The underappreciated joy of the smooth-opening/closing door.
In our last blog, we closed with the line “All’s well that shuts and closes well!” We were referring to the shuttering of a particular company we had profiled, but today we’re taking the line literally: any door that shuts and closes well is likely an unappreciated door taken for granted! Put another way, a door that doesn’t operate smoothly is immediately obvious to any user and a gnawing nuisance to a homeowner. That’s because we’ve simply come to expect unerring craftsmanship in modern door making. Recently, certified FenestrationMaster Jim Snyder shared his views on what’s behind the smooth-operating door.
For many reasons, door installation demands precision and durability. Any compromise is noticeable. Aligning and securing the frame comprises about 98 percent of a door’s operation and installation endurance. If done correctly, the panel(s) should fall in place.
The threshold and sill are the “foundation,” spacing the side jambs accurately apart, yet tying them together. It also sheds or weeps out rainwater. In the case of sliding doors, the threshold must also manage the extreme weight of the door panels, all while enduring regular foot traffic. In addition to including a sill pan, the base should be level, flat, and provide continuous rigid support for the entire sill.
The side jambs of swinging and sliding doors are structurally different. Side jambs are the workhorses for swinging doors. All of the door panel weight is suspended through hinges on one side jamb. Alignment is managed by controlling the pull on the top hinge and the push against the bottom hinge. This floats the panel within the doorframe, which should just graze over the threshold when closed. The center hinge, a fairly neutral job, helps vertically support the panel weight.
The head jamb, like the threshold, spaces yet ties together the side jambs. The threshold positioning predetermines whether the head jamb is level end-to-end. Yet, the overall span may not be flat without additional shimming and anchoring. The finished result for a “swinger” should be a reasonable closing effort and a consistent reveal on the sides and top between the jambs and door panel.
Sliders usually offer adjustable rollers on the door panel, not to compensate for an out-of-square frame but to align the panel to an already-squared frame. The panel should roll easily with consistent effort and meet the latch jamb equally throughout the vertical length.
How do you know it’s done right? A properly installed door literally feels and sounds right when closing.
Then again, for the absolute finest in commercial and residential new door products, service, and accessories, you could call West Texas Doors, South Texas’s complete door experts. All’s well that shuts and closes well!
West Texas Doors
103 Flecha Lane
Laredo, TX 78045
Toll Free: 1-888-753-0711
