Had to rehang a solid core door 3 times before I got it right

I got a call last week to install a new solid core door in an old house over in Oak Park. Thought it would be a quick job, maybe 2 hours tops. First time I hung it, the gap at the top was way off, like almost half an inch on one side. Took it down, adjusted the hinges, and put it back up. Second time it was binding on the jamb on the latch side, so I had to plane the edge down. Third time I finally got the reveal even all the way around, but then the latch wouldn't catch right. Had to chisel out the strike plate a little deeper. What I learned is that old houses settle in weird ways, and you can't just trust your level on the frame. You gotta check the whole opening with shims and adjust for what the house is doing. Anyone else run into trouble with doors in older homes where nothing is square?

1 comments

1 Comment

robert_roberts1h ago

Man I don't know, three times sounds like you were overthinking it. A door's not a piece of fine furniture, it just needs to swing and close. Did you try shimming the hinges instead of rehanging the whole thing each time?