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Installing doors on concrete walls

WoodBuster123 | Posted in General Discussion on December 28, 2013 10:02am

Hello,

I’m a new member. I live in Mexico. 

 

I may possibly be making and installing some interior doors for a fine residence here. The walls are block and concrete and have been plastered. I have several questions regarding this:

 

1st: What is the best way to trim? Usually, one would shoot a nail into the door jamb and then into the wall studs but that isn’t possible with concrete walls. 

 

2nd: When I measured the walls, I found that the walls around where the door is going to be are varying in thickness. I found about 15mm of discrepency. Do I make the jamb width to be the same as the thickest part of the wall then trim dow the jamb to be flush with the other walls? How do assure that I have a plumb edge for the hinges? 

 

Thank you very much. Forgive my ignorance on the subject.

Roger

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  1. User avater
    Mike_Mahan | Dec 29, 2013 12:09am | #1

    What part of Mexico? I've got a place in Baja.

    Usually the block will be laid up around a 2x frame. These serve as rough and often finish jambs, sometimes without casings. I assume that that's not the case for you. Do you already have openings in place? Are they reasonably plumb and square? Do the rough dimensions accomodate a normal sized door and jambs?

    You could attach the jambs directly to the block with Tapcon screws, that screw directly into the concrete, but they might be hard to find there. You can use whatever concrete anchors you can find or wooden dowels inserted into holes drilled in the block. As you say make the jambs to the widest part of the wall. Make sure they are plumb and not recessed at all from the face of the block. I wouldn't bother to trim them, but would set the casings to the jambs and caulk them to the block. Hopefully, your 15mm gap will even out on both sides, not be all in one place. What kind of material are you using for casings?

  2. DanH | Dec 29, 2013 08:47am | #2

    If the openings are reasonably finished I'd consider having the jambs narrower than the wall thickness by 25-50mm and having a "reveal" (of half that amount) on each side.  If not finished you could have the jambs project beyond the walls about 30mm on each side, maybe a bit more if you wanted to butt some thin trim (perhaps glued) up against the back of the jamb.

    1. User avater
      Mike_Mahan | Dec 29, 2013 02:06pm | #3

      Dan's ideas are probably better than mine if the situation allows. But remember that if the jambs are not the full width of the wall, the door may not open 180 degrees.

  3. VestaCa | Dec 29, 2013 04:39pm | #4

    Mis matched walls at door jams

    Any one who gives you an ansewer with the info you provided is not telling you anthing you can bank on

    You need to supplie more information befor you get what you need

    Happy new year

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