Replies

1. 
   JohnWW | Apr 09, 2007 10:45pm | #1

   John,

   Warping is not a function of thickness, thick and thin doors can both warp if they aren't made properly, and a metal door shouldn't warp at all.

   I suspect that the problem is more likely due to some flaw in the door frame or the structure around it, causing the frame to move with the seasons, a common problem in New England, or that the door isn't hung and trimmed properly, typically with the positioning of the stop moldings or the strike plate.

   Without a lot more details or ideally a look at the door and frame assembly it would be very difficult to say what is causing your problem, but there are a lot of possibilities.

   John W.

2. 
   cowtown | Apr 11, 2007 10:53am | #2

   Many folks have commented over the years of the cost of entry doors.

   Years ago I queried a large door mfgr in British Columbia about the cost of doors, and it was explained to me thus...

   Yer front door, if it should be on the south side, with a storm door may encounter temperatures well in excess of 100degrees F and high humidity , and on the inside of 65F, and low humidity, if AC is present.

   OK, so you got the temp differential...not exactly conducive to flatness of a wood structure, or even a metal door.

   Now a few years later...

   I'll profer this non-expert advice.

   A previously hung solid core wood door often has only been hinged in the past with common hinges, and alas, only attached with the common screws that came with it. Typically 1" and as most folks, once they think about it, will realize that they have only attached the hinge to the jamb. Hang a 100lb solid core dore to what is essentially a 1x4 and it's gonna bow from the load over 15 or 20 years. Heck, even with three hinges, it's gonna bow if the hinge screws ain't going into the framing.

   Oftentimes, in "fixing" doors, nothing more is required than to replace one or two of the 1" hinge screws with 2.5" #8 screws which anchor the hinge into the framing.

   Why not look at yer problem this way...

   Whomever installed the door didn't walk away with the door not functional, so it's safe to assume something has changed.

   First off, look at the gap across the top, and if it's narrower on the hinge side than on the latch side, it's safe to assume that the door has "sagged".Not uncommon.

   Moreover, not uncommon for installers of newer doors to assume that the hinge side of the jamb is plumb and true, when it may have been distorted over the years with the wieght of a solid core door (and they are HEAVY)

   if that's the case, take out one of the screws of the top hinge, one of the two that is closest to the outside, (If it's only 1" long, yer chances of success just got a tad higher) and replace it with a 2.5" screw, and tighten it up. This will pull the hinge side of yer door up, and the gap at the top should be more parallel. You can tweak it back and forth with a hand operated screwdriver (do we even know what they is?) if need be. If yer door is three hinged, you may have to do simialry, but perhaps not so agressive with the centre hinge.All three hinges gotta align reasonably too.

   In my experience "warpage" in residential use is a broad-spectrum excuse for a poorly hung door.

   IF the door sags, the latch and deadbolts somtimes don't align. Along comes a "security expert" and installs a "bolt-buddy" and doesnt fit it properly or readjust the weather strip, forcing the occupants to really force the door close, The whole "easy close" door thing requires that all factors of the door be correct, and you gotta start at square one- the door has to fit properly in the opening.

   Square two is that all surfaces of the exterior door be finished. That means top and bottom. The Architectural millwork folks, indeed even the supplier, will insist on this or yer warrantee is void. You'd be suprised at how many pro painters is ignornant of this requirement.

   Then, if it's an existing installation, you might wanna check to see if you have adjustable latches. I was in a house a few years back where the adjstable latches were set to the "painters" setting, ie set so that painted doors wouldn't stick, and NONE of the exterior doors were adjusted to the weatherstrip, nor were any of the weather-strips on the door bottoms dropped to the sill, so these folks simply lived for years with the snow blowing in the bottom of their doors and around the doors too. DUH.

   John, I'd betcha dollars to donuts that my first suggestion, a single 2.5" screw on the top hinge of yer old door woulda possibly solved yer problems.

   It may do so still. Hope you end up a hero.

   Door fitting ain't rocket science, but it does require you to have one duck in a row before you try to get the other ones to line up.

   Eric in Cowtown.

1. 
   aceboy | Apr 12, 2007 04:33am | #3

   your wrong on all counts my friend but thanks for your input.

1. 
   cowtown | Apr 18, 2007 10:18am | #4

   Aceboy, john, big fella...my input was free....It was yu who started this thread? wasn't it?I luv it... my offered suggestions seem to be "Wrong in all counts" and I get a unqualified thanks. What more could a person ask for, other than perhaps a modicum of explanation? Not the first time some common place problem attaches itself to some uncommon cause. Not the first time I's been wrong, but the question remains ...in what way?So lemmee see, you gotta question, you pose it here, , you get my response among others, and then you post "you is wrong in all counts"OK, it wouldn't be the first time I made an error, fair enuf, or even one of my suggestions may have been misinterpreted, but cu'mmon now bubba, if you think I'm gonna let you walk away by saying that yer described problems with a new entry door ain't even possibly related to the common faults I've encountered, described, and suggested fixes for, well, you'll might wanna consider you is just a tad shy of full disclosure or even commonplace courtesy not to expound just a modicum more info than you has offered.I just gotta let you know that it would be really nice to know the solution for yer problem, as it seems to have escaped my experience.If you ain't got the time or the inclination, no worries, there is other stuff on my plate. ####reno client of few years ago w is querying me as to why when his new dog jumps up on the door and scratches, the paint gets scratched. I ain't figured out how to approach that one yet-. Whaddayu suggest?Eric