door jamb separation

Aug 19, 2004 5 Replies

About to fit a new internal door for which I have to make a new door jamb/casing.



The door (softwood) is 1981 x 762 (actual width appears to be nearer



761.5) x 35mm thick. How far apart should the jambs be?

TIA


Aim to be able to just slide a twopenny bit in the gaps. If there is intumescent strip/draught excluder involved, they need to be a lot wider. Nearer 1/4" gaps.

I have always worked on 1/8" (3.2mm) gaps. The usual way is to fit the door frame into the hole in the building, then adjust the size of the door to fit that. I have done it the other way around, but only when the original door frame was a very odd width, so that it would have required either a custom-made door or one of the rather naff flush doors, with extra wide edging timbers, that can be cut to fit almost any size.

Be aware that, if it is made from wood, it will change size with the moisture content, which tends to be higher in the winter, so you need to leave a larger gap if you are hanging it in the summer.

Colin Bignell

Opening needs to be width of door + 1/4 inch clearance + thickness of

2 linings/frames (at rebate of course) + about 3/4 inch. The 3/4inch allows for adjustment - screwing or nailing to pull it in or packing/folding wedges to push it out to make it straight and plumb in the opening.

cheers

jacob

nightjar I have always worked on 1/8" (3.2mm) gaps. The usual way is to fit the door

If you have the luxuary of a new opening, I find the simplest order is: tack the lining in about the right place and then hang the door. Adjust the packing behind the lining to get the right clearance etc then fix. Fit the latch, and finally fit the stops.

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