Choosing a Historically Appropriate Door and Creating the Jambs and Hanging a Door

Clip Summary

Bob shows the Woodport medium-density fiberboard doors selected for the Manhattan Brownstone. They are historically accurate five-panel doors like those made popular in the 1890s. The fifth panel is actually a horizontal in the middle of the door. These doors are paint-grade and will accept a nice painted finish. Bob works with the crew from Thorough Construction as they prepare the Woodport door for hanging on site. The door is stabilized by a horse that holds it steady while the work is done. A jig serves as a guide as they router the mortise for each brass ball-bearing hinge. The router creates uniform, flat cuts for the hinges on both the door and the jamb piece. The jambs and header are made from poplar. They are glued and then screwed in place, checked for square, then braced with temporary strapping before being transported to the rough opening. A single screw is set in the header to hold it in place while the installers shim it and check to be sure it is plumb and level. The door jambs and header are then screwed into place. They must trim the door along the bottom edge, which is taped to protect the finish from damage during cutting. Once in place, temporary drywall screws hold the door until the brass screws are inserted as a finish detail when all adjustments have been made.