Squaring up a door frame

[RaceDiagnostics]

I need to square up my door frame before making and fitting a new door. It's got a bad lean you can see from the laser line.

About 30/31mm out on both sides.

My old man says easy, put in a new frame and fix in place with packing pieces like this. Then put fascias on both sides to hide the gaps.

Since I don't think new facias on the outside of the frame will look good, my thoughts were to try to make a wedge out of a 94x44 to straighten the frame and fill the gap. But cutting this long wedge will not be easy, 44mm at one end and 15mm at the other, 94 deep.

Any other ideas?

 

[skotl]

I'd do what your old man suggests, personally, but if you want to do your wedges then a track saw is the best bet to get that done accurately.

I recently did something similar in reverse, fitting "new" old doors (around 100 years old) to door frames that were equally wonky. I used the track saw to cut (for example) 40mm down to 10mm off the doors.

 

[Screwdriver]

Looks like the house has shifted. Any danger you might be able to gradually shove the woodwork back into square?

 

[MetalMonkey]

One thing to be aware of, if you are keeping the glass pane and frame work next to it, when you "square" the door, it will look "out" compared to the rest of it, which may look worse.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Well I will have to live with that as I want a reasonably in square door.

 

[mtt.tr]

Looks typical for the era. New frame or pack out the existing

 

[cheb]

Book a JCB, set fire to the house, demolish it, and then crowd fund the rebuild.

It's the modern way.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

I used the track saw to cut (for example) 40mm down to 10mm off the doors.

Using a circular saw to make the wedge won't be easy as the timber won't be perfectly straight before being screwed in place and the depth of cut won't be enough on my circular saw. So I'd need to jig it and cut from both sides. Sounds like a nightmare.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Book a JCB, set fire to the house, demolish it, and then crowd fund the rebuild.

It's the modern way.

After all the work that's gone into this house.....

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Looks like the house has shifted. Any danger you might be able to gradually shove the woodwork back into square?

Don't see any way to shove it back into place, it's shifted over the last 130 years .

 

[mike os]

I wouldn't correct it, the rest of the frame will look terrible

Unfortunately if the new door is similar it will look wrong if you hang it right too.

Problem with old places ... you have to make it look right rather than be 'right'

Best course if you have to have it true is replace the lot

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

There are multiple issues, here;

Rotten door.
Badly fitting very draughty door.
Squint frame.
Door opens out instead of in.
Conservation zone so any changes have to look the same.

Rebuilding the porch at a cost of 20k just isn't going to happen.

Doing nothing isn't an option.

Fitting a new squint door that opens inwards won't work.

Just have to do the best I can.

 

[skotl]

Using a circular saw to make the wedge won't be easy as the timber won't be perfectly straight before being screwed in place and the depth of cut won't be enough on my circular saw. So I'd need to jig it and cut from both sides. Sounds like a nightmare.

Depends how much stock you have. You could run some through a table saw first, and then butt the stock to make the final wedge. My saw's max depth of cut is 60mm - is that not enough?

I'm just over the water (actually - have I been to you before...?) so happy to give you a shot of my multitudinous saw collection if that's of help

 

[Screwdriver]

Don't see any way to shove it back into place, it's shifted over the last 130 years .

I am assuming it's up against a wall on the right which has shifted (left) and the wooden frame has followed the wall.

So it's a bit tricky but if it's a "rickey old rotten thing" just shoving a wedge in at the bottom of the wall could push the whole of the bottom an inch easy. Just have to brace the bottom of the door opening (so it can still rack into square) and cross brace the window panes (you don't want those to move quickly.

If it shifted out of place, it can jolly well shift back I say...

 

[weldingnovice]

Really needs the frame removing and re fitting. You would probably have to break the glass doing any of that.

Will look odd with plumb door and wonky jambs/mulions.
If you haven't got a big table saw you will have to remove modify the riving knife and cut from both sides and/or make a jig to hold timber and use an electric planer to get your taper.

Many ways to achieve what you need depending on the equipment available to you.

 

[brightspark]

new door = new frame fitted plumb or your on to a looser been there and got the teeshirt

 

[gaz1]

instead of bodging replace everything to the right and then square everything up as you rebuild it back up

then your window will look square the same as your door

ive already noticed you have seperation on your panels hence the reason why replace everything to the wall

 

[angellonewolf]

know any one with a large bandsaw ?

cut a wedge up use spacers where needed after

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

know any one with a large bandsaw ?

cut a wedge up use spacers where needed after

No, but good idea, I could probably rent one.

 

[gaz1]

if you want to cut a taper its easy

no table saw just put your circular saw upside down and fasten it down on a board

because your cutting long lengths you can jig offcuts to match a straight line and just slide them down a longish spirit level

you need a jig for a table saw or band saw