Door hinge location
#1
Door hinge location
Had to buy a wood screen door for the cabin. 36 x 77. Considered building it myself, but decided it would cost as much or more and I didn't have the time. I decided to cheat a little bit and cut the header to 1". That put the new size to 36 x 78. So I bought a stock 36 x 80 at Lowes that gave me enough wood on either end to cut off an inch.
Is there any specific distance from top or bottom to locate the hinges? I bought those spring load ones like this.

Is there any specific distance from top or bottom to locate the hinges? I bought those spring load ones like this.

#2
Group Moderator
There is no standard distance that I am aware of. I just checked around my office and most of the interior doors have the same spacing with a couple oddballs. Then the exterior doors have a different spacing. They all have the top hinge about 9" down from the top, then the bottom hinges range between 9-12" up with the middle hinge sometimes being centered in the height of the door while others are centered between the hinges.
Norm201 voted this post useful.
#3
Lightweight screen door won't place much weight on hinges, so not too critical on placement, nevertheless, the top hinge sees the most stress, and wears the soonest. Interestingly, in some European and Eastern Bloc countries, it's common to see hinges spaced unevenly, such that two are used close to the top, followed by a long interval to the middle one, (or to the bottom one on lighter doors), suggesting their awareness, and method of balancing the wear. The top hinge screws are the first to loosen over time,too.
#4
So yesterday I went to cabin and installed the screen door. Perfect fit. However as I tried to open it, the gutters are to low and interfere! So next project is to remove and raise the gutters. It's always something!

#5
I'm not fond of wood screen doors, they look nice but don't usually hold up as well as the aluminum ones. If you paint/stain all sides including the top/bottom it will give the door a leg up on lasting longer.
#6
That I did. I still need to urethane it. Due to size constraints the wood was the only choice. Otherwise it would've been a special order. BUT...the outhouse does in fact have an aluminum storm door. Go figure!
#7
Remember an outhouse well, but not fondly. If you ever used one,here's something to stir your memory. Just copy and paste to your browser.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyZcqnZ8aM8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyZcqnZ8aM8
Norm201 voted this post useful.
#9
Have you considered a composting toilet? I don't know a lot about them but I have used them a couple of times and it was a lot more comfortable and less odorous than the old outhouse hole in the ground.
#10
We do have a chemical toilet available. However, I think I need to bite the bullet and get over my fears. It's just that I think about the guy in Jurassic Park.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmxjOYzEf6A
Only in my case it could be small spider.
And I'm trapped on the toilet in an enclosed structure. 
Now if there were no walls, most likely I'd be OK and it would not bother me.
How did I survive as kid? We slept on the ground, rolled under the car if it started to rain. Walked down a hill in the middle of the night in the forest to use the out house (with bees in I might add) and thought nothing of it! Slept in a old cabin with mice running around between the walls.
I became educated, sophisticated, domesticated.
BTW.. Thanks to COVID, I drink so much water, wash my hand so much, used so much disinfectants, and anti-virus-anti bacterial spray that when I pee, I clean the toilet!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmxjOYzEf6A
Only in my case it could be small spider.


Now if there were no walls, most likely I'd be OK and it would not bother me.

How did I survive as kid? We slept on the ground, rolled under the car if it started to rain. Walked down a hill in the middle of the night in the forest to use the out house (with bees in I might add) and thought nothing of it! Slept in a old cabin with mice running around between the walls.
I became educated, sophisticated, domesticated.

BTW.. Thanks to COVID, I drink so much water, wash my hand so much, used so much disinfectants, and anti-virus-anti bacterial spray that when I pee, I clean the toilet!

