Days off are usually spent two different ways; either doing absolutely nothing or staying busy getting those tasks done that have been sitting all year. This past week I finally tackled a task that has been bugging me all year. I have some french doors at my house that not only needed to be put up, but made to fit and close properly. So after getting them hung; which means hanging them so they are actually doors and not big heavy barricades that are always in the way; I had to shave them down and attach all necessary hardware.
So here is how it went down…
-The casing, or frame, that the doors hang on was set in a bit too much which caused the doors to hit in the middle when closed. So I had to slowly shave the inside edge of each down so that they would not only close but look good too. So scrape, scrape, scrape. And before I knew it the doors were closing just fine.
-Good spacing, and an even gap!
-The next step was to put on the ball/ bullet latches on the top of each door. They don’t latch in the middle so these latches are perfect. You can adjust them after you install them so that is nice. First I drilled a one inch wide hole in the top of each door. Both only an inch deep or so, for the barrel of each latch to slide down into.
-Then I carefully notched out the grooves for the catches. Making sure not to cut them too far back or the latches would not catch. Then I put the latch plates into each groove making sure that each was set back far enough for each door close all of the way.
-After making sure the doors closed securely it was time to put on the handles. It was tempting to just eyeball these and hope they lined up, but I measured and made sure they would sit in the same spot on each door. It is always important to drill a pilot hole so that you not only make certain and sure you are in the right spot, but you will not strip the head off of your screw trying to tighten them down! Yes I learned that the hard
way.
-All four handles on and look good.
-There were 4 trim pieces that sit over the frosted glass of each door. So I found which piece fit which door…..
-Each piece was a bit too long….which is better than too short. So I used a fine tooth hack saw to trim off the extra. I was careful not to twist the saw or push too hard so that I didn’t break off any wood along the tip or edges.
-Then I checked the fit of each one and started applying the glue. They needed to fit snug up against the glass so I had to apply glue evenly over the back of each piece. Don’t use too much or it will smoosh out when you press it down!
-It takes a bit for the glue to set so I used a few extra boards with clamps holding them in place to keep pressure on the trim while it sets.
-So after and hour or so I took off the clamps and looked at my work. Everything seems to be even and solid. Hoo Raaa! I am by no means a carpenter but I do try to be a handyman from time to time. This was something I could tackle on my own and I had fun doing it.
-Well, hopefully I didn’t bore you. I am available Tuesday and Wednesday evenings for those in need of some work around the house to be done. And I will only charge $2000.00 an hour! Haha!
Your friendly DIY’er,
Nathan
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