Building a Door with Steel Strap Hinges

[treillw]

I'm building a pantry door with some old barn wood and some full width forged steel strap hinges. The hinges are old fashioned and rotate on a big pin, like shown in the below photo (not my hinges). My hinges are ~30" wide. I want them to be relatively level on the door when it's finished. There is some up and down wiggle in them due to it not being a perfect fit around the pin.

Any suggestions on how to build this to keep it from moving all around once it's placed and rotating out of level? It's kind of hard to predict how it's going to move. Somebody has to have a good video or tutorial on how to build them. I figured you guys might know of one.

I'm not sure if I need to put a Z brace on the back of the door, because every vertical board will be fastened to the steel hinge. The hinge cannot rotate beyond it's initial deflection tolerance, unless the steel deforms. I don't think I need the traditional Z brace on the back. Am I wrong here?

I appreciate any advice. Thanks!

 

[bsnedeker]

Here's what I would do: Build your door, put the hinges on them, put the pins in the door frame, hang it up, and enjoy the "rustic" nature of your new DIY project! That's what I do anyway.

For a 30" door I would do a brace from corner to corner. Might not be necessary with your huge hinges but I'd rather overbuild something than underbuild it.

 

[505Wapiti]

I would still brace the back since you are using vertical boards. would help to know if you are just hitting the vertical boards up next to each other or using tongue and groove?

 

[Beendare]

If you don’t take the slop out of the hinge, I don’t know how you would ever get the door to fit right.

You could splash weld the pins and then hand grind them down for a tight fit.

A mortised or finger jointed frame for the door itself is important for no diagonal sag.
..

 

[505Wapiti]

I would still brace the back since you are using vertical boards. would help to know if you are just hitting the vertical boards up next to each other or using tongue and groove?

Butting, not hitting

 

[Billy Goat]

The play in the pins will go away once they make contact. The top hinge will be pulled towards the door, bottom hinge will push away from the door. They have a lot of play until they are fastened, once fastened they ride in the direction the door pulls them.


You need something other than the hinges to brace the door. Either a z brace or wide boards towards the top and bottom of the door with nails diagonal.

 

[treillw]

I would still brace the back since you are using vertical boards. would help to know if you are just hitting the vertical boards up next to each other or using tongue and groove?

No tongue and groove, just normal boards. The boards are pretty darn old and not perfectly straight. I've planed them so there are almost no open joints between them.

 

[505Wapiti]

No tongue and groove, just normal boards. The boards are pretty darn old and not perfectly straight. I've planed them so there are almost no open joints between them.

I would do the mortised or FJ frame as mentioned above.

 

[treillw]

I'm still not convinced that I need a Z brace. Once the initial slop comes out of the hinges, there is no way they can rotate any further. Every board is fastened to the hinge.

It would be a different story on doors where you only have the hinge attached to one or two boards at the edge. Hence almost every gate etc that you see has a Z brace, but they don't have full width strap hinges.

I'm not trying to be lazy. I think it would look cooler without the brace. I just don't want it to get messed up.

Prove me wrong. haha

 

[treillw]

This is it. I like the plain look of the vertical boards with no frame.

 

[bsnedeker]

I'm still not convinced that I need a Z brace. Once the initial slop comes out of the hinges, there is no way they can rotate any further. Every board is fastened to the hinge.

It would be a different story on doors where you only have the hinge attached to one or two boards at the edge. Hence almost every gate etc that you see has a Z brace, but they don't have full width strap hinges.

I'm not trying to be lazy. I think it would look cooler without the brace. I just don't want it to get messed up.

Prove me wrong. haha

I would brace it man, I think you'll regret it if you don't. Put the brace on the inside of the pantry so you can't see it.

Without a brace you are talking about putting a door together that is held together entirely by 12 screws and this is a pantry door that is probably going to be used frequently. Even if you weren't concerned about sag I would be concerned about the durability of that door over the course of a few years. Put a diagonal brace on the inside of the door with screws and glue. That door will last.

 

[steve1VM]

Without a brace you are talking about putting a door together that is held together entirely by 12 screws and this is a pantry door that is probably going to be used frequently. Even if you weren't concerned about sag I would be concerned about the durability of that door over the course of a few years. Put a diagonal brace on the inside of the door with screws and glue. That door will last.

You're probably right about it. But first things first, you should care about removing an old door and it can be a problem for sure, especially for those who doesn't know how to proceed it in the perfect way, because didn't install it. This article I've discovered ( link is here: https://www.homoq.com/remove-sliding-screen-door/ ) can help with some informative basic information of such removing process of the sliding door.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

This is it. I like the plain look of the vertical boards with no frame.
View attachment 292694

I have a very similar door. I hung mine on overhead bar and rollers. works great.

 

[DenverCountryBoy]

Get non corrugated cardboard to use as spacers while hanging.

An air shim bag makes hanging doors a lot easier.

After it us hung, you may need to adjust the knuckles. For regular hinges, I have a knuckle bender.

FastCap KNUCKLEBENDER Adjustable Knuckle Bender with Hinge Pin Remover - Door Hardware - Amazon.com

FastCap KNUCKLEBENDER Adjustable Knuckle Bender with Hinge Pin Remover - Door Hardware - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

For thicker metal like that, you may have to use a ball peen.

 

[def90]

I've worked many multi-million dollar homes in my day and have seen a few that have used "rustic" doors sourced throughout Europe and Mexico. Generally you frame the opening as you normally would and set the hinge pins, hang the door and then use a BF Hammer to adjust the pins and hinges for the best swing.

They will look awesome but don't ever kid yourself in to thinking that they will operate like a regular door.

 

[Catchfish]

How thick are your boards? could you use a biscuit joint, or router a groove across the back and cut a strip to fit into the routed groove and glue in place.

 

[treillw]

Door is already complete. Old thread

 

[Cameron.25]

Here's what I would do: Build your door, put the hinges on them, put the pins in the door frame, hang it up, and enjoy the "rustic" nature of your new DIY project! That's what I do anyway.

For a 30" door I would do a brace from corner to corner. Might not be necessary with your huge hinges but I'd rather overbuild something than underbuild it.

I agree. Overkill is underrated IMO in guns and construction both

 

[Catchfish]

Can we see a picture of the completed door in place.