New front door - gap of 5 mm

[damson]

Need help!

I've just finished fitting a new wooden front door to my flat (which opens outwards) and my enthusiastic planing means there is now a gap of 5 mm on the lock side (fits perfectly on the other sides). I know the recommended maximum gap is 3mm - what is the best/most secure way to plug this gap? Have read a post where adding a second internal frame was suggested. Would this be best? Would I glue/dowel/screw it etc?

Also, I have temporarily removed the door stop (so now the light shines through the gap). Can I replace with pieces of metal angle (slimmer - and perhaps more secure?) or should I refit the thick wooden door stop?

many thanks

Tamsen

 

[big-all]

if your saying 3mm one side and 5mm the other you just pack out the hinges by one mm

2mm overplaning shouldnt allow you to see light the rebate should be about 10mm to 12mm!!!!!

you can of course use thicker door stops but seperate doorstops arnt the best idea in the world as they permit a knife to get at your yale type lock

 

[damson]

Thanks Big-all

I will pack out the hinges by 1 mm or so and see if that reduces the gap enough. The gap is more obvious because the door opens outwards.

What is a rebate?

Is it the frame of wood which sits behind my door because it opens outwards, but would sit in front of a door that opens inwards, and thus protect the lock from any knife attack? (I called it the door stop in my post.) The original doorstop which I removed was nailed in and about 40 mm thick which seemed excessive - so I wanted to replace it with something slimmer.

Thank you!

 

[big-all]

yes the rebate is in effect the step left when you attach a door stop for the door to"sit"in and against

or the oblong step round the frame if one piece for the door to "sit" in

and yes it only protects the yale type locks when inward opening


what about draught excluder to minimise the visual effect of the light and also prevent draughts!!!!! the cheep spongy veriety on a role

 

[damson]

thanks big-all

Just want to get this really clear so I know what I'm doing tonight

So basically, the doorstop/rebate behind my door, is for cosmetic purposes only because my door opens outward. Does it provide any security at all? Do I need to fit a replacement to the one I removed? I like the idea of draught excluder but am a little concerned about security.

I've got a chubb lock and a yale lock and you can clearly see the lock element of each through the gap (which will diminish when I pack out the hinges as you suggest, thus shifting the door leftwards). I think I'd then like to add a 3 mm strip of wood to the door frame and disguise the fact that it's not part of the original frame, with paint. What's the best way of attaching it so that it can't be prised off with a knife etc? That should protect my yale lock a bit better shouldn't it?

Any other options?

thanks again!

 

[big-all]

well slightly more than cosmetic it gives the door a surface to close up to and seal up against

you can get metal plates dont know what they are called or where you get them from!!!!!!
they secure to the door and protect the gap so you cant tamper with the locks

you need a 3mm gap otherwise in the winter or during the next repaint youll start to bind

4mm is absolutly within accepable tolarences [not correct but acceptable ]
trying to pad out the whole length on one side of the frame by 3mm [hardboard] will not work very satisfactory and is completly unessisery

wait for an other ideas before packing out the frame

 

[damson]

thanks again big-all

will wait to see if others have any ideas before packing out frame.

cheers

 

[big-all]

gggggooooooooooddddddd llluuuuccckkk

 

[masona]

Hmmmm, your front door should really open inward for security reason.

 

[damson]

I wish it could open inwards as well. It can't, because it opens out on to stairs leading up to the landing.

 

[damson]

Hi all

Does anybody have any other ideas to add to Big-all's advice?

thanks!

Tamsen

 

[FireSafetyOfficer]

The one inch door stop you removed was there because the door you removed was a 30 minute fire resisting door. The new door must also be 30 minutes fire resisting to protect other flat dwellers means of escape if your flat is on fire!
With a new fire door you will not need the one inch door stop because you will have intumescent strips and cold smoke seals which do the job perfectly with only a half inch door stop , which should be glued and screwed.

 

[crank39]

After 6 years i think the OP would of sorted it now