Why is my French door so hard to open?
Obstructions around the door frame – Check for any dirt or objects that may have become trapped between the door and the frame. Poor alignment – Alignment is a common problem with French doors and often caused by hinges that need adjusting. Try tightening the screws or replacing them.
Ultimately it's all a matter of preference. If you want to maximise internal floor space, get French doors that open outward. If you want French doors with better weatherproofing that maximise patio or garden space, chose to fit it so your french doors open inwards.
Humidity and Weather
The humidity and moisture in the air rise after a rainstorm causing the wood in your home to swell. As the wood swells, your doors and windows will become harder to open and close. Once the humidity falls, the wood will dry out and shrink back to its usual size.
The hinge screws may need tightening, otherwise check the door jam; make sure it is flush with the door frame. It could also be water damage to the wood, which would make the wood expand. You may need to adjust the size of the door to fit the entryway.
Why are my French doors sticking? One of the most common reasons for French doors sticking is that the latch and the door are not properly aligned. This can happen for a number of reasons and isn't necessarily because they were fitted incorrectly. Many new build homes need to 'settle'.
Should I use WD40 to lubricate door locks? The simple answer is you should not use WD40 to lubricate locks.
Use a silicone spray in or around the moving parts, using a cloth to catch any excess or splash back. Move the handle and key to work the spray into the mechanism. Spray the hinges, wiping away any excess, and open and close the door to work in the oil.
Check the distance between the French doors leaf and frame with a tape measure or yard stick. Remove the plastic covers from the corner bearings (lower hinge). In order to adjust it, you have to turn the corner bearing adjusting screw. Turn it clockwise to lift the leaf and anticlockwise to lower it (Fig.
All of our exterior French doors are fitted with hinges that allow them to open to the point at which they become in contact with something else, and therefore they can fully open to 180 degrees, lying flat against your interior or exterior surface (depending on your opening choice – outwards or inwards).
Mind The Gap
Most door installers look for a gap in the middle of double doors between 3mm and 5mm – that's less than ¼ inch. This means the doors will swing correctly and there's no risk of them hitting one another.
What is the rough opening for exterior French doors?
To correctly determine the size of a rough opening for double or French doors, measure the size of each door. To get the total width, multiply the width of each door by 2 and add 2 inches. So if each door measures 30 inches wide, the width of the rough opening should be 62 inches.
Align your French doors with the frame. You can do this by tightening the hinges or removing and replacing them. Put adhesive weatherstripping foam around the door frame where the French doors touch. Look for cracks in your door, especially around glass panes, and fill them with caulking.
If the gap between the door and the frame is too small, you can widen it by adjusting the hinges. To bend the hinge, place the butt end of a nail between the hinge leaves, or against the knuckle. Pull the door closed, slowly and carefully, and the nailset will force the gap to widen.
Insert a 1/8-inch Allen wrench or screwdriver in the appropriate set screw. Turn it clockwise to reduce the speed, counterclockwise to increase the speed. The set screws are usually located on the end of the closer.
Worn or improperly installed door hinges can lead to a slight imbalance, which in turn can lead a door to slam on its own. Open your door to a 90-degree angle and then set a level against the latch to see if the door is out of plumb.
Fix #1: Tighten the Hinge Screws
Screws magically work themselves loose over the years. If your door rubs near the top or drags on the floor, use a screwdriver, not a drill, to tighten the screws. With a drill, you're more likely to over-tighten the screw and strip the screw holes or chew up the screwheads.
Try lubricant. Determine where the door is sticking and lubricate the area so it slides easier. Rubbing soap or wax on the sticking area will often help. Silicone spray lubricant, sold at most home centers and hardware stores, also can be used.
Use Vaseline as a substitute for WD-40 by apply a layer on squeaky or sticking hinges of doors, cabinets and windows and on the tracks of sliding glass doors and on the door seal of your refrigerator.
For door hinge oil, your best option is to use silicone spray or white lithium grease. Silicone is the easiest, but it does not last as long as the grease. When used properly, the mess is minimal.
So, if you can't find spray lubricant—or don't want to use it—take a tour around your house and see whether you have any of these handy alternatives lying around. Olive oil – Believe it or not, you can use this kitchen product to fix a squeaky door. In fact, any type of vegetable oil will do the trick.
How can I make my patio door slide easier?
Spread a silicone-based lubricant evenly and thoroughly across the track while working it in by sliding the door back and forth. This can aid in reducing friction along the track and help it to slide easier.
If you've got a door hinge that squeals every time you open the door, we've got the fix for you. A little petroleum jelly will rid the hinge of that annoying squeak. The petroleum jelly works its way into the hinge and adheres well, so it won't run off and make a mess like oil or other lubricants.
The size of the french door will normally just be following the size of the door opening. Meaning, some sizes of french doors are modified by the designer. However, there are still some standard french door sizes. The size of standard french doors is customarily 80 inches in height and 72 inches in width.
Door Adjusting Price
For professional door adjustment, expect to pay between $50 and $200.
But as appealing as they are, French doors are thought by many homeowners to be somewhat less secure than the standard entry door. So, are French doors safe and secure? The answer is, yes, they are. French doors come with the same quality locking mechanisms found in standard doors, making them just as safe and secure.
Flush doors can only be opened outwards so if you really need a door that opens in we would recommend a different style of door. Most standard French doors will open inwards but won't give the flush appearance.
The sizes that your French doors come in will be set by the manufacturer, but french door dimensions are generally between 30 and 72 inches wide per door.
Homeowners have installed French doors in place of sliding glass patio doors for years. They're extremely customizable and let in more fresh air when open. When you need to get new ones, you could be concerned French doors are out of style. These doors remain very much in style for 2021 and beyond.
Astragal. On an exterior double door arrangement like the one above, an astragal covers the seam between the two door panels and is fitted with weather-stripping to prevent wind and water from entering the house.
If this is happening to your French doors (also known as French windows), then it's most likely because they have become misaligned. Either due to wear and tear on the hinges (if they're older doors) or a poor installation (if they're newer).
Do French doors open wide?
The most common way to install French doors is so that they open outwards, but it is possible to have them open inwards instead if you are short of space in your garden. This can actually make for a more secure option too, as the hinges will be hidden inside your home.
Framing rough opening sizes are really quite simple. Just add 2″ to the width of the actual door size. You should add 2-1/2″ to the height of the actual door.
The Pros and Cons of Having a French Door
Both doors swing open at its fullest. Because it does not come with a center post, it effortlessly becomes a wide entryway that ushers in plenty of natural light during daytime and provides uninterrupted views of your flower garden.
A better way of adjusting door reveals is to either shave the hinge mortises with a sharp chisel to narrow the gap on the hinge side, or pad out the hinges slightly to narrow the gap on the latch side. Often, only one of the leaves needs to be modified to make these adjustments.
If you can see light and gaps around your outside door, it is a good indication that your weatherstripping needs to be replaced. These gaps could be costing you extra on your energy bill by allowing heated and conditioned air to escape your home.
Jamb & Margins
You may also hear them described as the hinge jamb (for the side with door hinges) and the strike jamb (the side that contains the strike plate and works with the locking mechanism). Margins (sometimes also called “rebates”) are the spaces between the door and the door frame.
If the bricks or stone of the threshold have started to slip then you will find that your door will feel draughty. Replacing the threshold and re-caulking around the frame will help to stop some leaks.
There are two techniques that you can try to fix misaligned doors. These include tightening or replacing the screws of your door's hinges. If this does not work, you can insert a wood shim on the jamb that needs it. You can determine this by checking the outer top corners of the doors where they meet.
An astragal is the vertical strip that is placed in between your two french doors. The astragal is attached to the inactive door pane, or the panel that is not typically used for entry and exit, in your french door system.
Rollers that are underneath the sliding door inside the frame tend to wear out, making the slider hard to open. The most common homeowner fix is to simply lubricate the roller or track the best you can. This may or may not provide a temporary solution.
How do you make a heavy door open easier?
Adjust the latch or swing speed
Use a 1/8-inch Allen wrench or screwdriver in the appropriate screw. Turn clockwise to reduce speed, counterclockwise to increase the speed. ("S"- Swing Speed: is the adjustment for the long swing of the door, "L"- Latch Speed: adjustment for the short final swing of the door.)
Answer: Place your hands at the top of the door and move them down the entire length of the door to see whether it feels hot. If the door is hot to the touch, do not open it. Touch the doorknob to find out whether it's hot.
Use a penetrating oil, linseed oil, or sewing machine oil as a lubricant. Use petroleum-based lubricants like motor oil or WD-40. Use sharp tools to try to pick the lock. Use a hammer or mallet in an attempt to fix the lock.