Door keeps closing

[Tiger]

I was trying to fix a front door that keeps closing of its own accord. I put a level on the jamb that the door is attached to and it is a fair bit out (top part of the jamb is out more than bottom). I made up some thick cardboard shims and attached them to the bottom hinge. That helped a little but the door would need a lot of planing to shut. I then tried to move the top hinge out a little (and removed the bottom hinge shims) and that helped a little but the door still closes by itself at various points. How do I assess what is causing the problem and what should I do to fix this?

[les88]

You haven't said what type of jambs they are timber, steel etc. If its timber try your level on the jamb that has the hinges, it should be plumb. If it is out of plumb a lot the correct way would be to fix it. If you are capable of removing the architraves and depending how the jambs is fixed, say, nails cut them of with a hacksaw blade and fix the jamb correctly. If that isn't feasible you may be able to cut the jamb rebate plumb. A bit more info needed.
les

[Tiger]

Hi Les,

They are timber jambs, what other info is needed?

[les88]

Hi Tiger,
Front door frame, is it in brick or timber frame. Is the threshold timber or what?
les

[Tiger]

Hi Les,

It's a weatherboard so timber frame. It's my sister's place so can't look but I think it's a timber threshold.

[les88]

It should be easy to fix, I presume that the top of the jamb is leaning out into the room.
remove the door and the internal architrave cut off nails there could be three or four sets of nails, leave the bottom set. Move the jamb until plumb re-nail using the original packing don't drive nails home yet. Use your level to check for wind on the other jamb, if necessary move it too. . Hang door again and while the architraves are off if necessary move jambs to suit door,when all is ok drive nails home.Refit architrave but it will need a bit of fitting to fit the new position of the jamb. A cup of coffee from your sister while you admire your work.

les

[Tiger]

Thanks Les, you make it sound so easy. The door is a great big thing with plenty of glass so it will be a big job for me never having plumbed a jamb before. Fixed plenty of doors but that only involved altering hinges, door stops or planing.

[dirtydeeds]

there are are two main reasons why doors shut (or open) on their own in still air, both are related

there are other reasons but they are more obscure. in the absolute worst case your door is telling you your house is falling over like the leaning tower of pisa


anyway lets deal with the common problem

either the lining is out of plumb or the hinges are out of plumb, the first is more common because carpenters always hang doors so that they match the lining

put your back to the lining on the hinge side if the lining is off plumb to your right or to your left this is the problem

solutions

if the out of plumb is small, reset the hinges on the door and frame, what you are looking to do is to get a plumb through the kuckles of the hinge

second rip out the lining and reset it

[barn]

It may be the long dead last owners of the house come back to haunt you