Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | May 31, 2000 02:30am | #1

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   J. Smith:

   Most medium to large cities have "door and millwork" shops to serve the construction industry. Some of them may be interested in one house worth of pre-hung doors. Jamb width is not a problem with these shops but a small order might be. If you approach them with a list of sizes (especially standard sizes) and swings you might find them interested. Just make sure that what you are calling a left swing is what they are calling a left swing. Good luck. What part of the country do you live in?

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   Guest_ | May 31, 2000 02:44am | #2

   *j.smith,

   You really don't need doors, you need jambs. You might be able to find a local trim carpenter who can fabricate the jambs for you on site. The process is quite simple.Also, are you measuring the jamb size correctly? You might be measuring from casing to casing.

   View Image © 1999-2000"More than any time in history mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness, the other to total extinction. Let us pray that we have the wisdom to choose correctly." Woody Allen

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   Guest_ | May 31, 2000 03:56am | #3

   *And if you don't want to special order wider jambs or hire someone to "prehang" them for you, extend the jambs with some poplar. Set the prehung jamb with the hinge edge flush to the wall. Extend the jamb away from the hinge side, flush to the other side of the wall. Put a small reveal on that extension. This will make the old head pc. of casing to short on this side so you'll have to buy new. If you're going with new casing, then no problemo.Or, buy new slabs and hang them to the existing jambs. Lots of work for the novice if the old jambs are out of plumb or level. If you hang new slabs to the old jamb, give some thought to re setting the jambs.Might as well get as close to perfect as you can stand it. Best of luck.

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   Guest_ | May 31, 2000 04:19am | #4

   *Hey j.smith,I'd check with you local lumber yard.......no, I don't mean Home Depot.They should be able to send you in the right direction in your town.It could be you just need to hire a carpenter to "tweek" your doors. All houses move over the years, and it could be that you just need to re-set the door stops and hardware to make the doors you have work just fine. It's hard to believe that every door in your house has warped beyond repair. Check it out first.Ed. Williams

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   Guest_ | May 31, 2000 06:46am | #5

   *j.smith:After rereading your post and some of the responses I think a really good look at your situation is in order. In other words, are the doors really warped, has the floor settled and taken the jambs with it, is there something pushing from above ?, etc. A straight edge, rafter square and a good level might answer some of those questions. If you want a new look then new pre-hung doors sounds right. If not, then a good finish carpenter may be the answer. Good luck.

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   j.smith | Jun 01, 2000 06:00am | #6

   *
   louisville kentucky

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   j.smith | Jun 01, 2000 06:02am | #7

   *no i am not measureing the casing just the jambs and finding a trim carpenter around here is next to impossible . everyone is busy carpenter, concrete, brick layers. so if i'm going to do it my self i would rather just hand a pre hung instead of a door.

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   j.smith | Jun 01, 2000 06:04am | #8

   *louisville kentucky

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   stephengregg | Jun 03, 2000 03:52am | #9

   *ross says it all

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   geoff_murray | Jun 03, 2000 05:43am | #10

   *I, too, agree with Ross. The old doors are better than anything you can buy now. By fussing with the hinges and using a rabbet plane on the door stop, remortising the striker plate, you can probably get those old doors working just fine.

3. 
   Guest_ | Jun 04, 2000 08:38am | #11

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   As someone who lives in a 68-year-old house with older two-panel doors, I have to tell you that I understand exactly what j.smith is saying. Most of our doors are fine but 2-3 are just plain warped, mostly latch stile top warped away from stop. I haven't tried but I don't think that 'tweaking' the bad ones will work. One is 3/8" back from the stop at the top. Typ. of this period const. was 1-3/8" vert. grain fir, ogee inside edge with fairly face grainy 1/4" plywood panels. Years of no air conditioning (1932-1993) did them in, IMO.

   The answer to your question is, yes, there are companies that will make a matching door but it's going to be very pricey. Custom width jambs will seem like the least of it, in terms of cost. What is your location, if you're mid-Atlantic I can give you a few names.

   Jeff

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   Guest_ | Jun 04, 2000 02:14pm | #13

   *If you can't plane, clamp, glue or otherwise get your old doors working, you could add extension jambs to the standard jambs. Cut (or have the lumberyard do it) strips that can be nailed to the jamb to bring it out with your wall. The line where the extension meets the jamb will look on purpose, especially if it's getting painted.

4. 
   j.smith | Jun 04, 2000 02:14pm | #12

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   my old wood interior 2 panel doors are warbed and do not close properly . my house is 55 years old. would like to replace with new prehung doors but have plaster walls. my walls measure 5 1/4 inches thick all doors i can find are 4 and 9/16 i think.are there any companies that will make a special order door. thanks for the help