WTF was I smoking?
November 6, 2010 2:29 PM Subscribe
I messed up my door frame when I framed the wall. Please help me decide on the best fix.
I am finishing my basement. So far, everything has gone extremely well, from electrical to the plumbing, and most of the framing. However, I discovered a problem with a door frame that I need advice on how to best approach.
I don't have any idea how this happened - maybe I thought I would come back to fix it later, not really sure. But it is two-fold: First problem, I neglected to add in a jack stud on one side. I'm pretty sure I planned on putting one in later when I erected that wall, since the base plate extends out 1 1/2 inches with nothing on top... room for the jack stud. (This has been a long process - 3+ years - and I have a terrible memory. Who knows what I was thinking!)
At any rate, the second problem is that I don't believe the overall measurement of the opening is correct. My plan calls for a 24" door (it's a small closet), so I should have a 26" door opening, right?
However, the opening as it stands is 27". If I frame in a 2x4 for a jack stud, the opening will be 25 1/2". If I frame in a 1x4, it'll be 26 1/4". I know I could shim it, but will the quarter inch be too much to shim, or cause issues with the finish work? If I use a 2x4, will the opening end up too narrow to fit the door?
Would it be less problematic to plane down a 2x4 to be 1 inch thick, resulting in a proper width?
I know, I know... measure twice, etc etc. NO idea how this occurred, but I'm dealing with it now. Any thoughts on the best way to address this?
Thanks in advance!
I am finishing my basement. So far, everything has gone extremely well, from electrical to the plumbing, and most of the framing. However, I discovered a problem with a door frame that I need advice on how to best approach.
I don't have any idea how this happened - maybe I thought I would come back to fix it later, not really sure. But it is two-fold: First problem, I neglected to add in a jack stud on one side. I'm pretty sure I planned on putting one in later when I erected that wall, since the base plate extends out 1 1/2 inches with nothing on top... room for the jack stud. (This has been a long process - 3+ years - and I have a terrible memory. Who knows what I was thinking!)
At any rate, the second problem is that I don't believe the overall measurement of the opening is correct. My plan calls for a 24" door (it's a small closet), so I should have a 26" door opening, right?
However, the opening as it stands is 27". If I frame in a 2x4 for a jack stud, the opening will be 25 1/2". If I frame in a 1x4, it'll be 26 1/4". I know I could shim it, but will the quarter inch be too much to shim, or cause issues with the finish work? If I use a 2x4, will the opening end up too narrow to fit the door?
Would it be less problematic to plane down a 2x4 to be 1 inch thick, resulting in a proper width?
I know, I know... measure twice, etc etc. NO idea how this occurred, but I'm dealing with it now. Any thoughts on the best way to address this?
Thanks in advance!
Best answer: Don't sweat about this, but I'm doubting that you'll 'be fine with a 25.5" opening.' A 24" door + 2*0.75" jambs = 25.5". That means zero room for shims. Not good, unless the studs are perfectly straight and plumb. He would, however, be fine with a 26 1/4" opening.
There's nothing critical about the size of the rough opening, so long as it's neither ridiculously oversize nor so small that the jambs won't fit in-between with a little room for adjustment. The recommended dimensions are approximate; that's why it's called "rough." I'm guessing this is not a load-bearing wall, and the opening doesn't really even need a jack stud, since all the header is (probably) doing is giving you something to nail drywall to. You could (probably) leave the rough opening as-is and simply use larger shims.
posted by jon1270 at 3:19 PM on November 6, 2010
There's nothing critical about the size of the rough opening, so long as it's neither ridiculously oversize nor so small that the jambs won't fit in-between with a little room for adjustment. The recommended dimensions are approximate; that's why it's called "rough." I'm guessing this is not a load-bearing wall, and the opening doesn't really even need a jack stud, since all the header is (probably) doing is giving you something to nail drywall to. You could (probably) leave the rough opening as-is and simply use larger shims.
posted by jon1270 at 3:19 PM on November 6, 2010
Best answer: I would attach a 1x4 to one side of the opening - if you have some 1/4" ply, include a strip of that as well.
The reason I suggest this is only because I find excessive shimming to be a pain in the but - trying to stack together 1 1/2" worth of cedar shims would be an excercise in frustration.
posted by davey_darling at 3:28 PM on November 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
The reason I suggest this is only because I find excessive shimming to be a pain in the but - trying to stack together 1 1/2" worth of cedar shims would be an excercise in frustration.
posted by davey_darling at 3:28 PM on November 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Don't sweat this until you get your door; then you'll know the actual dimension that you have to accommodate.
"Would it be less problematic to plane down a 2x4 to be 1 inch thick, resulting in a proper width?"
Not but it would be a lot of work. Either use a 1X4 or rip the dimension board to width with a table saw. A 1/4" extra room is nothing to worry about so 1X4 would be my approach if I need to take up an 1" of space.
posted by Mitheral at 5:18 PM on November 6, 2010
"Would it be less problematic to plane down a 2x4 to be 1 inch thick, resulting in a proper width?"
Not but it would be a lot of work. Either use a 1X4 or rip the dimension board to width with a table saw. A 1/4" extra room is nothing to worry about so 1X4 would be my approach if I need to take up an 1" of space.
posted by Mitheral at 5:18 PM on November 6, 2010
Best answer: SquidLips:
My plan calls for a 24" door (it's a small closet), so I should have a 26" door opening, right?
Correct; 26inch opening called for.
If I frame in a 1x4, it'll be 26 1/4".
Use a 1x4 to close it up and you're plenty close enough, not a problem. For a bitty interior door, fact is that you won't even need to shim it; do it if you want, if it makes you feel more like a carpenter or whatever, almost certainly not needed, the nails through the casing will hold a bitty door in place just fine
Would it be less problematic to plane down a 2x4 to be 1 inch thick, resulting in a proper width?
Way, way overkill. No way, you'd be wasting your time and effort; 1x4 will work fine
I know, I know... measure twice, etc etc. NO idea how this occurred, but I'm dealing with it now.
Don't worry how it happened, it's not a big deal at all, everybody makes mistakes. You're gonna fix it, it's gonna be great.
posted by dancestoblue at 2:21 AM on November 7, 2010
My plan calls for a 24" door (it's a small closet), so I should have a 26" door opening, right?
Correct; 26inch opening called for.
If I frame in a 1x4, it'll be 26 1/4".
Use a 1x4 to close it up and you're plenty close enough, not a problem. For a bitty interior door, fact is that you won't even need to shim it; do it if you want, if it makes you feel more like a carpenter or whatever, almost certainly not needed, the nails through the casing will hold a bitty door in place just fine
Would it be less problematic to plane down a 2x4 to be 1 inch thick, resulting in a proper width?
Way, way overkill. No way, you'd be wasting your time and effort; 1x4 will work fine
I know, I know... measure twice, etc etc. NO idea how this occurred, but I'm dealing with it now.
Don't worry how it happened, it's not a big deal at all, everybody makes mistakes. You're gonna fix it, it's gonna be great.
posted by dancestoblue at 2:21 AM on November 7, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for the responses, folks. Great idea on the quarter inch ply as a spacer... never even crossed my mind!
I'll be throwing in the 1x4, and then trying out the door in a rough hang to see what I have to work with... if it looks good it goes in, otherwise we give the plywood spacer a shot.
Thanks for the words, dancestoblue. I'm an IT guy, not a contractor, so I figure if I've gone this far without any disasters, I'm doing pretty good. This one just stumped me for some reason though. Crisis averted... the drywall awaits!
posted by SquidLips at 9:07 PM on November 8, 2010
I'll be throwing in the 1x4, and then trying out the door in a rough hang to see what I have to work with... if it looks good it goes in, otherwise we give the plywood spacer a shot.
Thanks for the words, dancestoblue. I'm an IT guy, not a contractor, so I figure if I've gone this far without any disasters, I'm doing pretty good. This one just stumped me for some reason though. Crisis averted... the drywall awaits!
posted by SquidLips at 9:07 PM on November 8, 2010
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posted by ssg at 2:57 PM on November 6, 2010