Ideas to help me hang prehung door please?

[Richard]

When house was built, we moved in and left basement unfinished. We've started working down there.

This is the back bathroom. All framing was done when house was first built. Doorway is 38 3/8" wide. Went to buy some doors and gave them dimensions. On the package of door itself, it says rough in opening is 38"

All of this however, is BEFORE anyone thought about the T-astricle thing (sp?) The piece mounted between the doors to help them close. Seems this adds some width that is NOT accounted for on the rough in paperwork.

The door itself is 38 1/2" wide so my door opening is a fraction too narrow. This is a load bearing wall by the way.

Can I take a plane and shave part of the 2x4's? As for load bearing, I don't think a single 2x4 is going to affect what's above, it is only holding the floor above and nothing above that. There is enough support under here that if I took a single 2x4 out I'd not feel too nervous (since I know there are SEVERAL at this junction)

Regardless of any of that...had the T-astricle thingy NOT been installed, we'd have plenty of room (and I've no idea why it's there nor since it IS there, why their rough in numbers didn't account for it)

Seems I gotta do something and would love to have some ideas.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Shaving the 2x4 would not hurt but if it were me I would cut a 1/4" off each door. Since the T-Thing is on the inside I would eather remove it and take 1/4"+/- off the inside of the doors and reattach the T-thing or, remove the hinges and take the material off the hinge side. You would then have to recess the hinge again.

I am sure someone will have easier/better ideas.

 

[VA_Joe]

I think the easiest thing would be to remove one of the jack studs and replace it with a new jack stud (or remove the nails and reuse the old one) planed down maybe a half inch or so (give yourself some leeway).

Joe

 

[shvl73]

Your rough opening is good for a 3'-0" single door. I would be careful about trimming the doors, alot of interior doors are veneered. Trimming the door with the astragal attached is a possibility as the astragal will hide the trim. The issue I see is, the frame would also need to be narrowed. Planning down a jack stud would be simpler. Is this the entry into the new bathroom or a linen closet?

 

[Richard]

Entry is into a bathroom/utility room. Picture was taken from inside room. Just for kicks, here's another. Camera won't go wide angle on me...actually, it already IS wide angle.

Just showing pic of faucet wife wanted. Kind of different how it attaches.

Update: I've taken one of the studs (jackpost?? I thought those were metal?) out.

So far, I've planed it down to about 1" thick and just now tried it. Although the door DOES now fit inside the opening, it's a very snug fit and frankly, it's still a bit tight. Back down to plane some more!

Came up to nab camera for later use and update.

Going to shave more off and go at it again. Since the door now fits, I'm getting CLOSE, just a matter now if fine tuning.

This thing has created a freaking TON of shavings!!



PS: on the attached picture, we just slapped the base/sink in place to get a visual. No tile on floor yet, shower (wall on right in this pic) is not done... it's coming together though.

OH,... "cute" story if you don't mind reading:

Wife went to San Diego to visit her sister. They went across border to Tiajuanna (sp?). They did the shopping thing.

Wife found a lavatory and base she liked (see pic). She bought it and they schlepped this stuff around TJ for a while. Later they returned to US...but they WALKED across border so had to walk back. They hired some guy to carry it as far as he could, then they had to haul it. Base is wraught iron.

Wife gets to customs, asked if she has anything to declair, she says this & than... and "this sink" as she proudly shows it to the guy at customs (who could give a rats hiney)

Sister in law was next in line...

"anything to declair" the border guard asked with hardly an interest...

"The rest of her sink..." as she proceeded to show the guy the lavatory base...

He waived them through

 

[Farmwithjunk]

AH! A "carreer carpenter question"! Remove one (or both if needed) of the 2X4 jack studs. Replace it with a 1X4. BTDT, and never looked back.

 

[VA_Joe]

AH! A "carreer carpenter question"! Remove one (or both if needed) of the 2X4 jack studs. Replace it with a 1X4. BTDT, and never looked back.

Considering that a 1x4 has only 3/4 inch of bearing surface for the header to rest on - is that okay to do on a load bearing wall? I figured that taking a little bit off one of the 2x4s would be okay - taking 3/4 inch on both seems like a lot. Just wondering. Thanks.

Joe

 

[RonMar]

I am a little confused by your description. The term "pre-hung" has always meant to me that the door frame was included in the package and the door already fit to that frame. Your first picture supports this description. The "T" you are refering to is between the doors right? Do they close correctly in the frame? If so, it is possible that the manufacturer modified the door and dimensions and didn't change the packageing label rough out dimensions.

Is that first pic with the door setting in front of the intented location? If so, you have a few options. 38 1/2" frame into 38 3/8" studded hole, you need to remove at least 1/8" of material. If that is the intended location, the studs already appear to be drywalled in and semi finished. Removing/repositioning will be a mess and shaving the studs in place can be difficult. I would reccomend you do one of the following:

1. Return the door citing the discrep in the rough out dimensions and get a pre-hung door that fits your situation(easiest but maybe costly and you still might not find something that fits). Be sure and measure the frame at the store

2. Plane the sides of the door drame removing 1/16"+ from each outside face then install(pretty straightforward if you have a good plane, watch for assembly brads/nails/staples in the frame).

3. Rip out one of the studs and assocated drywall and reposition to fit your door(messy and a lotta work).

4. Remove at least 1/16" from each stud face. This can be difficult in place, but suprisingly the easiest tools to accomplish this with are a skillsaw(single blade width?) for as much of the straight cut as possible(provided you can run the saw on both faces of the frame) and a chainsaw to finish the cut down into the corners(again watch for nails). They call it "roughing in" for a reason

Good Luck

 

[Farmwithjunk]

If you only need a little bit for clearance, only remove ONE 2X4 jack and replace with 1X4. In the end, that won't be a lot different than planing down a 2X4 jack anyway. If your load bearing wall will fail because of 3/4" less bearing on a jack stud, you have problems to begin with.

 

[Richard]

RonMar: It is prehung however, they did not account for the addition of the middle part. The door was specifically chosen by the wife so as you might imagine…it’s up to me to make it work and not return it.

I removed about 1/2” from a single stud. Wall has drywall on both sides so I had to be careful removing it but I got it out. I currently have the door temporarily screwed in pending the wife coming home from work and wanting it hung like I have it. If all is ok by her (mainly do I need to raise it a fraction or two to gain room under it for pending floor tile)

Anyways, if it is ok, then I’ll remove it again and nail that side stud and reinstall everything.

I WOULD have replaced it with a 1x4 but I don’t have one, I’m 18 miles outside of town and a 1x4 would have meant more shims. As it is… I’ll only need a touch of shims since the door is shaved down to about 1” thick.

The wall has something like three or four studs nailed together right at this junction so although I don’t really WANT to reduce any of the support, I’m more at ease replacing it with a solid 1” stud than a ¾ thick ‘stud’ (1x4).

RonMar: I would have NEVER thought of shaving the stud with a skilsaw!! I’ll have to stick that one in the memory banks for (probable) future use.