Hopefully I will not make this post too long for all. Also, please note that I posted this topic on another DIY forum and hope I am not offending anyone by posting it here. I am trying to get as much information about this as I can. I just would like to know how many contractors on this forum deliberately install an exterior entry door "out of plumb".
The situation I have is this:
I recently had a certified Pella contractor install an exterior Pella Encompass fiberglass 6 panel door in my house (this is an entry door from my garage to my utility room). After the installation I noticed that the brick molding of the door at the top of the striker side of the door did not contact the exterior face of the wall. The gap between the exterior brick molding of the door and the wall is about 3/16 of an inch (see photo #1) below. Sorry the picture has been rotated 90 degrees to the left, but it happened when I attached it). When I saw this gap, I also noticed that the vertical face seal and the horizontal face seal of the door were barely contacting the door for about a 1 1/2 feet in this area of the door (see photo #2 below). After seeing this, I got my 2 foot level out to check plumb of the door (I realize that I really need a 6 to 8 foot level, but this is all I have) and found the top of striker side of the door is pitched outward. The hinged side is plumb. (see photo #3 below). Photo #4 is of the 2 foot level positioned against the striker side of the door frame and then moved outward at its bottom to center the bubble of the level so you can see how far out of plumb the door is. When the face of the door is flush with the jamb at the bottom of the door, there is a little over 1/4 gap between the door face and the jamb at the top, which shows that the door frame is pushed outward at the top. This is exactly what my "little" 2 foot level shows. I am attaching a picture of the gap at the top of the door when the face of the door is flush with the jamb at the bottom (photo #5) I contacted my contractor that installed the door and he came by to look at it. After looking at it and checking my walls on the outside and on the inside, he told me that he installed the door "out of plumb" to get the "best fit" because the walls of the door opening were bowed.
I am just curious as to how many of the contractors on this forum install doors out of plumb in order to get a "best fit" due to "bowed" walls.
I am not insinuating my contractor did anything wrong. I have a machinist's background and therefore a thorough understanding of straightness, perpendicularity, flatness, etc. and I just don't understand how deliberately installing a door out of plumb compensates for wall irregularities.
Thanks in advance to all that reply to this thread.
The situation I have is this:
I recently had a certified Pella contractor install an exterior Pella Encompass fiberglass 6 panel door in my house (this is an entry door from my garage to my utility room). After the installation I noticed that the brick molding of the door at the top of the striker side of the door did not contact the exterior face of the wall. The gap between the exterior brick molding of the door and the wall is about 3/16 of an inch (see photo #1) below. Sorry the picture has been rotated 90 degrees to the left, but it happened when I attached it). When I saw this gap, I also noticed that the vertical face seal and the horizontal face seal of the door were barely contacting the door for about a 1 1/2 feet in this area of the door (see photo #2 below). After seeing this, I got my 2 foot level out to check plumb of the door (I realize that I really need a 6 to 8 foot level, but this is all I have) and found the top of striker side of the door is pitched outward. The hinged side is plumb. (see photo #3 below). Photo #4 is of the 2 foot level positioned against the striker side of the door frame and then moved outward at its bottom to center the bubble of the level so you can see how far out of plumb the door is. When the face of the door is flush with the jamb at the bottom of the door, there is a little over 1/4 gap between the door face and the jamb at the top, which shows that the door frame is pushed outward at the top. This is exactly what my "little" 2 foot level shows. I am attaching a picture of the gap at the top of the door when the face of the door is flush with the jamb at the bottom (photo #5) I contacted my contractor that installed the door and he came by to look at it. After looking at it and checking my walls on the outside and on the inside, he told me that he installed the door "out of plumb" to get the "best fit" because the walls of the door opening were bowed.
I am just curious as to how many of the contractors on this forum install doors out of plumb in order to get a "best fit" due to "bowed" walls.
I am not insinuating my contractor did anything wrong. I have a machinist's background and therefore a thorough understanding of straightness, perpendicularity, flatness, etc. and I just don't understand how deliberately installing a door out of plumb compensates for wall irregularities.
Thanks in advance to all that reply to this thread.
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