Okay, spent this afternoon replacing an old metal storm door. Got it hung per the directions and went to install the strike plate and there is around a 1/2" gap in between the latch and the brass plate. I tried to shim the strike plate with some washers but it looked bad and don't think taht would be a permanent fix...

Question is...do I need to shim it? on latch side or hinge side? and how do I shim it with the outside ledge wrapping around the door jam?

here are the instructions to my door
http://www.larsondoors.com/images/up...566RF_evLH.pdf

and here are a few pictures to illustrate.



thanks for looking!

 

I may be wrong but I believe you may be talking about having to pad out the striker by 1/2" to catch the latch. That's not unusual depending on how the exterior door jamb was constructed.

Did you use the supplied drilling template for the door latch?
Sometimes you can find a wider catch to work without using 1/2" of pad. Either wayk, the main issue is the amount the darn thing protrudes into the door way. A real sleeve catcher.

As far as shimming...only shim from the hinge side. But that's not really your problem.

 

Hey thanks for reply...that pic is deceiving...that rounded part on outside of right near latch is just a lip extended from the frame of door...take that away and there realy is abiut half an inch of gap. This gap also prevents the door from sealing with the weatherstripping defeating the purpose. I just need to get the door right 1/2" somehow

 

So your latch doesn't go into the strike plate because there is a 1/2" gap there? Sure doesn't look that bad from the picture.

But the distance you need it closer is best divided by 2. So if it is REALLY 1/2", you'd remove the door completely (both side z-bars and the top one) and install a solid 1/4" shim (such as the 1/4" x 1" lattice they sell in stores) onto the left and right edges of the brickmould, making the opening 1/2" smaller.

Since you have the sort of strike plate that requires a mortise, you would not want to have the shim cover up the holes in the strike plate. So maybe make some pencil lines on the brickmould through the strike plate before you remove the z-bar, so that you can just stop the shim above and below the strike plate, leaving a void there for the latch and deadbolt.

If you need a 1/2" shim, it probably means that when you remove the storm door, I'm guessing that the distance between your brickmould will be about 36 3/8" when it ought to be closer to 35 7/8" to be ready for a storm door.

I like to shim equally on both sides so as to keep the door centered in the opening. Once you've reinstalled the z-bars and door, you will find that it fits the notch in the top z-bar a lot better when you have the opening shimmed to the correct width.

 

, that pic was taken after loosening up the screws on either side a little and it caused the door to sag in...when everything is tightened, there really is a 1/2" gap. Great advice about the 1/4" x 1" lattice and doing it on both sides. I will report my results...plan to work on it a few nights this week.

Thanks!