There's no argument there. The problem is how to shim an already trimmed-out door casing. It's a big job getting the trim off to insert shims. Perhaps the person could inject a filler to bridge the space between casing and crip? IMHO, many of the trim guys I've known shim BOTH sides of the casing when installing a door, including the area by the strike plate for just this reason. YMMV
Yes. I put more wood in the jamb and screws at least 3 inches, and a brass plates that wraps around the door by the locks to keep the door from cracking when kicked, and I finished installing the burglar alarm before I went to work again. It took a very long Monday (after the door was kicked in on Sunday.)
I had almost finished installing the window and door switches and the sirens for the burglar alarm, but I had to drill up from the basement to where the alarm control panel went next to the front door.
If there is no shimming behind the jamb where you are inserting the screw, the screw will pull the jamb into the framing when it it tightened...or at least try to pull it in. I'm trying to recall if I shimmed behind the striker plates in all the doors I did way back when but can't.
Of course the best way to install a 'secure' door is make it open _out_. That way the entire jamb has to give way vice some flimsy 'door stop' and striker plate area.
No people, there is no code that says doors have to open 'in'. Opening out saves an amazing amount of space inside. Can be a problem if youwant a storm door though.
No, there's no code requirement against outswing doors. But perhaps there oughta be.
The door I replaced that prompted this thread is an outswing door. Not being an expert on door replacements, but willing to tackle a new task, I checked with my contractor friend who's much more knowledgeable than I about such matters. When I described the situation (door falling apart, door frame rotting), he immediately told me that outswing exterior doors are just a bad idea all around.
This particular one wasn't helped by the fact that it was installed completely wrong and was destined to fail: the door jamb was installed flush with the edge of the exterior stucco, with absolutely no trim at all, so of course rain found its way in and started rotting things all around. (Luckily I only had to replace completely rotted-out framing at one place in a bottom corner.)
The new door is much better: I used stucco mold, so the door is at least recessed a little but from the outer wall, with flashing installed under the stucco. But it's still a problematic installation. Unfortunately there wasn't room for an inswing door because of a step that was too close.
Also used a steel door instead of the old solid-core one with hardboard panels. That sucker was so heavy I had to cut it into pieces to haul it away.
Were I last lived in PA there definitely was a code that 2 exterior doors had to open in. With a heavy snow and drifting it can become very difficult to open a door that is snowed in. I suppose with a storm door you can remove the glass and crawl out? Never quite understood that situation.
My first exterior door installation, also my only one, the latch side of the opening was so darn square that I just put it directly against the framing and only shimmed on the hinge side. Seems to work well. Is anything wrong with that approach?
Where the building can have a significant number of people in it, the doors have to open out. Else in an emergency if people get to the door before it is open they can pack and it is impossible to get out - has happened many times. Also likely applies to interior doors in the path of egress.
I see what casing means. Thanks. Yeah, I wouldn't have done that. I would have seen the problem in advance. As I recall there was shimming in the door jamb but I added extra wood beyond jamb, the shimming, and what the shim was against. I must have taken off the door molding, but maybe I did something else too, since that wouldn't have exposed much.
There have been two strings of burglaries at different times since that summer, but amazingly they caught both of the thiefs. In one case, he stole a check and they caught him when he tried to cash it.
In the other case, the police woudn't tell me all the details, but it seems they figured out where he lived, staked out his place in the morning, followed him here and waited while he broke in through the back sliding glass door. Had a dog out front and a helicopter on alert if he got away, but they just arrested him when he was ready to leave. The homeowner was annoyed that they let him rummage through his house, but this way they had an iron-clad case with almost no need for anything other than police testimony.
I think they both went to jail, but it's been 20 years since one of them. He must be out by now.
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