Internal door hanging

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5 Aug 2009
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Essex
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United Kingdom
Hi all, one of my internal doors is not hung properly but I don't know how to correct it.
The problem is that won't stay at 90 deg, it keeps closing half way. It's a door between our lounge and a lobby which I'd like to keep open, but it just swings back to half way!
It's a glazed 15 panel door (heavy) but just hung on two brass hinges. I've tried packing out the lower one a bit with card on the door side and on the frame. No difference.

What else can I try? I might add that it's been like this for years but I would now like to correct it.

Thanks.
 
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Put a spirit level on it, and see which way it's leaning. And a picture of it closed, and swucj open would help.
 
I already put a level on it. It all looks cock-on. It may not be as bad as half-closed, but it won't stay fully open. The door stays where I put it from the 'half-closed' to closed.
BTW, I know the hinges are worn out and I should probably have 3 hinges but I have another 3 glazed doors which stay put fully open.

See pics attached:
1 -Door open.JPG 2_Door closed.JPG 3 -Gap-top hinge.JPG 4_Gap-bottom hinge.JPG 5_Gap-top latch.JPG 6_Gap-lower latch.JPG
 
Have you put the spirit level on it in all directions though. In theory, the door should be leaning from the top in the half open position.
 
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Leaning where from the top? Sorry, I don't understand what you mean.
It's vertical when I check either side of the door at the latch end and by the hinges. Also vertical when I check the latch face.
Thanks.
 
Leaning where from the top?

Yes

Normally, a door that is not hung straight, will fall towards the direction that has a natural lean, so at the point that it swings to a stop, it should be leaning over, and so out at the top. If the door is vertical in every direction, ie, side to side, and front to back, then it should open, and stay in the position that you left it. So if the door is vertical in every direction, then it has to suggest a hinge issue.
 
Thanks Doggit, I understand what you mean but the door appears vertical when open 90 deg, half open and almost closed. Well as best as I can see on my 1m Rabone level.
I suspected it was at the hinges so that's why I tried packing them out with some card but I don't really know what needs packing and where (top or bottom, door side or frame side). I thought there was a door hanging 'trick' to overcome my problem with packing? Although the hinges are worn (door has dropped) they still appear to work perfectly.
 
Since you don't appear to be able to figure out which axis is not vertical, stick a felt pad under the bottom edge of the door so there is a little frictain against the carpet so it can't freely close itself.

(Although from your photos it looks to me like the top hinge sticks out from the frame more than the bottom one which is cut right into the frame...)
 
You're right Gerry. The top hinge is about 1/32" proud of the frame and the lower one flush. Difficult to correct this as c'sunk screws will self-centre but may try a bit of 'persuasion'.

THANKS ALL!
 
But is that because the frame is not vertical and the door has been hung that way to compensate?
 

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