Reverse opening door hanging fit

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GlennSpray68

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Hi all, I hope someone will be able to help me with a door that has been hung so it opens from the other side of the door frame.the hinges were originally on the left hand side as you looked at the door from the outside.

The hinges are now on rhs.

The door springs open as the hinges are cut too deep ( I think this the reason) on the door and hinge stile, but also the top of the door has or was trimmed to fit the frame originally as previously hung.
This has resulted in a large tapered gap at the top of the door (from at least 25mm down to 5mm at the hinge side).

I intend to recut the hinges etc in new positions and fill the old position with timber and glue.

With regards to the tapered top if there is sufficient timber (mdf eggbox hollow door) am I better to square off the top, or try to fit a tapered timber infill.

Unfortunately, I cannot replace the door as the pattern on mdf is defunct and would mean replacing a further 6 doors.

If anyone can suggest a fix or way of dealing with the repair I would be very grateful.

Unfortunately I am not at home so cannot take any photos.

Many thanks in advance for any help given

Best Regards Glenn
 
Just pack out existing hinge positions, if you have gaps then door is too small so replacement is easiest option .
 
GlennSpray68 said:
The door springs open as the hinges are cut too deep ( I think this the reason) on the door and hinge stile
Click to expand...
The door is what is called "hinge bound". As Foxhole says, just pack out the hinges, as required (Cornflakes packet shims are very handy for this ;) )

GlennSpray68 said:
...but also the top of the door has or was trimmed to fit the frame originally as previously hung.
This has resulted in a large tapered gap at the top of the door (from at least 25mm down to 5mm at the hinge side).
Click to expand...
When hanging a door into an old opening it is always best to try to see if the head of the door casing/lining is horizontal first (a 600mm level is handy for this) and then trimming the top of the door approximately to fit (it won't be exact). The door is then sized to fit the opening side to side and offered in with 3mm packers at either side (standard gap for fire doors and taken as the norm for everything these days). Once you can get "the wood in the 'ole" the final top scribe can be done, again working to a 3mm gap. Even hollow doors have 30mm or so timber at the top, so you will generally get away with taking 25mm off them. If you intend to rehang the door, you could always start by "shooting in" the door as above, but with the door having lost about 40mm off it's original height you will doubtless have to add a filler piece to the bottom and plane/sand that in

GlennSpray68 said:
With regards to the tapered top if there is sufficient timber (mdf eggbox hollow door) am I better to square off the top, or try to fit a tapered timber infill.
Click to expand...
From what you were saying it sounds as though the head of the casing/lining is well out of level, hence the tapered cut (20mm). Is it not possible to hange the door the other way round (i.e. a right hung door becomes a left hung door) so that the taper stays in the same direction? This will be the least work as you'd only need to do any Dutchmen on the door casing

Failing that, does the door have two lock blocks (one each side)? In that case you could put Dutchmen in the hinge recesses, put a timber filler where the latch was and swap sides for the hinges and latch. That would leave the taper in the same direction as now

Other than that, if you recut the taper you'll almost certainly hit the hollow core, in which case a softwood fillet will need to be glued in (not a difficult job, but ideally needs a couple of cramps) and you'll also have to fit a 20mm or so piece to the bottom of the door as it will now be too short
 
Hi job and knock thanks for such a comprehensive reply, it is just what I was hoping for. Just a quick question though what are Dutchmen?.
Thanks everyone once again for all your advice it is very much appreciated.
Have great days
Best Regards Glenn
 
Just a quick question though what are Dutchmen?.
@Why Not Indeed has provided comprehensive links (which I'm sorry I haven't viewed as I've done my fair share of patch and make good over the years). Someone once asked on the forum about using a power planer to plane-in a Dutchman - that isn't a good idea (power planes take off far too much material on each pass and aren't all that controllable).

The one thing I've never been wholly sure of is why they acquired that title, but I do know that in railway line repair work and in the theatre the term is also used, but for different types of repair pieces
 
FFS! Oh well, at least when I start forgetting stuff (in about 18 months time, perhaps, the way things are going) I'll be able to find out what I used to know. Providing I can remember where I put my glasses. And my phone.
 
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