More than that, and you may need to modify the jamb. A split jamb can fit over a 2×4 stud wall up to 1/2-inch out of plumb. There will be a gap between the casing and the wall, so cut a piece of wood to fill it. Just plumb the hinge and latch jambs with a level or a bob and hold them in place with shims. OUT-OF-PLUMB WALLS: When a wall is more than 1/8-inch out of plumb between the top of the opening to the floor, the door should be plumbed independently of the opening. The trick is to adjust either the opening itself or your door-hanging technique. While these are rare qualities in most old houses (and an unfortunate number of new ones), the fact that an opening is out of sorts doesn’t mean the door has to be. Just as it’s easier to build a house on a level foundation, it’s simpler to hang a door that’s level, plumb, and square. Let that person figure out what the door’s “handedness” is.
So rather than answering directly, say instead which side you want the knob to be on when opening the door toward you. SPECIFY THE SWING DIRECTION: Your supplier needs to know which way you want the door to swing, but beware of the question, “You want a left-hand or a right-hand door?” Those terms don’t always mean the same thing. If they aren’t, read “Prehung Door Swing: Getting It Perfect” (below) before you order. If the opening already exists, check that the trimmers are plumb, parallel, and square to the wall and the header. The jamb’s depth should match the thickness of the wall, including the plaster or drywall. KNOW YOUR OPENING: Prehung doors are made to fit rough openings 2 to 2 1⁄ 2 inches bigger than the corresponding dimensions of the jamb. Here are two steps for avoiding that outcome. With a prehung door, however, most of the assembly work is done off-site, so a mistake made when you place an order can turn a perfectly good unit into worthless scrap. “If it’s not installed right, it won’t hang well.” Common Mistakes to Avoid When Ordering Prehung Doorsīack when carpenters assembled the parts around a door piece by piece, they could easily customize their work, make changes, or correct problems. “It requires accuracy to put in one of these,” Tom says. These doors and jambs must still be carefully adjusted to account for shortcomings in the wall frame. Purchasing one does simplify and speed up installation, but the term “prehung” is really a misnomer. What Is a Prehung Door?Ī prehung door is a unit that comes with hardware and a frame, ready to be installed into a doorway. “It took a good long time and lots of patience,” he says. In those days, he’d assemble the jamb, hand-cut the hinge mortises, and hang the door separately.
“I started out using little more than a hammer, a chisel, and a screwdriver,” says This Old House general contractor Tom Silva. The fine tolerances needed to achieve this kind of performance help explain why hanging a door is considered a true measure of carpentry skill. It should consistently snap into its latch, clear its jamb, and swing effortlessly on its hinges.
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