open.

 

Hi All,

Thanks for the great advice. I went back and checked the door, frame, and wall. The wall is plumb, but the door and frame are not. Guess I wasn't as good at watching this as I thought I was during installation.

So now I understand my problem: while the frame is plumb from side to side, it leans out into room at the top (a little less then 1/8 inch for every 2 feet). Of course I have already set the nails (rookie mistake I'm sure), so adjusting it might not be as easy as I wish.

I can thing of a few possible solutions:
a) Try to persuade the frame to be plumb at the top (makes me worry that I could end up making matters worse somewhere else)
b) Dig out those set nails and correct things
c) move the hinges to correct things
d) try bending the hinge pins as suggested here: http://doityourself.com/info/doorswingingshut.htm (does this really work)?
e) try something else

Any thoughts?

Andrew R, I'm in Leesburg, are you looking to hire a not-so-good door hanger?

Thanks,
Andy

 

Andy,
Take one casing leg off and cut any nails that were nailed through the jamb. You can kick the jamb in at either top or bottom and do reverse at other end. That should realign the doors. Shim the jamb well and you also may have to beat the plaster in around the perimeter of the jambs. I'm in Hampton Roads area. Leesburg is a scenic place, like it a lot.

 

I vote for "B".

 

I vote for Andrew R.'s suggestion... cut the nails with a reciprocating saw then plumb and reshim, renail the door.

 

Thanks again for the great advice. I think I will try cutting the nails and then fixing. Unfortunately I may not get back to this till the weekend – always the problem when my pet projects – other things get in my way. I will post back once I get the problems solved.

What about my option d above (bending the hinge pins), while I’m not planning to try it I am curious. Do any of you have any first hand experience with it? Do you think it might really work, or will it just mess up the pins and make matters worse?

 

Bending the hinge pins might keep the door from going shut on its own, but since this is a new door that simply was not installed correctly, I would think you'd want to fix the problem, not put a bandaid on it.

 

The door is all fixed now, at least it is fixed to my satisfaction. Thanks for all the great help. Once I knew what the problem was and how to correct it, fixing it was very easy.