Replies

1. 
   Dave_Richeson | Feb 10, 2002 05:46am | #1

   *
   Johnnie,

   Just frame the rough opening 2 inches over print size and you will be fine. 3068 door frames at 38 inches by 82 inches for standard hinged doors. Bifold and sliders the same, but I like to see the spec sheet on the particular brand. I would rather raise them up a little for carpet than have to cut a bunch of them off. I also ussually set a block for bottom hardware if there is going to be carpet.

   That is more than you ask, and others may add more than me.

   Dave

1. 
   michael_rose | Feb 10, 2002 06:50am | #2

   *Hi Jonnie--Your plans will have all your door sizes called out. Dave is right--3068 door usual likes to be framed at 38"x82". But you must decide what type of flooring will be used. Let's say you are installing hardwood flooring. The width of the door doesn't change [of course], but the height of the rough opening does. I like to add 7/8" to the rough opening [3/4 for the flooring and 1/8 for the rosin paper], which makes it 38"x 82 7/8". If you are using standard carpeting and padding, I would add 1/2" to the rough opening. So as you can see, it is important to know what type of flooring is being used. Also, this a great time to make sure the framing components are plum and straight... this make for a better trim job. When installing the doors, place a spacer [depending on floor thickness] under both side jambs to set the proper height. But if you run into a situation where you have two different floor heights meeting at that door location, sit the door jamb on top of the subflooring and work around it. Another thing I like to do before installing the doors, is to nail 1/4 plywood scrap pieces [say 4"x4"] directly onto the trimmer at the location of each hinge [hinge side only]. I hate screwing through cedar shims... and this way you are not fighting any kind of twist there might be in the trimmer and basically gives you an easier installation when hanging the doors.Good luck with the project.

1. 
   Mr.T | Feb 10, 2002 07:55am | #3

   *If you will be hanging custom doors I would make the rough opening 2-1/2" larger than the door size.Custom door as well as old doors are sizeda bit larger than the new prehungs used today.Used to be that a 3' door was 3' and the jamb opening was ~1/4" larger and the jamb stock was 3/4" or more.Now-adays pre-hungs come with the opening at 3' and the doors are bevelled on both edges. Also finger Jointed jambs are barely 11/16" The end result is that a door and jamb can end up being 1/2" different and this can cause significant head-aches if the walls are out.It is much easier to add some shims than to get out the sawzall and do some "creative customization" to get your door to hang right.Yes I said shims.No hanging doors by the casing!!!Good luck!Mr T

1. 
   Jeff_J._Buck | Feb 10, 2002 08:58am | #4

   *you oughtta think about hiring a carpenter that knows how to do these things.......Jeff

1. 
   Vincent_Carbone | Feb 10, 2002 02:38pm | #5

   *Mr T's got it right as far as I'm concerned,2 1/2 bigger on width 82 1/2 high.Vince

2. 
   Mr.T | Feb 10, 2002 04:46pm | #6

   *What Jeff said!!!A door is is an operable piece of carpentry.They get opened and closed many times a day.If you put up a piece of molding that is not done properly, all you have to do is look at it, until you fix it or move. But a door, if improperly hung will bind, or not latch, or even fall out, because it is subject to dynamic forces not just static ones(hows that for showing my engineering background). I can tell whether a was finished by a hack or a real carpenter just by looking at the doors. A door that isn't up to snuff will stand out like a sore thumb!I can't emphasize this enough, Doors need to be done right!!!A while ago there was a heated discussion here because some one advocated hanging doors without shims.IMO you need to prepare a door for years of use and abuse.I once had to repair a bedroom door of a teenage girl. she wighed all of 90 lbs. buther doo was falling of the wall because she had a temper(imagine that!) and would slam it when she lost her cool.As soon as I saw the situation It was obvious what the problem was. Some "carpenter" had hung the door by the trim. This may work for the short-term on a hollow core door that gets little use, but there was a full length mirror attached to the back of the door and this was no skimpy mirror, it must have wieghed 60 lbs. There were long screws in the top hinge where some one had tried a quick fix a couple of times.To make a long story less long. I rehung the door with shims and 3" screws and replaced the casing that had valiently given its life to try to save the door from impending doom.Sorry to ramble here but when this issue was last up my computer was acting up & I lost my post a couple of times before giving up.Do It RightMr T

3. 
   George_Roberts | Feb 10, 2002 08:23pm | #7

   *One could teach a 92 pound kid to not throw tantrums.I suppose if a 350 pound guy with a 8 pound hammer beat on the door, failure would be attributed to the shoddy hanger. One would then replace the wood framing with poured concrete, the frame with steel, and the door with ...I hang my doors with finish nails, frame to studes and casing to studs and to frame.

4. 
   Dave_Richeson | Feb 10, 2002 08:38pm | #8

   *Don't mean ro start any flames, but give the guy a break. He has been building his home for what, a year now? Every time Johnie has moved to the next stage of his construction, he has come here asking for good advice and suggestions. For the most part, he has gotten both, and from his pictures is doing a fine job.Why not give him the benifit of our collective experience, rather than tell him to hire a real carpenter? IMHO he deserves our respect for his long term effort and willingness to learn.Dave

5. 
   RonTeti | Feb 11, 2002 12:05am | #9

   *Ya got that right it takes a lot of cajones for someone to take on the task of building his own home.

6. 
   ken_hill | Feb 11, 2002 01:48am | #10

   *Yeah- And I'll bet that Johnnie ( hi, buddy!) is having a great time learning and doing things for himself. Don't try to spoil his fun- if he didn't like it he prob. wouldn't be doing it.

7. 
   Jeff_J._Buck | Feb 11, 2002 03:17am | #11

   *I'm under the impression this dude is trying to do this for customers....charging money....for doing work he doesn't understand. If not.....then buy a basic book....and read ahead. Carpentry looks easy.....till ya find out every little step affects every other step to come. Say........I feel adventurious....I wanna DIY brain surgery.......You guys gonna tell me How-To.....or tell me to hire a doctor??? J.B.......get on with life.....hire a carpenter.....and learn from him. Jeff

8. 
   Johnnie_Browne | Feb 11, 2002 05:47am | #12

   *To those who do not know, I am building "My House". I am not in the business, I will never be in the business. I am building my house because nobody in this neck of the woods build common sense, south florida homes. And I cannot afford to have it built or to buy aready build. I tried to sub out, but they all wanted more per hour than if I hired the company with all the benefits to do it. Basically I,m having fun. so far the total is $22,000 and it looks like I be able to finish under $45,000. I been living like trailer thash the last 10 years to be able to do this.

9. 
   Mike_Smith | Feb 11, 2002 06:26am | #13

   *johnnie.... don't let jeff kick yur butt.. he's just jealous cause the stillers lost to the pats... and u live in CA.. while he's gotta put up with the pittsburgh winters....

10. 
    michael_rose | Feb 11, 2002 06:40am | #14

    *That a boy Johnnie!! Apparently Mr. Buck and his high horse have a little attitude problem. Basically the the way I see it, and I'm sure others will agree, this forum is for passing along positive and constructive knowledge, and occasional sprinkling it with some good humor. So Mr. Buck before you read someone the riot act in your next response, take a deep breath, and think positive. Remember, it's all about helping not shredding.

11. 
    Michael_Prisbylla | Feb 11, 2002 07:23pm | #15

    *Don't let them give you crap, Johnnie.I'm a combination professional / DIY guy. My main job is working on my own house (renovation, not building) but friends have been so impressed with the quality of the work that I've been moving into doing this professionally. It is learnable. You can learn to do it. You will screw up about a million times, but so do those that get paid for it. Most of what I have learned is from reading. My local library has an excellent science & technology room & I think I have read just about everything there. This board has also been invaluable.But, to be fair, the majority of DIY jobs I see are real hack jobs. So are many professional jobs.PeaceMike

12. 
    RichC | Feb 11, 2002 08:54pm | #16

    *Jeff Buck must be a little low on the bucks. I think he's hinting to Johnnie to hire him?!

13. 
    Rebildit_ | Feb 12, 2002 12:20am | #17

    *"DIY Brain Surgery" are we feeling a little proud of our abilities as a carpenter or what? Were you seriously equating hanging doors with operating on a human being? Take a chill, please.If you don't want to answer the question just pass on it.

14. 
    Mike_Smith | Feb 12, 2002 12:26am | #18

    *ok.. ok.. so jeff doesn't know johnnie.. but you guys don't know jeff.. so you're making just as big a mistake as jeff did.. give it a break.. he's a good guy and a hell of a carp..b but hey, whadda i no ?

15. 
    Dave_Richeson | Feb 12, 2002 12:31am | #19

    *Hey, I said I didn't want to start a flame! Jeff has given alot of good advice here. I agree with Mike. Jeff, I did not mean to start a feeding frenzie, with you as the bait.Sorry!Dave

16. 
    Rebildit_ | Feb 12, 2002 02:35am | #20

    *OK I apologize, you are right I don't know Jeff, I pop in and out of this site too infrequently to keep tabs on who all the good guys are. I just hate when I run into a guy who is installing a dishwasher and he acts as if he is doing a liver transplant. Sorry Jeff, not you, its me!

17. 
    Jeff_J._Buck | Feb 12, 2002 02:56am | #21

    *Ahhh screw you guys....I still say hire a carpenter! ......seriously....I was under the impression this guy was building for customers......must have J.B. confused with someone else.............BUT......if that's the worst advice I can ever come up with......."hire a carpenter".......I'll stand by it! and yes......I do believe I could do surgery....after all.....can't be much harder than remodeling. That and fly an airplane......I bet I could do at least one. Can't be that hard. Jeff

18. 
    Jeff_J._Buck | Feb 12, 2002 02:58am | #22

    *so you've NEVER operated on a human being??? .......Huh.......Jeff

19. 
    Dave_Richeson | Feb 12, 2002 03:31am | #23

    *Hey Jeff, I don't know about the surgery, but I once worked with a carp. that is now a chiropractor. I helped him through his chemistry classes in college. He joined his Dad's practice and is making five to ten times more than I'll ever make. He was a heck of a framer, but couldn't hange a door for sh*#.Dave

20. 
    michael_rose | Feb 12, 2002 04:24am | #24

    *Ahhh screw you guys....I still say hire a carpenter! Jeff, Jeff, Jeff, Jeff you have this incredible sense that you can do anything except "knowing when to quit". Oh well, not everybody is perfect!! My advice, stick with your day job.

21. 
    calvin_ | Feb 12, 2002 04:45am | #25

    *Why don't you just start poking fun at the Steelers? See what that'll get ya.

22. 
    Jeff_J._Buck | Feb 12, 2002 04:55am | #26

    *awww...now ya went and hurt my feelings!.....yeah....I can see your point......how could I have ever advised someone to pay a pro and learn from them....or buy a book on an up coming project? What the hell was I thinking??? ....BUT....you are right......I can do pretty much anything....and rarely quit when I'm right. my fault for the bad advice....."spend money to save money"........if anyone mentions the Steelers......I'm screaming Browns! Jeff

23. 
    Mike_Smith | Feb 12, 2002 04:55am | #27

    *stillers.. i love the stillers.. i loved the way they rolled over and played dead....now,... about those red sox bats...

24. 
    calvin_ | Feb 12, 2002 05:45am | #28

    *Good pitching..........

25. 
    Tim_Mooney | Feb 13, 2002 07:48am | #29

    *I see both sides. My dad was always looking for someone better than him so he could learn instead of teaching all the time. It is a shame he cant hire a top carpenter, but he will learn a lot thinking for himself. You learn a lot quicker doing it your self, and he is here asking questions. He sounds like a winner to me. Good luck with the house.