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Renovation 4th Edition

Page 31

by Michael Litchfield


  Set hinge back

  1/4 in. from

  p. 107). If there’s a third hinge, it’s equidistant between the other two.

  door face.

  Doorstop

  Pull the hinge pins so you can work with one hinge leaf at a time. Set the hinge leaf slightly

  back from the edge of the door, as shown in “Hinge Setbacks” at left. the setback from the

  1/16-in.

  clearance

  hinge to the doorstop should be slightly greater than that from the hinge to the edge of the

  door, so there is room for several coats of paint. Use a combination square to mark setback

  lines on doors and jambs. Finally, when mortising hinges, it’s best to set the router slightly

  shallow and then use a chisel to pare away the last little bit of wood so the hinge leaf is just

  flush. Setting hinges too deep can cause the door to bind.

  Hanging the Door

  Hinge screws can be diverted easily by wood grain, resulting in crooked screws and misaligned

  Door

  hinges. the pros avoid this problem by using a vix bit, a spring-loaded bit that centers

  Set hinge back

  5

  pilot holes for hinge screws perfectly. With hinge leaves perfectly set on both the door edge and

  /16 in. from stop.

  hinge jamb, lift the door, align the leave pairs, and slide in hinge pins, starting with the top hinge.

  After inserting the pins, eyeball the hinges as you open and shut the door. If the gap between the

  Leave a slight gap between

  the door and the doorstop,

  door and the hinge jamb is excessive, remove the door and set hinges a little deeper.

  so the door won’t bind.

  128 Chapter 6

  Quick Door Fixes*

  sympTom

  cAUse or signiFicAnce

  WhAT To do

  hinged doors, general

  Door binds against top of

  

  loose hinges allowing door to  Rescrew hinge to jamb, replacing

  latch jamb or scrapes floor

  sag into opening

  inner screws with ones long enough

  to reach studs, if needed

  Hinge-screw holes in jambs  larger-diameter screws won’t  Use longer screws or fill holes with

  are stripped

  fit holes in hinges

  wood plug glued in, let dry, and

  rescrew

  Door binds along latch jamb  Hinge may be bent

  

  Use adjustable wrench to bend

  but hinges are tight

  hinge-leaf knuckles on door (p. 121)

  Door binds on latch jamb but  Hinges not mortised deep

  

  Remove hinges, chisel hinge gains

  hinges are tight; big gap seen

  enough into door or frame

  (recesses) deeper, and reattach

  Pocket door detail #1: Top-mounted

  along hinge jamb

  hinges

  mechanisms need oiling and

  ingenuity to keep rolling. Someone

  Door binds along hinge jamb  Hinge leaves set too deep

  

  Remove hinges, place cardboard

  retrofitted a new machine bolt and

  shims under hinges, and reattach

  sawed a slot in its head so the bolt

  could be easily turned to raise or

  Door binds because door

  

  Seasonal shifting or

  

  Scribe and trim door to fit skewed

  lower the door.

  frame is racked (out of

  foundation has settled

  opening or replace old frame with

  square)

  squared, prehung door unit

  Door shuts but won’t latch

  

  Strike plate is misaligned

  

  Raise or lower strike plate

  pocket doors

  Door slides roughly

  

  Built-up dirt or floor wax

  

  vacuum track thoroughly

  on floor

  Door slides roughly; floor

  

  top track sagging or

  

  Remove trim to expose top-hung

  abraded under door

  mechanism needs adjustment

  mechanism; adjust to raise door

  Door does not slide at all;

  

  Door has fallen off track

  

  If bottom track, lift door back onto it;

  hard to operate

  if top track, remove trim and set track-

  ing wheels up onto overhead track

  Door drags, balking at certain  Wheels not turning freely or

  

  Remove trim, swing door out, and

  points; wheels squeal

  are rusty; track bent or broken

  oil or replace wheels; use flashlight

  to examine track inside pocket

  Door face abraded; door

  

  Door off track or stud has

  

  lift door onto track; if problem

  difficult to operate

  bowed into pocket

  persists, remove finish wall on one

  side—may need to plane down or

  replace stud

  Pocket door detail #2: The mortise in

  this pocket door’s bottom rail will

  exterior doors

  house an adjustable wheel

  mechanism. The hole bored in the

  Drafts around door

  

  Door not fitting tightly

  

  Install weatherstripping or new

  face allows access to a screw that

  to frame

  threshold

  raises or lowers the wheels and thus

  Water damage to wood

  

  Water collecting around

  

  Replace damaged materials; install

  the door.

  doorsill, finish floors, and

  doorsill area, soaking wood

  overhang outside and water-return

  subfloor

  threshold beneath door

  Water stains on interior walls,  Absent or poorly installed cap  Remove siding above top of door

  especially around top of door

  flashing on exterior

  frame and retrofit head flashing

  Heavy condensation on metal  Metal frames conduct cold;

  

  Replace with clad door unit with

  sliding door; floor is water

  moisture condenses on them

  better insulating properties

  damaged

  Door frame not square; casing  Possible foundation settlement  Have structural engineer check

  tilts; large diagonal cracks at

  (p. 236)

  foundation

  corners of doors or windows

  * For additional quick-diagnostic charts such as this one, see House Check: Finding and Fixing Common House Problems by Michael Litchfield with Roger Robinson (The Taunton Press, 2003).

  Doors, Windows, and Skylights

  129

  bling the tape’s back edge, and run the tape at

  least 4 in. onto the sides of the RO. Apply extra

  flashing tape as needed to make corners water-

  zzzzzz When Hinges Fail

  tight. If you use (nonadhesive) flashing strips

  Jamb

  instead, you can fold the strip into the bottom

  of the RO as shown in the bottom right on the

  Doorstop

  facing page, caulk the edge, and set the window-

  sill atop it. If there is a drip k
erf cut into the

  underside of the windowsill, you can also caulk

  3-in. replacement

  screw grabs stud.

  and tuck the top of the flashing strip into the

  kerf. This provides an unbreachable seal, which

  apron casing or siding will cover as well.

  Now you’re ready to install a prehung window

  unit into the rough opening. Succeeding pages

  Door

  describe installations in great detail, so let’s focus

  here on flashing. You’ve shimmed and secured

  the window. Now you need to start sealing the

  gaps between the window frame and the framing.

  To seal side jambs, you can use self-adhesive

  Longer outer screws

  flashing tape as shown in the sequence on

  would miss studs.

  pp. 142–143. Or you can use the strip-and-

  Replacing a short hinge screw with one long enough to grab

  caulking method shown in the photo sequence

  the framing should be your first “cure” when hinge leaves

  on pp. 131–132. Apply siliconized caulk to each

  pull free from door jambs.

  jamb edge, embed a flashing strip in the caulk,

  and then run another bead of caulk atop the strip

  before installing the casing. This caulk-and-spline

  The order in which you install weatherproof-

  sandwich stops infiltration effectively. Finally,

  ing materials depends on several variables: Is

  caulk the edge of the head jamb before installing

  exterior sheathing exposed or covered by build-

  the head casing, but do not insert a flashing strip

  ing paper (or housewrap) and siding? Are win-

  between the head jamb and the casing—that

  dow units to be installed precased (with exterior

  could direct water behind the head casing.

  casing already attached) or uncased? I will get

  Apply the exterior casing to the window

  into particulars, but the overriding idea behind

  frame, then install rigid cap flashing over the

  P R O T I P

  installing flashing correctly is above always over-

  head casing. Careful builders will first caulk the

  laps below. Falling water is always directed away

  upper leg of the cap flashing to prevent water

  from living spaces, away from framing and

  from running behind it. (This caulk is especially

  Windows are usually installed

  sheathing and window frames. Remember that

  important with stucco siding, which is water per-

  by setting the bottom onto the

  rule of thumb and you can’t go wrong.

  meable and often collects water between the

  sill of the opening and tipping

  Imagine a rough opening awaiting a door or

  stucco and the building paper.) Lastly, run build-

  the unit up into place. But if

  window. If the sheathing is exposed, apply house-

  ing paper or housewrap over the top of the cap

  you’re retrofitting a flanged unit,

  wrap to the wall and run it into the opening, sta-

  flashing before installing the siding.

  which has integral cap flashing,

  pling it to the sides of the studs, and top of the

  Should side flashing go over or under the

  slip the cap flange up under the

  rough sill. However, leave the housewrap over the building paper covering the sheathing? It doesn’t

  housewrap and siding first, then

  top of the rough opening unstapled because it

  really matter because the side flashing is extra

  swing the bottom of the unit

  will overlap the window’s cap (head) flashing

  protection. But under the windowsill, leave the

  onto the sill. Obviously, you’ll

  need to slit the housewrap or pry

  later. Alternatively, you can first flash the perime-

  lower edge of the flashing strips unstapled (or

  out the siding nails above the

  ter of the RO with flashing strips or self-adhesive

  self-adhesive flashing tape unattached) so it can

  opening to insert the flange.

  flashing tape (p. 157 explains the difference).

  overlay the building paper or housewrap.

  FlASHINg FOR A WINDOW

  Choosing Windows

  First, flash the sill of the rough opening. Windows Choosing the right windows can be daunting, so

  generally have sloping sills to shed water, but

  let’s break the decisions into several manageable

  water still finds its way underneath. In rainy

  categories: (1) window styles, (2) frame materials,

  areas, builders often install rigid sill pans, but

  (3) making sense of energy-efficiency labels, and

  these days you can easily shape a watertight pan

  (4) choosing the right replacement window. This

  from flexible, self-adhesive flashing tape. Create

  sequence leads us to installing three types of

  a lip toward the back (inside) of the sill by dou-

  130 Chapter 6

  WOOD-CASED WINDOW

  WINDOW WITH INTEGRAL NAILING FLANGE

  zzzzzz Weatherproofing Windows

  Building paper will

  cover this top spline.

  Nailing flange

  Head casing

  Building paper will cover

  flexible flashing.

  Metal cap flashing

  Flexible flashing

  sealing cap flange

  Fiberglass-reinforced

  flashing-paper splines

  Jamb casing

  Sill

  Bottom spline

  Sill flange

  over building paper

  over flashing paper

  Before installing housewrap or building paper, weatherproof

  the perimeters of windows and doors, using fiberglass-

  reinforced flashing paper splines (strips). In addition, cap

  wood-cased units with metal cap flashing; head casing on

  units with nailing flanges should be overlapped with a flashing

  paper spline or sealed with flexible flashing.

  FlASHING AN UNCASeD WINDOW

  1. Dry-fit the window first to make sure it fits in the RO and that there’s enough space to

  2. Set the window aside, apply flashing to the sill of the

  level and shim the unit. The temporary diagonal cleats at the upper corners keep the jambs

  RO, and run a bead of siliconized acrylic latex caulk along

  flush to the sheathing.

  the sill edge. You’ll later caulk the underside of the

  windowsill, too, to cut air infiltration.

  Doors, Windows, and Skylights

  131

  3. Reinsert the window into the RO,

  shim it to plumb and level, check to

  be sure it operates freely, then screw

  or nail the jambs to the framing. That 4. Next, carefully caulk jamb edges and overlap those

  5. Before installing exterior casing, run another bead of

  done, cut shims flush inside and out.

  edges with flashing strips.

  caulking atop the flashing strips.

  6. Rigid cap (head) flashing diverts water that might otherwise dam up

  7. Cover the top leg of the cap flashing with flexible, self-adhesive flashing

  behind the head casing and allows it to drip free.

  tape or, as shown, a fiber-reinforced flashing strip. The siding—in this case,

  stucco—will overlay the fl
ashing strip.

  replacement windows and then to a photo essay

  Double-hung windows are the traditional

  of refurbishing an old double-hung window.

  choice, with two sashes that slide up and down; if

  the top sash is fixed, it’s a single-hung window.

  WINDOW StyleS

  Pros: Double-hung windows offer the widest

  choice of sash patterns, from single pane to tiny

  In general, choose new or replacement windows

  four-over-four arrays separated by delicate

  that match the style already on the house, espe-

  muntins. Snap-in muntins enable affordable

  cially on the facade that faces the street.

  double-glazing and easy cleaning, but they won’t

  Likewise, choose frame and sash materials that

  fool an experienced eye.

  have the same approximate thickness. Keep in

  Cons: Sliding sashes are tough to weather-

  mind when you make your selection that not all

  proof well, and old sashes rattle and leak air; if

  frame materials can be painted.

  sash ropes break, windows cease to function reli-

  ably. Meeting rails between the sashes have two

  132 Chapter 6

  zzzzzz Window Styles

  Double Hung

  Casement

  Tilt-and-Turn

  Fixed

  Horizontal Slider

  Hopper

  Awning

  Doors, Windows, and Skylights

  133

  Aluminum

  Wood

  clad

  Vinyl

  Fiberglass

  Window frame materials

  faces exposed to outside air, which hastens heat

  Pros: This type of window is easy to clean, is a

  loss, convection, and condensation. And only half good choice for an egress, has a tight compres-

  the window area offers ventilation.

  sion seal, and has a good energy profile.

  Casement windows are side hinged and swing

  Cons: Two moving parts mean two things that

  outward, usually operated by a crank.

  can break or jam. Roller shades and curtains can

  Pros: A single large pane of glass maximizes

  interfere with the window’s operation.

  solar gain, a tight compression seal minimizes air Horizontal slider windows are like miniature

  leaks, and the whole area ventilates when open.

  patio doors; sashes slide in tracks.

  It’s an excellent choice for egress.

  Pros: This is a great choice for egress, and

  Cons: A casement opening onto a deck or

  because there are no muntins, it has good

  walkway is hazardous to those walking by.

  solar gain.

  awning windows are hinged at the top, and the

  Cons: Sliding sashes are tough to weather-

 

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