Why a door hung well looks different
Stand back from a door hung by a carpenter and the gap around it is the same all the way round, about the thickness of a pound coin. The hinges sit flush in their recesses, the latch clicks home without the door being pushed, the handles are level and at the same height as every other door in the house, and the stops and architrave are neat. None of that happens by accident.
The process
We measure each opening, because no two are the same, and trim the door to leave an even margin, planing a slight lead on the closing edge. Hinge recesses are marked from the frame and cut by hand with a chisel or a router jig. The latch and strike are mortised in, the handles fitted with a jig, and the door stops adjusted so the door closes flat against them without rattling.
Should you replace the frame?
If the existing lining is square, sound and not covered in old paint build-up, a new door can be hung in it. If it is twisted, damaged or has been hacked about, a new lining and architrave gives a far better result and is usually worth it when you are doing the whole house. Oak doors look best with matching oak-veneered frames.
Oak, painted or fire doors
Oak and engineered oak doors must be sealed on all six faces before or straight after fitting; we finish them after trimming. Painted doors are usually primed and need two topcoats after hanging. Fire doors are fitted exactly to their certificate, with intumescent strips, the right hinges and gaps and a closer where required.
How door hanging is priced
Per door, with the price depending on the door type, whether the frame is being replaced and the furniture chosen. A whole house done in one visit is priced per door at a better rate than a single door, and we quote in writing after seeing the openings or the doors. A standard door into a sound frame takes about an hour to an hour and a half.
Buying the doors
Tell us the openings and we will give you the sizes to order, or we can supply doors and ironmongery through the trade merchants we use. Either way we check the order before anything is cut.