I have a pair of interior french doors that were hung plumb and square. However, the floor is out of level about 3/8″ across the width of the doors.
What is the best way to handle this? Trim the bottom of the doors to create an even gap or re-hang the doors so the bottom is parallel to the floor?
Replies
No question about it. You hang the doors straight, and cut the bottoms parallel with the floor. When your done, it won't even be noticeable that the floor is 'off', and your doors won't be closing by themselves.
If it's really bad you can't trim to be parallel with the floor because the downhill edge of the uphill door will drag on the floor when opened. So you kinda hafta fudge here and there.
He said it's 3/8"
Yeah, but how much tilt is there in the floor the other way?
Provided that the floor was at a constant slope, the door would have to just set a little higher than 3/8" off the floor to swing full open without touching the floor.
Dan"Life is what happens when you are making other plans." - John Lennon
Fortunately, the floor is only out of level from jamb to jamb and is level in the direction perpendicular to the opening.
Dan, I would normally leave a 3/4" to 1" gap at the bottom anyway, but yes, if the floor was really far off (and in several directions) your point is well taken. I'm not trying to say you're wrong, I'm just trying to stick with the original question. Truce?
Yeah, and I'm just saying that it's good to consider all these angles before you begin cutting.
Of course, some situations are somehow beyond consideration. There was the case of my MIL's late husband who was trimming a wood storm door. It was dragging at the bottom, so he took it down and trimmed maybe 1/4". Still dragging, so he took it down and trimmed it maybe another 3/8". STILL dragging, so he took it down and trimmed another 1/2". He didn't appreciate it when I pointed out the wide gap at the top of the door.
Now that's a 'hoot'!
Do you use Rising Butt hinges in America? -- normally I'd change the hinges to those to "lift" the door as it opened so that it cleared the floor.
IanDG
cut the doors... wrap painters tape twice around each door so it won't splinter, frag out the veneer or masonite face scribe your cut line onto the tape across both doors while hung in place remove and cut w new 40 tooth blade in circular saw