Replies

1. 
   suburbanguy | Oct 07, 2019 01:16pm | #1

   The doors were removed but as I understand, the frames remained. If this is correct, I don't think it should matter the order of the work, because the trim attaches to the frames which should be secure to the studs.
   I suspect that the doors may be installed in the wrong frame openings. Did you label the doors before removing them?
   Even if the doors don't quite fit, it would seem like a drastic response to remove and cut them. No door frame would have moved that much during the renovations to require the doors to be cut down to size. Planing them where needed would be a more appropriate solution.
   Before you start cutting or planing, I suggest that you start measuring each door and door opening very carefully. I imagine that some doors are a little small for their openings and you're only noticing the doors that are too large and therefore binding on the frame.

1. 
   user-7555177 | Oct 07, 2019 03:07pm | #2

   The jams were left in place. They were loose and not secured well prior to the trim being added back. House was built in 1971 and trim is being updated and old doors used as well as the jams. Doors were marked so they are being installed in their original spot. Thanks.

2. 
   sawdust_steve | Oct 07, 2019 03:50pm | #3

   It is common practice to plane doors to fit an opening. There is no issue with cutting them down after. However if you have paid to refinish the doors they should have been hung first and planed/cut to size before refinished.

   Are the doors paint grade? or are they a wood finish? Is his a high end remodel?

3. 
   calvin | Oct 07, 2019 04:07pm | #4

   Bass-akwards.
   They weren’t split jambs by any chance?

4. 
   Shep | Oct 08, 2019 05:44pm | #5

   If the doors are going to be refit for width, material should only be taken off on the hinge side. If its removed on the strike side of the door, it could very possible effect the offset of the door strike. There is a little play with strikes, but why chance it?
   IMO, its not that big a deal to refit a door, as long as the carpenter knows what they're doing.

1. 
   calvin | Oct 08, 2019 06:38pm | #6

   “IMO, its not that big a deal to refit a door, as long as the carpenter knows what they're doing.”

   Ahh, therein lies the problem......

1. 
   Shep | Oct 09, 2019 12:03pm | #7

   LOL. Yup, you're right.

5. 
   oldhand | Oct 10, 2019 03:33pm | #8

   It's too late now but it sounds like there was no one on the job who had a clue about door work. If they fit well before being removed they should fit well after with little or no need for trimming or planing.
   There are lots of ways to hang doors, your situation does not provide enough info for a detailed recipe. Whether I build jambs or use factory units I nearly always have the door in the jamb before any serious fastening, the door is the perfect template. Having the trim already installed on one side is great for one piece jambs and both sides for split jambs. Makes things easier. Exception might be if the floor is really out of level requiring the jamb leg to be trimmed. About the only time I ever have plumbed and set the jambs first without the door attached is when the doors are very large and heavy. Also if your old doors happened to be already cut or planed to fit a previous opening you have no real choice but to fit the jamb to the door, or butcher them a second time which may be your case. Door work isn't rocket surgery but it is amazing how an improper mortise or cocked jamb can entirely prevent closing, just as one example of how a small detail can wreak havoc.....

6. 
   ericpanderson | Oct 10, 2019 06:22pm | #9

   I'm wondering if the door jams were re-set. The person said that the jams were loose and not secured to the framing. When I recently replaced my old carpet with hardwood took the opportunity to replace all of the baseboard and door molding. I found that none of my doors were secured to the framing and instead were held in place with a few 18 gauge nails, nailed tot he door trim. We reset all of the doors for plumb and level with screws and shims into the framing. Now the door jams are secure and the doors now close better than ever now that everything is plumb and level. This maybe the case here that the doors were set out of level and then reset so they are level and plumb and now don't fit the same way as they used to.

7. 
   BobBlack | Mar 01, 2023 01:27pm | #10

   You are correct that the proper installation procedure for interior doors is to hang the doors first and then install the trim. This is because the trim is meant to cover the gap between the door jamb and the wall, and the size of this gap can vary depending on the thickness of the door.
   Installing the trim before hanging the doors can result in the doors being too tight or too loose in the frame, as the size of the gap will be determined by the thickness of the trim rather than the thickness of the door.
   If the doors are not shutting correctly after the trim has been installed, it's likely that the gap between the door and the jamb is too small or too large. This can be corrected by adjusting the placement of the hinges or shimming the door jamb.
   Cutting the doors to fit is not the recommended solution, as it can compromise the integrity of the doors and affect their appearance. It's important to address the issue by adjusting the placement of the hinges or shimming the door jamb to ensure a proper fit.
   It's recommended to discuss this issue with your contractor and ask them to adjust the placement of the hinges or shim the door jamb to ensure a proper fit.