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Hi,

I've just removed a door casing so I can enlarge the door way to a standard size. Having knocked out the bricks required to fit the new casing in I'm after advice on how to install the casing and setting up the door stop and architraving.
Do I put screws/nails thru' the casing into the brick or allow the mortar/bricks to hold the casing in place ?
The casing is not the same depth as the brickwork (only single brick depth) and I also need to install the door stop (think thats the correct term) so do I just line the inside of the casing with wood to produce the door stop and to complete the thickness of the brickwork (+ plaster depth). Architraving is covered in DIY tips/help sections.
Tips and tricks welcome.
Thanks.

It sounds like you are making your own door casing from timber and then installing a floating stop? I have never done it this way, as I have always used rebated door casings.

You need to get some timber that is roughly the same size or slightly wider then the wall that you are inserting the casing into. You will have two long lengths for each side and a short length on top. Screw these together ensuring that the corners are square and then cut another piece of timber to fit at the bottom, the piece at the bottom is to keep the casing square, so needs removing afterwards. Bear this in mind, so make sure that if you screw it you can remove the screws after the casing is in place.

Insert the casing into the opening and use a spirit level to ensure it is level, now drill through the casing and into the brickwork in about 3 places on each side of the casing. Remove the casing and insert rawl plugs into the holes and pul the casing back in. Any gaps between the casing and the bricks need packing out where the screws are to prevent the casing from buckling.

Tighten the screws but don't overtighten and then remove the piece from the bottom.

You now have a basic door casing. Now fasten the door to the casing and then fasten the floating stop in the correct place, this is just 3 pieces of 2*1 inch timber that is nailed in place.

Then fasten the architrave.

Hope this makes sense!

Thanks for the reply.

I'm using Wickes http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/200351 Internal Door Lining but the width of the frame is less than the width of the brick+plaster so I thought of buying extra wood to make the door stop and to also supplement the shortfall in the width of the lining. ie wood at the side and top and nailed to the lining. Am I doing this the inefficient way ? (can't you tell I've never done this before! )

I can't see anything wrong with doing it your way, but it may of been easier for you if you had purchased either timber or a kit that was wide enough to begin with.

Make sure that you add the extra piece of wood to the side of the casing where the hinges will not be fastened.

Sometimes you have to improvise with such things, I once fastened a piece of 2*1 timber to a pine door beacuse I could not get the correct size. You cannot even see the join

When I first offered up the lining to the gap I thought I'd bought the wrong lining but when I measured it even the widest lining from Wickes wasn't wide enough so I would have had to add an extention to it. As I've no practicle experience of this I thought I'd canvas other ways of getting round this.
As for the hinge issue I am anticipating that the hinge will go directly infront of where I've added the extra wood so when the door is shut the extra wood buts up to the closed door to act as a stopper (I hope this makes sense!) Am I still on the right tracks!

skiking wrote:As for the hinge issue I am anticipating that the hinge will go directly infront of where I've added the extra wood so when the door is shut the extra wood buts up to the closed door to act as a stopper (I hope this makes sense!) Am I still on the right tracks!

Oh right, so the wood that you are attaching is not the same thickness as the door carcass, it is thicker?

i have assumed the opening is the right size

screw through the head of the lining into the legs, two or 3 screws

check the floor is level across the opening, put a level on the floor and put a wedge under the level until the level is level. put your lining into place one leg will be on the same wedge as you used for the level a moment ago

(i customised a 900mm level and shortened it to 2 foot 2-1/2 inches for this purpose)

as long as both legs are the same length the head of the lining is now perfectly level

plug and screw through the lining jambs into the brickwork 75mm down from the head on both jambs

plumb and line the hinge jamb in the opening, then with wedges and plugs and screws, pull and push the leg until it is plumb AND straight

cross string the lining, then do the same with the closing jamb

in all this the plugs and screws mustnt be placed where you are going to install butts or locks

all this work will reduce the work in shooting the door in, swing the door install your locks and latches

THE VERY LAST THING TO DO is fix the stops

I'm not sure I'm getting my design across very well....lets hope my drawings are better than my joinery
The lining is basically brough forward to line up with the surface of the wall then the extra wood is used to act as the door stop and to line up with the surface of the other side of the wall. The architract is then added to the lining/extra wood. Have I over complicated things ?

tell the architect to get a REAL carpenter to do the job for him

Well I'm the architect as well, but I'm going to complete this job. Had a fair idea how to tackle it (thought about it for several weeks!) just wanted the 'pros' to give me another view on it so to speak. (and thanks for the advice)
So far I've knocked a doorway thru and put a lintel up, and now I'm putting a door frame in then I'll be dot'n'dabbing the whole room.....all of which I've never done before.....hopefully with the help and advice from the team on this site it'll get done with some sort of success

i think i understand where you are comming from now

the "extra wood", the lining to the opening is done last

install your door lining and door as i described above

i forgot to say (because its obvious to me) that once the door lining is wedged and plugged into position, foam the gaps, dont go mad because foam expands and can easily move a poorly fixed lining, if in doubt foam in stages

the foam stops drafts, seals the gap and glues the lining all in one go

having done this then install the lining to the opening, it is done last because you may have to scribe the timber

with wide openings of this sort it is necessay to ensure that the opening lining is square otherwise it will look wrong

in some cases with very wide opeings (very thick walls) it is usefull to build a frame so the lining to the opening (the "extra wood") cannot move out of shape

in otherwords you can build the thing fully square then later when the timber moves lining does out of square

the are other things to consider as well, make sure the two structures (the door lining and the opening lining) are independently fixed

the reason is that if one of the structures moves it will not pull the other out of shape as well

hope ive not been to technical

That diagram has made it all become clear now.

That is a good idea for linings that are too narrow

Thanks for the input guys, much appreciated

the best bet for fairly standard walls is either to buy the correct width lining (allowing for plasterboard, skim coat etc)

if the correct lining with is not on sale

buy PSE timber rip it to width and make your own door lining, you only have to produce two housing joints