[grenelda]

We hung two exterior security doors last weekend and neither of them will close easily. We measured, leveled and followed directions, but we still have to pull them hard to close and lock them. Thanks for you help.

[creahands]

Hi Grenelda
What type of hinges are on door.

Most security doors use a bomber hinge. This is a spring loaded hinge with an adjustment at the end of hinge. The adjuster has a pin in it that sits against one leg of hinge.
To tighten hinge spring (makes door close faster and harder), take an awl and insert into a pin hole and move it so that pin is moved off hinge. Remove pin and insert it into next hole closer to hinge. Check if door closes and locks. If not repeat moving pin until it does.
Check stricker for free movement and spray with WD40
Good luck

Chuck

[royalrajan]

Best company hinges

[21boat]

If this is on an old jamb its very possible you have slightly twisted Jambs. Its not a Plumb thing at all. The jamb itself is twisted on its plumbed axis. To check that close the door and see if the hinge barrel itself moves towards the door. Two reasons for this would be the hinges aren't recessed enough into door or jamb or both. The other reason is the hinge is not sitting at a 90 to the door edge

A twisted jamb can be corrected by shimming only half of the leaf vertically that's sitting in the Jamb.

This will throw the barrel towards the door opening and may bind door on closing side. If that happens then the jamb hinges needs to be recessed more but only half of the vertical mortise toward the door stop and not the front of the Jamb. This pivots the door hinge to become squarer with the actual door.

Standard door hinge closing check
1 Are the door stops not binding into the door.
2. Are the hinge barrels staying still and only the pins move. Of course there more but Hinges is the topic here

The other possibility I forgot to mention here is the strike side of the jamb on a single door is not flat in line. The 90 to itself and jamb. You are over swinging the door and the hinges will over pivot and eventually pull the screws out of the jamb or door edge.

[hkstroud]

we still have to pull them hard to close and lock them.

By that do you mean that you have to pull on the door handle to turn the lock?