I did a total remodel of a house about four years ago. They would like me to install a door closer on the inside of this bathroom door. It opens off a gameroom and seems to be left open all the time for less than pleasent views.
I did some searches but all I could find seemed to be for on the opposite side of the door or would conflict with the storage cabinet you see.
Anybody got a clue where I should look?
Excellence is its own reward!
“The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are.”
–Marcus Aurelius
Replies
My first suggestion if the door is not very heavy use spring loaded hinges. They would not pull to door closed completely(latching), but would probably work well enough for there needs. Second suggestion is if you use a commercial style closer, it can mount in the push or pull mode. So it could be mounted on the exterior of the bathroom.(just not very attractive).
Good luck
David
Not attractive is the point. We discussed spring hinges. They look bad, but that wouldn't be my main worry if I were them since you would only see them when sitting on the pot and the door closed, but the other thing is that they close quick with no gas damper. BTW, they can be adjusted to close tighter but that's faster too.
Mounted outside the room is the biggest objectionable idea to them. That game room is pretty nice - better than my photography.
I did find a gas door closer that can be mounted inside the actual door itself for a 1-3/4" thick but this is only 1-1/2". It would also be pretty expensive to rebuild the door around it..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
As i am sure you know there is a hundred different ways to mount closers, if you mount the closer were it limits the door to 90 deg. open i do not think it would interfear with the cabinet(closer on frame arm mounted to door. Ryobi makes a residental grade door closer that is a little sleeker, and smaller.
David
Hi Piffin.
Check out: http://www.yalesecurity.com
This is a division of the Norton Series door closers. They offer many models to choose from. I think that the Norton Series #1700 model will easily do what you need .
These closers are attached to the top rail of the door and an arm "linkage" bar is attached to the face of the door header trim. These closers operate hydraulically and are the type you see in commercial installations. The cost of these closers run somewhere around $100 or so depending upon model. The closer should last 50 years or more with normal use. They are very quiet and are easily adjusted with an allen wrench. I've attached many of these closer mechanisms on doors facing the same situation as your bathroom door, so I know 100% that it can operate in the manner you need it to.
If you want something "low-tech," then look for the Bommer Spring, manufactured by Bommer Mfg. in Landrum, South Carolina. This is part no. 2440-601. This type of closer is simply a black coated, 12 inch long, 1-1/8 dia. coiled spring that is screwed onto theface of the door's style( hinge side).
Once mounted, the top of the spring can be rotated with the aid of a small steel rod. Each rotation adds to the spring's tension (closing force). Once you feel the spring has enough tension, a very small steel pin is inserted into a pre-drilled hole so as to keep the tension in place. These closers only cost about $15. They will definately keep the door closed, but the door user will have to be careful not to let go of the door when opening/closing...else the door will bang loudly like a low-budget screen door.
From what I see in your photos, there is plenty of room on the inside of the bathroom door to mount either type of closer.
LOL.
Davo
Piffin,
Nice looking work, as usual!
I think you could get a workable solution from spring-loaded hinges. From what I understand of the problem, your objective is to keep the door from staying wide open. If you under-adjusted the springs, the door wouldn't slam shut, and may not even fully close by itself, but it wouldn't allow the door to stay wide open either.
Some old-fashioned surface mount hinges might not look bad. If you really had to, I'll bet you could also use some surface mount variety hinges and install them in deep mortises to hide them.
Finally - and you might hate this idea - but if you hung the door a bit out of level, you could probably get it to self-close, too.
Anyway, either of these options would keep a very industrial-looking closing mechanism out of a very nice-looking area.
Regards,
Ragnar
LOL
"if you hung the door a bit out of level, you could probably get it to self-close, too."
Now there's a low tech solution! I might even mention it.
I'll be looking at these sites guys,
Thanks a lot..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
HD used to carry the Ryobi closers, may still do so. I believe they were reversible, and they're good for residential work ... don't have that heavy duty commercial heft, but pretty good stuff.
Either use spring, or gravity-closing hinges.
http://www.hardwaresource.com/category.cfm?Category=115&Parent_ID=2&FilterCat=2
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
I'm sure you suggested this one already.....
Just close the damn door !
carpenter in transition
It's amazing how helpless some people get when they are so wealthy.
For one kitchen remodel, I brought up the question of modern hardware and self closing hinges and drawer slides,
"No! Absolutely not. We like this authentic old feeling."
So every time I go in there, half the doors and drawers are hanging ajar..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
Piffin,
I have no idea of the cost of these hinges, but my parents have something similar on the door going from the garage into the house.
Picture on the right of the link
http://www.hebdalaw.com/Tom/HomePage/HowItWorks/HowItWorksHotLinks/SelfClosingHinges.htm
Two things come to mind.
First would be a rope, pulley, and a brick. But that might be a bit unsightly for a game room. But it might fall into the "faux midwestern" design methodology.
Second - Could you rig up a closer from a screen door? Put it up near the top of the door, and it might not be too noticeable.
In the Iditarod of life, you're my thermal underwear.
Thanks Boss, but the regular type screen door closer would mount on the game room side..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
If someone has already posted this please forgive me:Bommer Industries makes a gread 180 degree closer - you mount it on the bottom of the door. You have to shorten the door as this acts as a hinge but my customers love them.
dlb
There are many closers on the market that will work in this case depending on what you want to spend .We usually refer to closers mounted on the back of a door as regular arm mounting as opposed to parallel arm mounting on other side of door. Regular arm mounting means your closer body will be mounted on the door and the connecting arm mounted to the casing above the door, the arm should be perpendicular to the door when closed and when door is opened to 90 or more the arm will be extended all that protrudes behind the door is the depth of the closer body which is usually no more than depth of door knob or lever.Residencial closers should work fine but do not have much adjustment if any light duty commercial will have more adjustments like closing speed and latching speed.