Doors that swing shut - Refresh my memory

[mcg6637]

I hate to admit I used to know something and now can't remember - but it happens! I've got a bathroom door that swings shut. What's the rule of thumb - if it swings shut it needs to come out at the bottom? or visa versa? When you put a level on the door edge, does the door need to be 90 deg. from the frame or 45? Mine is plumb at 90 deg. but off at 45. I just can't remember and I'd rather ask than do it wrong. Help !!

[mrcaptainbob]

Swinging door....

IF it swings shut, either pull the top hinge out or set the bottom hinge in. To make it 'perfect', just crack the door a bit from open so as to check the plumb. The other position would be at 90 degrees open. Check that for plumb and adjust accordingly. Some glued up toothpicks work well for this. Jam them in the holes so you can reset the hinge screws. By the way, there's a neat tooll to help get the screw holes centered. It's a spring loaded pointed plunger that's inside a sleeve. The end of the sleeve is tapered to fit in the hinge screw hole. By hammer tapping that plunger you indent the wood perfect every time. If the holes are really buggered up, drill them out to a 1/4 or 3/8 size, glue up some dowel rod and stick them in there. After it sets up, shave them flush with the wood and you can start all over with where you want those screws to be without a previous hole misguiding them.

[Phelps]

Has this door always did this?

When you put the level on the door at 90 degrees open and at 45 degrees open, exactly where, exactly, on the door are you putting the level? Put the level both on the 1 3/8 inch edge of the door, and, the facing of the inside of the door, near the edge. Also, with you standing in the bathroom with the dor shut...put the level on the hinge-side trim. Also, with the bathroom dootr open, put the level on the hinge-side jamb (Where it is 4 1/2 inches wide)

Tell us what the level does in these posiitons

If something is REALLY out of whack...if you move out the bottom hinge too much, the door may strike the opposing door jamb. If the whole wall the door is connected to, leans in towards the hall, you could have a problem typical of what can seasonally occur in mobile homes that heave in the winter and settle back in the summer.

[Power Saw]

What's up with all the door questions in the forum, are people really that bad at home repair? Door repair is the "kindergarden" of home repair school. Geez.