Door specification

[Phil]

Is there such a thing as a "Door Installation Specification" whereby the installers/carpenters need to comply with?

For example an internal door on a metal or wood frame -
- what should the play be when the door is closed?
- What gaps should there be between the door and the frame?
- Gap at the bottom of the door?

When I have installed I would have about a 3mm gap top and sides and maybe 10mm on the bottom for airflow and when closed a maximum of movement of say 2mm.

The forum thoughts?

Cheers
Phil
(my neighbour across the road has some issues)

 

[RogerS]

Phil, if there was a 'need' to comply with something regarding doors then it would be country specific and so anything in the UK would not be of much use to you in SA.

Having said that, as far as I am aware, there are no Building Regulations that specify the details you mention. If there was an issue with an ill-fitting door (usually binding rather than too much space all round) then it would come under 'Fitness for Purpose' or some such and outside Building Regs.

I once had an a-hole of a customer who was bitching about the draught coming through a 10mm x 1mm gap.

 

[kostello]

Fire doors have very specific tolerances for the gap around the door.....


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[Mike G]

Is there such a thing as a "Door Installation Specification" whereby the installers/carpenters need to comply with?

There is if the architect writes one, although generally this is something that would come under "workmanship" clauses, and not be actually specified to the mm. Fire doors, as already mentioned, do have very specific requirements but very few 2 storey houses have fire doors.

- what should the play be when the door is closed?

Play? I don't follow. Play between what and what? Are you meaning movement between the door and the door-stop?

- What gaps should there be between the door and the frame?

A coin. I use a 2p piece.......if that fits, the gap is too big.

- Gap at the bottom of the door?

We're talking internal doors here......because there will be no gap with an external door. This is a really difficult one, because normally the door is fitted before the floor finishes, and so the poor old carpenter is reliant on whatever he is told about the thickness of the flooring. A sensible carpenter will leave just a small gap and pass the responsibility on to the flooring fitter to trim the bottom of the doors to suit whatever is laid.

 

[Phil]

Thanks guys for the input.
I think at the end of the day it must be a good fit, look good and be able to open and close easily and also lock easily.

Is there such a thing as a "Door Installation Specification" whereby the installers/carpenters need to comply with?

There is if the architect writes one, although generally this is something that would come under "workmanship" clauses, and not be actually specified to the mm. Fire doors, as already mentioned, do have very specific requirements but very few 2 storey houses have fire doors.

We have a fire door between the scullery and the garages, and having seen how their so called door-fitter works, I doubt very much it complies with any specific requirements.

Where can I get a copy of the requirements?

- what should the play be when the door is closed?

Play? I don't follow. Play between what and what? Are you meaning movement between the door and the door-stop?

Mike when the door is closed. I have always left a small amount of play to allow for the winter & summer movement in the timber. Not big enough to create rattles.

- What gaps should there be between the door and the frame?

A coin. I use a 2p piece.......if that fits, the gap is too big.

Nice idea. If I applied it here, they would be replacing every door in the house and the metal frames.
It is shocking to see the shoddy workmanship now days.

- Gap at the bottom of the door?

We're talking internal doors here......because there will be no gap with an external door. This is a really difficult one, because normally the door is fitted before the floor finishes, and so the poor old carpenter is reliant on whatever he is told about the thickness of the flooring. A sensible carpenter will leave just a small gap and pass the responsibility on to the flooring fitter to trim the bottom of the doors to suit whatever is laid.

A sensible carpenter – in South Africa? You must be joking!

Cheers
Phil

 

[martc]

A sensible carpenter – in South Africa? You must be joking!

There are one or two of us here. :text-lol: Admittedly I did do my training in the UK but I have met a couple of good ones in the few years I have lived here.

One thing I always do when fitting doors is to cut all four sides at a 2 degree angle and fit the door with the narrower face against the rebate, this helps to stop the door becoming "hinge bound" and makes the fit look better .
I have also noticed that the metal frames are nearly always bowed towards the middle, this is caused by the mortar slumping downwards when they are fitted due to the builders not putting in any sort of brace to hold everything square.
I am in the middle of fitting 19 doors in a new house in waterfall village at the moment and if they don't fit well its my own fault as I fitted the frames as well.
This might help you as far as regulations go, http://www.arcon.co.za/sabs-fire-door-test-standards/

 

[Phil]

Martin, thanks for the link. I doubt very much if any of these twits know about the standards, let alone even doing a proper job fitting a door.

Good to know there is one good carpenter in SA


Cheers
Phil