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My husband is trying to install a prehung door in new construction. After lining up the jamb with the wall, the top of the door is too tight at the stop with a gap at the bottom or vice versa. We read up on that and found it was called a cross-legged jamb, but can’t find any info on how to solve it. Any advice would be appreciated. Also, what about hanging double doors…anything different with those we need to know? Thanks sooo much!
Gina
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Replies
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Gina,
Without trying to explain how to build a rocket in three easy steps...
The prehung door should be attached on the hinge side first. Then you can adjust the latch side up or down accordingly usually by the use of a small pry bar or screwdriver under the bottom of the latch side jamb. In you case, it sound like it need to be lifted upwards about a 1/4 inch or so?
Double doors are basically the same only a little tricker due to the width and the mass if they are solid. Might neeed tow people to get them set in place until nailing has begun?
The IMPORTANT thing to remember it for him or you is to TAKE YOUR TIME! I've probably hung 100 or more doors and it still takes me a good hour or so to get it perfect. Sure, thats seems slow to many but what I'm getting at is that it is not like on This Old House or HGTV and the door is hung in 11-16 minutes. Sure, guys hang them that fast but then they have someone else come back and fix them because they close themselves or don't close properly.
If this is your first door...Patience, pateince, patience.
Mike
*Gina- need more info...are these precased split jambs?
*Gina,Walls are cross-legged, causing cross-legged jambs. If it isn't much, try hitting the bottom of one wall over with a sledge. Make sure you put a block against the wall before slamming. Then drive a couple toe-nails thru the end of the bottom plate to hold the bottom of the wall in place. By the way, swing at your own risk!
*If you need more room at the top you can cut the jamb sides that go up above the headjamb to give you a bit more room that way. Hammering the studs/jacks sideways will also give you a bit more room but you will probably have to use a sawzall to cut the plates back flush. Same with dbl doors.