The house we've bought has a very large wood front door (8') with sidelights on either side. Anyway, there's a very large gap on the lock side, I can jam my finger in there it's probably 3/8", it's enough that the deadbolt grabs but the handle latch doesn't, it barely misses it altogether.

I bought some hinge shims but I'm thinking that's a heck of a lot of hinge shimming. I'm assuming it was just installed incorrectly and maybe never fit properly, it's a custom home that the builder was going bankrupt at the end of the project and did the finish work ASAP to get the CO and close the loans. (Back in 2006).

Any advice to resolve this other than just hiring a door guy to completely reframe this? It's got venetian plaster walls so I really don't want to disturb more than I have to around the trim. But we need this to be right, I doubt it's even sealing well against the weatherstripping right now.

Thanks for the advice.

 

Why not consider adding a piece of flat casing stock, stained/painted to match the existing? I'd leave the hinges alone, and add the casing to the latch/dead bolt side.

 

So this 3/8" gap is even all the way up the latch side? It's not smaller at the very top or bottom of the door? What about any gap on the hinge side? Is the door completely tight to the jamb on the hinge side then?

Are the hinges on the door your usual 4" door hinges or are they the adjustable kind? If they are adjustable, you will notice some additional screws or allen screws... more than just the usual 4 hole phillips screw pattern on each plate.

 

It's really even. And tight on the hinge side. Just a big ol' gap on the latch side. Weird, right?

Standard 4" hinges. But I'd be willing to add special adjustable hinges if that makes this job easier..

 

Without seeing the job, I would go with BridgeMan45's idea and relocate the stricker plates to the built up casing. Some glue and screws will lock it in place.

 

When you open the door and run your hand over the hinges (the part above and below the screws, on either side of the hinge pin), do they seem recessed in their mortises, or do they seem nice and flush with the jamb and door?

Also, how wide is the trim between the door and the sidelights? I'm curious to know if they are mulled together as a unit (trim would be a 1 1/4" cap or similar) or if there is any framing separating them from one another.

 

The more I think about this, I wonder if the hinges on the door were changed at some point... perhaps to match hardware on other doors in the house. You probably have hinges with standard swaging, which means the hinges close tightly together, leaving no gap between them. This would shift the door tightly to the hinge side. Flatback hinges have a greater gap (something like 5/32) which would give you back that space on the hinge side of the door, and subtract space from the latch side. This would more closely center the door and allow the door to contact the weatherstripping the way it should. So changing hinges (to a flatback hinge) is one option.

You could also try swaging your existing hinges (spreading them open) by opening the door, insert a nail set or similar (butt the fat end up against the hinge pin, then gently attempt to close the door. Do this at the top, middle and bottom of each hinge and it will slightly bend the hinge open a little. Just don't shut the door too hard on the nail set or it could significantly bend the hinges or even pull out a screw. The nice thing about trying this a little at a time is that you can slightly adjust, and if more is needed, do it again.

 

I don't think the hinges were changed - it was built in 2006, rented out for a few months in 2008, and has been vacant for 4 years. The rest of the doors on the property were installed so badly I'm thinking it was just bad workmanship. But, I still need to fix it. I measured today and the gap between the door and the frame on the latch side is 3/8". I'd be happy to buy new hinges to move the door closer, anything around 1/4" or less should be fine and would seriously improve the situation.

Could you recommend a source to find these swaged hinges in a 4" size (oil rubbed bronze color) - I'd greatly appreciate it.

I have been thinking about the idea of adding wood to the latch side but it would be such a sliver of wood - maybe 1/4" thick?

 

I recently bought a chunk of smooth, 1/4 x 2 (ash) at the local big box store--think I paid less than $3 for it. Any hinges you buy will cost about 10 times that much, and involve just as much work getting things to finish out.

 

1/4" stock is available in various widths (from a real lumber yard), it is called "lattice". If you go that route, make sure you glue it to the jamb as well as nail it.

 

I don't know where in Colorado you are, but most metro areas will have a hardware specialty store. Not hardware like Ace hardware, but a place that specializes in pulls, handles, hinges and such.

You could probably also track down the type of hinges you need online and have them shipped.

Regarding the idea to add wood to the latch side jamb, I noticed the OP earilier mentioned that he doubted the door was making good contact with the weatherstripping. Shimming the latch side would help the door latch, but wouldn't help much if there is a weatherstripping issue due to the door being off center.