Metal Door Frames - Help Please!

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I have just bought a house which has metal doorframes around all internal doors. They are painted and look fine, but as I wish to change the doors, would it be better to remove these frames at the same time as the hinges seem to be welded into the frames.

I only wanted to rehang the doors to open the other way and had never even heard of metal doorframes before this and am wondering how easy a job any of this will be.

My other worry is how much damage removing them will cause to the surrounding walls - will this mean a knock on effect of replastering etc.
 
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They are a bloody nightmare. they were popular in the 70s and used beacuse they could be built in as the masonry was put up, and the doors were pre hung at the factory. They also eliminated the need for lintels above the doors.
This gives a few problems. If you remove them you need to put a lintel in above them to take its place in a supporting wall. They are very heavy to move, and they are very well built in. Because of the section profile they are normally full of mortar and the ties that are built into the wall are anything up to about 12" long. Trust me i speak from bitter experiance as we have them in our house and ive had to remove some as weve made various alterations!
Ive rehung one on the opposite side by doing the following:-
mark where the new hinges go, cut out the metal with an angle grinder, then insert a wooden packer into the frame. You can then then rehang the door with the hinges on this. I used an expoxy filler to fill the old hinge holes/lock etc and to make good. Its not as bad as it seems and certainly better than removing them
 
You can also face mount the hinges and screw into the metal, but you obviously dont get such a neat finish, but its easier to do
 
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Hi, first post here - seems to be a great forum!

I have recently moved into a house and we have these metal door linings / frames throughout. Its very annoying because we want to change the direction many of the doors are hung, and the recess for the latch is WAY to high, and most panel doors would look silly with the handle so high, not to mention the fact that the kids can't reach them!!

The other problem is that in tricky corners and things, the plaster is finished flush with the frame up to the top for example (so it would be impossible to paper), some of the frames are flush with the plaster finish meaning its difficult to finish the skirting/dado neatly etc etc. NIGHTMARE!

I'm happy to attack them with an angle grinder but I'm not sure how I go about fitting "packers" to attach hinges etc too - how do I go about this?

I'm really not keen on fitting hinges on the outside of the frame, the neighbours have done this and it looks terrible!

Thanks in advance...
 
I've put in an offer for a rather messy house with these metal frames (another 1950's ex-council house). I'm happy to keep them, but two doors are missing. The previous owner left the hinges on one frame, but threw away the half fixed to the door on the other (see Hinge 1.jpg). The second picture, hinge 2.jpg (unfortunately horrible out of focus), shows the other half of the hinge fixed to one of the remaining doors).

My question is (and I suspect I know the answer to the question): is it possible to buy a replacement for the missing part which would fix the part remaining on the frame?
 
I've put in an offer for a rather messy house with these metal frames (another 1950's ex-council house). I'm happy to keep them, but two doors are missing. The previous owner left the hinges on one frame, but threw away the half fixed to the door on the other (see Hinge 1.jpg). The second picture, hinge 2.jpg (unfortunately horrible out of focus), shows the other half of the hinge fixed to one of the remaining doors).

My question is (and I suspect I know the answer to the question): is it possible to buy a replacement for the missing part which would fix the part remaining on the frame?

I just got the Hafele url for another post, and reading yours seems that you could do with it too. The section for architectural ironmongery hinges is huge, they should have something that would suit. Link to section here

btw there are no images showing on your post
 

Works for me John. This is the product the website displays:-

category_arch-hinges.jpg
 
I also have just moved into a 1950s council house with these metal frames, I've been wracking my brains thinking of a way to cheat these frames as I know if I try to remove one it'll be a nightmare !

One idea I've had is to run an angle grinder down the "architrave" then fix a door lining inside the current frame & fix new architrave to the new lining, so in effect I'll be making the door 40mm smaller but it's possible yes?

Any ideas very welcome!!!
 
I am having the same problem. Read on the net. Cut the steel frame , slide in a new hinge and pop rivit it to the door fram. I have not tried this fix yet.
 
I am having the same problem. Read on the net. Cut the steel frame , slide in a new hinge and pop rivit it to the door fram. I have not tried this fix yet.
Hi John.
Not sure if you ever got the issue of you metal frames and hinges sorted.
I have found a way to fit standard hinges to the metal frame nice and flush.
The original hinges were factory welded to the frame on first production. The frame was slit on the hinge side and the hinge slotted in and was tac welded into place.

I removed the pin from the hinge and using an angle grinder removed and made flush the remainder of the hinge.
I then with the new hinge marked over the existing hinge and angle grinded the frame only to the plate of the existing hinge that was welded into place at production.

I pilot drilled the holes and used self tappers the fix my new hinge in place.

Worked a treat any over cut with the grinder can easily be filled with two part filler.

Hope this helps.
 

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