Door between garage and outdoors.

In January, or so, I added to my "To-do list" that I needed to repair my door that was loose enough that wind would blow it open. The latch just wasn't long enough. In the meantime, I reinforced it from the inside so that the door would not open at all, for security.

Now, here in May, I've observed that it works just fine. It locks solid. T'ain't broke! %-)

One of my ideas is to put a piece of cork (sheeting) under the strike plate, or maybe something a little more substantial. Anything I can do that will allow me to build it up now, while still being able to close the door ought to be a step in the right direction, I think.

Obviously, this is not a "world-beater" problem, and I have mentioned two strategies that may help deal with it. I am just sharing it because it has an element of *humor* to it. %-). If anyone has anything to add, I'll listen of course.

In other news, I finished replacing the fan in my heat-pump. I inserted the fuse and am letting the crankcase heater run for a while before I try it out. I needed to extend/splice all of the wires from the motor. I bought a crimper pliers, and butt spliced the wires, coated the connections with Liquid (Black) Tape, and put shrink tubing over that. That ought to take case of those connections, huh? I mean, you wouldn't expect less from me, would you? ; )

Bill

Reply to
Bill
Loading thread data ...

I live east of Raleigh NC and many of the garage pedestrian doors open out, rather than the normal into the garage. This presents a significant security problem, as you can be into the garage with a knife, faster that you can unlock the door.

While that is not the same as your problem, I think the solutions is the same, a dead bolt. I installed one with a key outside and a lever inside. I shimmed out the casing put a long screw Through the door frame into the 2X4 Studs, and then cut the hole for the dead bolt.

Reply to
Keith Nuttle

If they can pull the hinge pins, the deadbolt may not be sufficient.

To ameliorate this, place two studs (16d nails with heads cut off work) in the hinge-side casing, leaving then extend 1 to 1.5" from the casing and drill a corresponding hole in the door edge. This way, if the hinge pins are pulled, the door cannot be removed from the frame unless it is already open.

Hinges are available with the studs built-in.

formatting link

Reply to
Scott Lurndal

Thank you very much! I think you are absolutely right. +10.

Bill

I installed one with a key outside and a lever

Reply to
Bill

What kind of garage construction? Sounds like the structure may be heaving from frost? changing the size and shape of the opening??

Reply to
clare

That was my first thought too. Another possibility is the door shrinks due to the cold (metal door?). Either way I'd check to see of the door had the proper clearance to the jamb. Art

Reply to
Artemus

Also hinges are available with welded hinge pins --- designed for out-opening doors, the pins cannot be removed.

Reply to
EXT

The structure, an attached garage, is brick. I think that seasonal changes in humidity are causing the door-width to change. The edge of the door frame at the top is not likely to change as much due to the direction of the wood grain.

A dead bolt will provide a nice solution, albeit one involving a bit of work. I anticipate installing the dead bolt, and will investigate the process further. There are glass window panes in the door exactly 6" to the left of the edge of the door where the dead bolt should go. To me this suggests that no hammer should be used throughout the installation. I'm thinking smooth running power tools (like and drill) and chisel by hand. Is that about right?

Bill

Reply to
Bill

Bill wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news6.newsguy.com:

Just out of curiousity, if you take the trim off on the knob side where are the shims located at? I don't know much about installing doors, but if there's no shims near the strike plate, I would think it possible that the jamb moving might be the issue.

Puckdropper

Reply to
Puckdropper

Are you saying that correcty (the latch comes out of the knob side, right?) I don't think there are any "shims", but the alignment is correct. I may have tried shimming the strikeplate already, in the winter, without much success (I don't recall the details). I've already had my nose in there more than one time! Thanks for reminding me to check this Puck.

I was thinking, if I do install a deadbolt, I should maybe position it out of sight of the window!

I'm off to make some sawdust!

Bill

I don't know much about installing doors, but

Hmm... I don't think the strike plate moves, but "shims" seem like a separate issue. Maybe I don't understand "shims". To me a shim is a piece of material placed underneath the strike plate to raise it.

Cheers!

Reply to
Bill

Or get a deadbolt that uses a key on inside and out.

Reply to
G.W. Ross

Ahh ()! Thank you very much! -Bill

Reply to
Bill

Bill wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news7.newsguy.com:

The shims are installed between the door frame and studs to allow the door to be properly aligned (level and true) and to maintain that alignment. They're hidden under the trim.

A shim can also be installed under the strike plate to raise it, but usually when someone is talking about door shims it's the material between door frame and studs.

Puckdropper

Reply to
Puckdropper

Puck, Thank you for the explanation. The trim is already off (you may recall that I'm "remodeling"), and there are no shims. I actually tried putting things in there to make the door stay closed in the winter. Two fingers works for instance. However, I looked closely today, and the door fits the frame perfectly now. It was probably hung in May, 1972. Seriously. : )

Bill

Reply to
Bill

Bill wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news7.newsguy.com:

It sounds like your jamb is bowing outward in the winter, so you'll need something to support the jamb and keep it from moving. Shims from the hardware store, installed properly, should fix that problem.

I've got a basement door that does the same thing, I'm going to have to see if my suggestion works there as well... Another thing on the todo list.

Puckdropper

Reply to
Puckdropper

Ahh ()! Thank you very much! -Bill ============================================================================ It's up to you of course but I wouldn't have any exit door that needed a key to get out.

Reply to
CW

Good point! I'll see if I might be able to shim the door as has been suggested. It's certainly the most practical option.

Reply to
Bill

My home in Vista, CA had all dual-keyed deadbolt locks and it caught a burglar once. He cut himself coming over the broken window into my room and then found that he couldn't get out any of the three doors because they were all keyed. He didn't find any of the keys I hide by the doors, either, so he tried to go back out the window. Someone had called the cops by then so he was nabbed coming out of my house. In an emergency, I (or other people) could always go out a window, but keys were available.

I love dual-keyed deadbolts for their crimefighting demeanor. They're perfect for those halflite doors which have the window a few inches from the deadbolt. I had bought keyed chain locks before the dual-key deadbolts and those kept me unburglarized a couple times, too. (no, that's not one of the features of LoCal that I miss.)

-- The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man. -- George Bernard Shaw

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Bill, use a deck screw to go through the shims. It's micro-adjustable for that perfect jamb alignment. Especially if your wooden door is tempermental. If so, take it down and be sure to seal the top and bottom. They get missed when painting or varnishing. Steel and FG doors are much less tempermental during wide humidity swings.

-- The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man. -- George Bernard Shaw

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Are you serious? We have "french" doors to exit our den and also our master bedroom. With that glass (in a french door) a double keyed deadbolt was a "must". We keep the key "handy' but not accessible from a broken pane.

Reply to
Max

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.