# install door between master bedroom and master bath



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Why a double door? What's to gain? 
I'd be removing the drywall and reframing the wall for a regular 36" wide prehung door if it was mine.
You really do not want to get into trying to miter your own hinges and door, then custom fitting the doors.


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

It's more about aesthetic I guess...the bedroom is pretty large, so a single door may look "weird"...


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## CompleteW&D (Sep 4, 2015)

Just go to your local professional mill shop and have them build you a jamb and hang your doors. They will come pre-hung with T-Astrigal and ball catches, prepped for hardware, ready to go. It's no harder hanging a set of pre-hung double doors than a pre-hung single door. Certainly a LOT easier than framing down an opening with new drywall, finish and paint.

And, like you said.... it will look better too.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Not likely, it's done all the time in at least 99.9% of houses.
Never once seen a double door for a bathroom, just a rare pocket door.


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## CompleteW&D (Sep 4, 2015)

Follow up.... by doing a set of pre-hung double doors, the only real cosmetic work you will need to do is go with a wider casing on your bedroom side. If it's 2-1/4" now, you will probably need to go to a 2-3/4.... or from 2-3/4" to 3-1/2" etc., to cover the gap difference between your new doors and the 50" opening width. You will also need to add the casing to cover the gap on the bathroom side.

That mill shop will very likely have all types of molding in all kinds of sizes. Certainly way more then any box store. And, it will be a better quality and more reasonably priced than a box store. Most folks don't realize how way over priced box stores are on their moldings.


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## CompleteW&D (Sep 4, 2015)

joecaption said:


> *Not likely*, it's done all the time in at least 99.9% of houses.
> Never once seen a double door for a bathroom, just a rare pocket door.


Not likely that it will look better than a single door? Are you kidding me? I'm sure this isn't a typical 5' x 9' bathroom he's talking about. If it was, it wouldn't already have a *50" wide* framed opening. It's very likely an upscale master bath off of the _"bedroom is pretty large"_.

Like the OP said.... a single door going into something like that would look "weird".... and stupid IMHO. It would look just like what it was.... a DIY'er changing the architectural layout and design of the home, just to make things "easier."


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## CompleteW&D (Sep 4, 2015)

These might look good with a single 36" door.... :blink:


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## french_guy (Sep 11, 2012)

CompleteW&D said:


> Follow up.... by doing a set of pre-hung double doors, the only real cosmetic work you will need to do is go with a wider casing on your bedroom side. If it's 2-1/4" now, you will probably need to go to a 2-3/4.... or from 2-3/4" to 3-1/2" etc., to cover the gap difference between your new doors and the 50" opening width. You will also need to add the casing to cover the gap on the bathroom side.
> 
> That mill shop will very likely have all types of molding in all kinds of sizes. Certainly way more then any box store. And, it will be a better quality and more reasonably priced than a box store. Most folks don't realize how way over priced box stores are on their moldings.



OK, but if I want to do it myself.....
Do I need to expose the stud/framing, or could I nail (or screw) the jamb thru the drywall?
What is the real purpose of the rabbet? If I were to do it, I would install the header, and then the 2 legs (making sure of course everyhing is perfectly horizontal - header - or vertical - legs- So why a rabbet?
Thanks


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

May want to see if you can even find someone local to make custom doors and jambs, price it out before doing anything.
Yes the drywall has come off on the top and sides.
What's the height from the floor to the top sheet rock return, plus 1/2".
There should already be a header and jacks there.
If the hinges are not mortised there's going to be a big gap when the doors closed.
On a scale of one to ten on the DIY scale trying to cut to fit and mortise your own doors and jambs and have them fit and close properly is a 10.


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## CompleteW&D (Sep 4, 2015)

french_guy said:


> OK, but if I want to do it myself.....
> 
> Do I need to expose the stud/framing, or could I nail (or screw) the jamb thru the drywall?
> What is the real purpose of the rabbet? If I were to do it, I would install the header, and then the 2 legs (making sure of course everyhing is perfectly horizontal - header - or vertical - legs- So why a rabbet?
> Thanks


You're welcome.... But you would still be "doing it yourself" if you installed a pre-hung double door unit. You really need to use a pre-hung unit because the doors are mortised into the jamb correctly. You then shim, level and plumb the pre-hung unit into the opening and trim it out.

A door requires correctness on three axixes to work properly. *Level* (horizontal), *plumb* (vertical) and *square* (corner to corner). That is MUCH easier to obtain using a pre-hung unit, rather than installing jambs and then trying to mortise two doors into the jamb.

If you don't have all three jamb pieces exactly right, or maybe have the mortises off by even 1/32"..... you will have un even gaps (reveals) at the top or sides, or worse.... where the doors meet in the middle. You will have put in a TON of work in and after all that.... one side door may stick out an 1/8" at the top or whatever and look just like what it is/was.... A DIY project.

I'm just saying, save yourself a HUGE headache.... buy a twin pre-hung door unit. Have plenty of shims ready and a helper to hold and move the door unit around while you are constantly checking things with your level and adding shims to hold the jamb in place once you get it right.

If done correctly, before you ever install that first screw.... your door will be held firmly in place with your shims. Here was a double entry door project we did on a really nice home. Now, granted.... this is an exterior door, but the principals are the same as a double interior door. 









It shows the shimming process and constantly checking everything for level, plumb and square. It's almost MORE important on a double door to get it exactly right because if you don't.... the doors won't meet in the middle correctly.

Here it is all finished BTW, inside.....









And out....


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## CompleteW&D (Sep 4, 2015)

*Follow up*



french_guy said:


> OK, but if I want to do it myself.....
> 
> Do I need to expose the stud/framing, or could I nail (or screw) the jamb thru the drywall?
> What is the real purpose of the rabbet? If I were to do it, I would install the header, and then the 2 legs (making sure of course everyhing is perfectly horizontal - header - or vertical - legs- So why a rabbet?
> Thanks


1. You do _*NOT*_ need to remove any drywall. Once you shim the pre-assembled frame into place.... you will screw through the jamb at the shims. Normally, you shim at the mortises where the hinges are. You then remove one of the short screws in the hinge, and use a 2-1/2" screw instead.... which gets you through your jamb, shims, drywall and into your wall framing. 

You do not need to put any screws through your header. The door system will be held in place by the three 2-1/2" screws on each side and your tight shims. That's where the weight of the doors are carried. The casing on both sided will secure the top.

2. I'm not sure what you mean what are you calling a rabbet?


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## griz (Sep 22, 2015)

joecaption said:


> ...Never once seen a double door for a bathroom, just a rare pocket door....


Don't get out and about much, eh?.....


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