As mentioned in the other post about the Schlage keypad door locks, I’ll soon be replacing a bunch of interior doors.
Why? Some have sizable gaps between the door and jamb. For a basement door, this is a safety issue, since it means my toddler son can easily defeat even a locked door. For a bathroom door, this is a privacy issue. Other doors don’t latch securely, and with too much of a difference to just adjust the hinges or file down the strike plate.
Some of the door jambs will need to be reworked also, since they have newer hinges installed lopsided over smaller mortises, and the strike plate placements need to be adjusted.
I have already started looking into the tools and processes, but figured this would be a great time to bring up the topic for group discussion.
I plan to buy replacement doors, rather than prehung doors. That means I’ll need to, at a minimum:
- Drill new lock holes; Maybe a Dewalt door lock installation kit ($27 via Amazon)
- Mortise for hinges; With a manual chisel, or maybe a Ryobi door hinge router template for ~$25, or Porter Cable’s for $27 via Amazon)
What else will come in handy? Door supports so I can do this myself without a helper?
I have one more question for you – how to size the door? Right now, most of the interior doors are a little crooked. That’s fine, and I’ll trim new door tops and sides as needed, but how much of a gap for the bottom? The new HVAC system on the second floor has a large hallway return – should this help determine the bottom gap?
Right now, the gap is around 1-1/2″, presumably from 30 years ago when the previous owners removed carpeting. I’ve read that 1/4″ is recommended, but will that be enough to balance the movement of air?
What other words of wisdom would you share with door-hanging newbies like myself?