Random musings on running a private hotel / gîte in Northern France
Wednesday, 24 March 2010
A door-gone problem
Since the new floor is now higher than the old one, all the doors that open inwards have to be rehung, and a bit planed off the bottom. So it's off the hinges with my conservatory doors, and onto trestles so I can trim them.
The door hinges they sell in France seem to be all of the kind where you can just lift the door off, with a lever under the door (I use a crowbar). Getting them back on is harder, since you have to get all the hinges lined up at once. These doors are heavy so they have four hinges which makes matters worse. A bit of swearing helps, but you don't want to annoy the door or it'll never go back on for you.
One of my favourite jobs as a joiner is the hanging of doors and planing the bottom. This is because I normally have had to make the doors and once you get the the planing the bottom off it means you are at the end of the job.
I love door construction as it is like doing a puzzle and fitting it all together, the hanging is just the final piece of the puzzle for me.
Good luck hanging the door back up and always remember the carpenters rule, measure TWICE cut ONCE, as you can always take more off but you can't put it back on.
Hi Lia, I can't say as I really enjoy hanging doors. I have refurbished some fine old doors in my time, including two with lovely stained glass in them that I used n the living room of my old house.
The measure twice cut once is a good maxim. Putting extra wood back on once you have cut it off is a real pain.
Every time I've tried door shortening I've decided to call in an expert! t;s fine if you have the right tools. Oh, and the right skill!
ReplyDeleteOooo I know door hanging is a tricky job where people (in my experience) have to swear a lot.
ReplyDeleteThe door hinges they sell in France seem to be all of the kind where you can just lift the door off, with a lever under the door (I use a crowbar). Getting them back on is harder, since you have to get all the hinges lined up at once. These doors are heavy so they have four hinges which makes matters worse. A bit of swearing helps, but you don't want to annoy the door or it'll never go back on for you.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favourite jobs as a joiner is the hanging of doors and planing the bottom.
ReplyDeleteThis is because I normally have had to make the doors and once you get the the planing the bottom off it means you are at the end of the job.
I love door construction as it is like doing a puzzle and fitting it all together, the hanging is just the final piece of the puzzle for me.
Good luck hanging the door back up and always remember the carpenters rule, measure TWICE cut ONCE, as you can always take more off but you can't put it back on.
much love
Lia
xx
Hi Lia,
ReplyDeleteI can't say as I really enjoy hanging doors. I have refurbished some fine old doors in my time, including two with lovely stained glass in them that I used n the living room of my old house.
The measure twice cut once is a good maxim. Putting extra wood back on once you have cut it off is a real pain.