Hey guys!

Need a little professional advice... I am replacing the doors upstairs in my house - theyre terrible and have holes and do not latch properly. I bought the new doors to the right size (albiet 1/4 inch wider, but I think theyll fit fine), and I ran into an issue on the master bedroom door. I placed the new slab door (un-bored) in the frame, and it fits (except a little tight width-wise). The issue I am seeing though, is the top of the door frame. The door is sitting flat on the floor, tight to both sides, and the top is a serious angle - angled up towards the hinge side. Its a substantial angle - no wonder the previous door was sticking.

I am trying to figure out what would look best - do i cut the door slab at an angle at the top? Or do I try to do something with the frame itself to correct the problem? It doesnt feel like I can push up on the lower portion at all - I dont think its a problem with a loose fit. Also, if the best way is to cut it at a similar angle, does anyone have a good method to do this perfectly? Thanks for your help! I grabbed a picture of it if my description isn't drawing the correct picture for you. Thanks!

 

Here's a pic if it helps describe it!

 

#1, NO way would I have ever tried to use a slab MDF door.
A prehung door would have not cost that much more and taken a whole lot less time to install.
Something's settled causing that whole opening to be off. Can tell that by the big crack in the wall.
There was also suppose to be about a 1" gap under that door.
Only way to fix is remove the casing and get the jambs plumb and square.

 

Yep, Joe's right - the jambs need to be fixed first.

 

First you need to use a framing square and a level and see if it's the frame (which it likely is of course).

I have never seen an install where you can even fit an uncut door into an existing frame.

 

If this is the only door you've bought so far, I would quit and go get pre-hungs instead of slabs.

 

Hi, I see a crack on the left side on the wall probably your problem. But hey you want to fit the door not redo your house. Measure the gap on the hinge side, say its a half inch add a eighth inch now you have 5/8 inch measure on the hinge side and mark the 5/8. Now mark the 5/8 on the latch side, with a pencil connect the two marks. It shoulsd look like a wedge. Cut the door leave the Line on the door.
Remove the hinge plates on the door. Put the door in the lamb put a couple of paint stearing sticks one on each side of the top of the door and shim the door up tight to the top. Mark on the door where the hinge plate will be using the hinge plates on the jamb as a guide Remove the door and install the hinge plates on the door using the marks on the door as a guide.
Good Luck Wood Butcher

This may help


On your new door decide what is the top of the door. Example on a six panel door the small panels go to the top. On a slab door the top may be marked if it isn’t then it will make no difference.
I have hung about 200 doors as a repair not construction. I will try to help you as best as I can.
With your old door in place check the fit. Most fits are OK. Fit is the reveal on the top bottom and sides of the door. With the old door still in place mark it top and back. The back is the side with the hinge pins. Mark the new door top and back this is for your reference it is very easy to get turned around doing this. Pull the pins on the old door and remove all the hardware including the hinge leafs. Do not remove hinge leafs on the door jamb. Measure the old door and cut the new one to that length be careful not to splinter the new door, score the door or clamp a piece of scrap wood on the side where the saw blade leaves the wood.
Set the old door on the side with the hinge mortise up. Line up the new door at the top of the old one. The back of one should be against the front of the other. With a combo square scribe the mortise of the old door to the new door. Now take one of the hinge leafs and trace the hinge between the mortise lines you just drew remember the pins on the hinge go to the back of the door. The hinge leaf is probably marked on the back side from paint or varnish, use this line to guide you when tracing the hinge. An interior door is 1 3/8”The hinge will set about 1 1/4” across the door. Use a router to cut out the mortise if you use a chisel be careful cut only across the grain of the door style or you will split it.
Install the leafs on the new door with only one screw on each leaf make sure to drill a pilot hole for the screw or you WILL SPLIT the door. If the door has 3 hinges , leave the middle one off until you fit the door.
Place the new door in the jamb put the top pin in first then the bottom pin, you may have to adjust the bottom leaf a little tap it up or down to make it fit. That’s why I use only one screw at first. With both pins installed, drill your pilot holes and put in the rest of screws in the top and bottom hinges.
Put a screw on the front of the door where the knob will go, you need the screw to pull the door closed so you can mark the door where it hits the jamb. Remove the strike plate off the door jamb. With a pencil mark the door where it hits the jamb. Remove the door and plane down to the line, take your time. You may have to mark the door 2 or 3 times to get the fit.
With a pencil, mark on the back side door casing, the center of the hole located on the door jamb used for the door lock Close the door and transfer the mark to the door. With a combo square use that mark to scribe a line on both sides of door about 3” long and across the style.
Now find the back set of the lock you are using. A new lock will tell you, if you use the old lock, measure the old door from the edge to the center of the hole. 2 3/8” and 2 3/4 are common sizes. Measure also the size of the hole you will need 2 1/8’’is common.
If the back set is 2 3/8. On the line you drew on the door make a mark 2 3/8 on each side of the door. If the hole is 2 1/8, use a 2 1/8 hole saw, cut half way through the door and finish the cut from the other side do not plunge straight through you will splinter the door. Mark the center of style and drill a hole to fit the door latch use a small as possible hole to fit the latch you don’t have much room to spare. Some latches need to be mortised to fit if this is the case put the latch in the hole and trace the face of it then remove the needed amount of wood and install it. Remember to drill pilot holes. Install the lockset and the third hinge if needed. Now wasn’t that easy?

Good Luck, Woodbutcher

 

Thanks so much for the responses! This is the only door I'm seeing this kind of issue with... the other ones actually accept the slab doors almost perfectly with only a little trimming needed. I was worried about the frame, and I did notice the crack of course... so should I pull off the trim and see if there is something I can do about the framing underneath? That is beyond where I hoped to go, but I'm always down for a challenge. Luckily if you watch enough youtube videos about something, you usually get enough right information to make something work.

As for the pre-hung doors- I thought that would be harder and require pulling of trim which I havent done before. Is it really an easier job? Newbie here but I pick things up quickly. I was thinking the only door I may go pre-hung for was this one, as the frame is really seriously settled into a bad angle.

What is the spacing I should be looking for on each side of the door? I know I wanted about 1/2 inch under the door, I was only setting it on the ground as a level to show the issue with the top framing. I'm getting the 1/8 inch idea on each sides and top... am I correct in that one? Thanks!

 

Installing a prehung is faster/easier than fitting a slab door to an existing frame. It might be ok to fit your slab to the out of square jamb but taking out the whole door frame and some drywall would allow you to inspect and remedy any issues that might make this an ongoing problem.