Internal door catching at top

[Harry_W]

Hoping someone can help. I removed an internal door to varnish it and paint the reveal and architrave at the same time. I have reinstalled the door and it is now sagging. I removed some wood from the top hinge recess in the frame to help but it's still sagging and catching at the top when trying to close it. Can someone help based on the photos attached please?

 

[ktuludays]

Is the hinge tight in the frame? Is it sat the same in the hinge recess as before?

 

[opps]

What do you mean by sagging? If the top of the non hinge side of the door is catching on the top of the door frame then you need to pack the hinge out with a spacer. It sounds like you have done the opposite (ie let the hinge in, and not out).

 

[big-all]

yes pull the door hinge in at the top lock side [diagonal corner ] rises
pull the door hinge in at the bottom lock side [diagonal corner ]drops
9 time out off ten the trouble is the top hinge works loose and the top opposite corner moves across by that amount and bottom opposite corner moves down by about half the amount as the door between the hinges is is twice as long as the door width

 

[Harry_W]

then you need to pack the hinge out with a spacer.

The door has three hinges so which one needs packing @opps ?

 

[opps]

Personally, I would take the middle hinge out of the equation by removing it temporarily. I would then pack out the top hinge so that the door open and closes properly. It used to fine before it was taken off, the dimensions of the door and frame haven't changed, so the only variable has been the wooden fillet that you removed.

Once done, refit the middle hinge. It should need any adjustment if the top one is correct.

For the sake of clarity, when you say that the door is catching at the top, do you mean that it is rubbing against the door header or the upper section of the non-hinge side of the the door frame?

If it is rubbing against the upper section of the non hinge side then first check to make sure that the screws are tight in the top hinge and that the screw heads are flush with the hinge plate.

 

[Harry_W]

For the sake of clarity, when you say that the door is catching at the top, do you mean that it is rubbing against the door header or the upper section of the non-hinge side of the the door frame?

It's catching on the upper section of the non-hinge side of the door frame. That's why I thought taking some of the hinge recess out would pull that side back up. Surely packing the top hinge would then cause the opposite non-hinge to catch even more?

 

[opps]

It's catching on the upper section of the non-hinge side of the door frame. That's why I thought taking some of the hinge recess out would pull that side back up. Surely packing the top hinge would then cause the opposite non-hinge to catch even more?

Sorry, I misunderstood your description of the problem. Yes, you did the correct thing.

I had a similar problem last summer. I removed then painted 3 new doors and door liners in a new extension. Each door rubbed when rehung. The problem however was down to the door liners twisting slightly. There have been a few other times though when applying 4 coats to a new door has resulted in me having to get the chisel out and letting the hinges in.

Try removing the middle hinge and see if the door still rubs. If it doesn't then chisel out a smidge for the middle hinge.

 

[Harry_W]

Thanks @opps for getting back to me. Yes I think the other issue was that the doors were originally hung by a carpenter prior to the new door liner getting primed, undercoated and eggshelled! Nevermind, I'll get there in the end with help of knowledgeable people like yourself.

 

[opps]

Thanks @opps for getting back to me. Yes I think the other issue was that the doors were originally hung by a carpenter prior to the new door liner getting primed, undercoated and eggshelled! Nevermind, I'll get there in the end with help of knowledgeable people like yourself.

Ahh... makes sense now. Part of the problem is that the chippie leaves 2mm clearance all round but because the door is rectangular in profile as it pivots on the hinge during closing, the edge furthest away from the hinge is closer than 2mm from the door liner as it is about to close. Four coats of paint on the door edge and four on the door liner, and yup, all of the sudden the door hits as it closes.

See the image below, it is supposed to show the final stages of the door as it closes. I hope it makes sense.