I looked at all the dutch door posts, but did not see answers to my questions. I’m sure some of you guys have done this job and discovered what works and what does not. I’d sure appreciate some advice.
I have to install a dutch door next week to replace an existing door; 1 3/4″ 3-0/6-8 entry door, in-swing right handed, existing 4″ hinges CL at 13″ above threshhold, 9″ below top and centered between top and bottom.
What is ideal hinge placement for dutch doors? Maybe I can use the existing top hinge location?
I’m thinking that I’ll have to check the jamb for plumb and straightness, especially on the hinge side, install hinges top and bottom first and then pull a string to align the two middle hinges.
If the jamb is bowed, is it better to pull off casing, cut stucco mold nails and shim the jamb, or try to shim the individual hinges to compensate? One of the previous posts mentioned problems with variability from one pair to another of stamped hinges.
What is the best method to locate hinge placement on the door halves? I was thinking of using a story pole to transfer measurements from the Jamb, since it would be pretty difficult to try to set a dutch door in the opening in order to scribe the hinges.
Thanks for your help.
BruceT
Replies
Bruce, I'd pull the casing and shim the jamb at all hinge locations - I generally use 7/11" for the top and bottom, so your top hinge is already lower than than what I consider 'standard', I guess my inclination is not to worry about what exists, but to wipe the slate clean and place hinges where I would want...wish I could tell you the 'ideal' hinge locations, but I don't know - only dutch door work I've done is to un-f---k up an existing cobbled unit - - maybe someone else will jump in...
story pole is a good idea -
good luck - consider posting some photo's of the job...
When you say you use 7"/11" for top and bottom hinges, is that to the centers or to the nearest edge?BruceT
When you say you use 7"/11" for top and bottom hinges, is that to the centers or to the nearest edge?
door in the bucks, measure down 7" from the top = the top of the hinge - measure up from the bottom 11" = the top of the hinge -
dunno why - the guy in charge where I was working as a young man wanted it that way - works fine as far as I have found - - made a dozen jambs and hung 3 hinge doors a couple of years ago, can't remember what I used for the center hinge, think I centered it on the horizontal frame piece - as long as you don't turn the template over between the door and jamb, I don't know that it matters -
now the professional door hangers can chime in - - be gentle guys....
"there's enough for everyone"
You might look at Gary Katz's forum over at JLC.
A while back there was a long discussion on dutch doors.
Bruce, I have hung exactly one dutch door in 44 years. I'll give you my two cents worth anyhow. I would place the top hinge 5" down to the top of the hinge. Come up 5" from the bottom, do both halves similarly. Is this a manufactured dutch door?
The door I made into a dutch door was a solid fir door to start with. What I did was to mortise and install the four hinges. Same on jamb. Hung door first ,before it was cut to make sure it hung right. Removed door,placed on trestles and cut 10° .When I rehung the door I installed a slide bolt vertically to keep the two halves flush.The top half opens when the bottom stays shut, if you have to cut the bevel make sure you keep this in mind.
Fairly easy job to do, don't forget to sand and paint or seal the cut ends of the door.
mike
7/11 top and bottom to edge of hinge.
5/5 at center seam.
unless this is a clear stain finish door, fasten top and bottom together so you are hanging one door, then separate them. That way you eliminate 120% of the alignment problems you will otherwise have.
Forget the string. Use a marking knife and a straightedge. Sneeze on a string and it will move, plus the string has dimension of it's own to add to the potential for error. This job calls for knife edge accuracy, even apencil ine is too wide.
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I've done one, too, and since it was the door to my shop I just winged it. It did work suprisingly well though. The existing door was hung w/ only two hinges, so I just added two more, then cut the door in half. All work, including priming and painting the cut edges, was done with the door in place. I think that's the key; since the door has to ultimately be able to function as one, hang it as one. I don't know where your door is coming from, but I would think that a store bought dutch door would be shipped "whole", with shims between to give you the proper tolerance for install. If not, I would rip the proper spacer, insert it between, then use two long straps to temporarily bridge the edges. Hang it like this, using the top and bottom existing hinge locations (BTW - since each half door will have two full sized hinges, I don't think placement is that critical). Once you get it closing right like this, remove the strap from the inner edge so you can mark and install the second pair of hinges. If you can do this in place, you should. Line up the hinge with the others on the jamb, outline it with a utility knife, then mortise and install. If the jamb is straight, the hinge will now lay almost flat against the door edge and you can mortise that with no guesswork. If you're handy with a chisel (or even a small router!) the installed hinges will lay nice and flat, and everything will be cool when you separate the top and bottom of the door.