installing a prehung door -- shimming
#11
When installing a pre-hung door, what are the critical locations to shim and nail?
In particular, is it critical to have shims right at every hinge, or is top/bottom/near-middle of frame sufficient?

Is there any issue if the shims are not in an even#? (e.g., if more from one side than the other, the resulting shim won't be flat across the thickness of the door frame due to the taper on the shims)

This is for solid-core, interior doors.

I've seen Tom Law's video on door installation.  This seemed to be pretty sound, but possibly conservative to what most builders would do and might be adequate?

Thanks,
Matt
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#12
I keep the shims even from each side- otherwise the frame will not be square to the wall. Yes- put shims behind the hinges/ and run at least one long screw into the studs, do not rely on only the door frame. Shim as needed on the opposite side, but make sure there are shims near the strike plate

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#13
I use scrap 1/4" plywood and shims to build level, square and planar flat spots at the three hinge points. Then hang the door nailing into the flats. One the door is hung this way I go around using shims to get the jamb spacings right. Easy peasy.
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#14
(01-30-2022, 06:36 PM)goaliedad Wrote: I keep the shims even from each side- otherwise the frame will not be square to the wall. Yes- put shims behind the hinges/ and run at least one long screw into the studs, do not rely on only the door frame. ***** as needed on the opposite side, but make sure there are shims near the strike plate

You're using a long screw on the hinge, or just through the jamb?

Matt
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#15
I use the shims vertically unless I need an angle to match up to the framing and nail w/8d finish to hold in place. For solid doors I'll run a few 3" screws behind the leaves.
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#16
I just finished up seven of these in my house. This is my only experience with interior pre-hung doors, so maybe I'm off base on some of this. I got the cheap prehung solid-core doors from HD, so they took some adjustment.

On the hinge jamb, I shim behind the hinges, using one long screw through the jamb and one as a hinge screw for each hinge, even the bottom one. I think it's better to have one as a hinge screw to support the heavier doors, but that's just me.

On the latch side, I used either four or five sets of shims. I made sure one set was near the top and one was near the striker plate.

I always used and even number of shims except where I was compensating for a crooked stud in the opening. Sometimes I had to use four shims at some locations. Even the plastic ones are cheap.

After the first one, I didn't install them pre-hung. Maybe I'm wrong on this and maybe it would be better with better doors, but I think they came out better the way I did it. I took the door out of the frame on the ground, just by taking the hinge pins out. I cut down the frames a bit where there was tile or wood flooring before installing.

Next, I installed the frame in the opening, starting with the hinge side. I did the best I could to get them exactly plumb on that side. I then made sure the top jamb was level and installed shims/screws on the top of the latch jamb. Towards the top, the width of the frame really determines the shim amount. I then re-hung the door, ensuring it worked well, then used the door to get the spacing right on the rest of the shims on the latch side.

Towards the end, I could get one done in an hour being kind of lazy. Maybe I'm missing a better way, but it worked for me and the look better than the original even before trim and paint.

The really annoying part was the wall where the hinge jambs for my kids' rooms attach. The wall was out of plumb by about 3/4" from top to bottom. Even fudging it, I can tell that it's out of plumb. The doors don't swing on their own, but one does start to brush the carpet when it's all of the way open.
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#17
(01-30-2022, 11:47 PM)lincmercguy Wrote: After the first one, I didn't install them pre-hung. Maybe I'm wrong on this and maybe it would be better with better doors, but I think they came out better the way I did it.  I took the door out of the frame on the ground, just by taking the hinge pins out. 

I'd think this is what you are meant to do when installing them.  The prehung part helps with not needing to locate the hinges and stops.

Matt
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#18
I am having trouble with quoting- but I use at least one long screw thru each hinge going into the cripple stud.

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#19
So, what I do is: Check the floor for level 1st. If it's off 1/4", I trim one side of the jamb up 1/4". That way the door and frame will sit plumb with both sides of the jamb and the top flat.

I usually leave the little plastic doohicky in the latch and strike hole. If it doesn't already have a cardboard spacer at the top and bottom of the latch side, I make some and tape them in place. This is much easier with someone on both sides of the door. Then I center the door in the opening making sure the hinge side is plumb. If it is a split jamb with casing already installed, I make sure the casing is flat against the drywall and whoever is doing the nailing is on the side with the half jamb off where the nailing takes place. Then I shi-m the upper hinge side and shoot in a finish nail near the top, through the shi-ms. Check again for plum, shi-m the middle on the hinge side and near the hings and shoot in another finish nail. Then check the top for level and the reveal between the door and jamb on the latch side, shim and shoot in a nail at the top. The whole time someone else is on the other side making sure the casing is up against the drywall. Then I shi-m the bottom of both sides, making sure the gap between the door and the jamb is equal all the way around.

Then I open the door and shi-m behind the strike plate and shoot in a nail under the strike plate. So I'll have to fill 5 nail holes. I use thin finish nails. Then I install the other half of the jamb and nail the all the casing to the wall. Take off the door and nail under all the hinges, through the shim's. The hinges will hide them. So shi-m at the for corners and behind the hinges and the strike plate. The casing nails firm it all up. Caulk evarything and done.

A builder might not use shims at all on a hollow interior pre-hung. He might just use the the nails in the casing to hold everything together. But I like a more solid install. Manufacturers used to glue the casing to the jamb and use finish nails so the doors didn't need a lot of extra support from shi-ms and nails through the jamb but now they aren't glued and they use staples. Making a lot of fill work necessary on the casing and they aren't nearly as ridged.
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#20
**** =  S-h-i-m

Crazy how this works
Neil Summers Home Inspections




I came to a stop sign and a skanky tweaker chick in a tube top climbed out of the brush and propositioned me.  She looked like she didn't have any teeth so I counted that as a plus.


... Kizar Sosay





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