Is there a quicker solution to aligning misaligned French doors to the laundry room other than removing the trim and cutting the frame?
Asked by Liana da Paz 
1 month ago
Last Updated: November 10, 2024
Hey, so we noticed that our French doors to the laundry room aren’t lining up perfectly at the bottom. It looks like they’re off by about half an inch. Surprisingly, they’re lined up perfectly at the top. Do you think the door jamb might have been twisted a bit when it was installed? Is there a way to fix this without having to remove the trim and adjust the frame?
No need to remove or cut anything at all! Simply adjust the hinges.
Agrees. This would be my first choice. It might misalign the door slightly but I’m okay with it as long as it opens and closes.
Perhaps use shims for the bottom hinge(s)?
Attach and screw a piece of the same kind of wood to the bottom. It will form a long triangular shape. Stain it to match. Apply caulk around the seams that can be painted. You may need to paint this piece in a special way to match.
The jambs are a bit off. Use a long level against them and adjust accordingly.
Doors are warping
‘s jambs might be perfectly vertical, but the RO could be shifted off-center. There are numerous factors to consider.
Might have a chance, but it’s not very probable. The best solution would involve removing the trim, taking out screws/nails, readjusting the jambs to align the doors, shim them, and then securely screw back in by substituting a 3″ screw at each hinge.
Might be angled in a way where one side is being pulled outward or twisted inward.
Given the condition of the door, I would say there might be a warp. Trying to make a 1/2″ adjustment by moving the hinges is quite a task. Back when I worked in the trades, I used a 20# sledgehammer. It may sound strange, but often all it takes is slightly moving the bottom hinge out of the mortice, placing a block of wood and a scrap piece against the baseboard, and giving the door a few good hits to get it back in line. It’s worth a shot to bump one side slightly and then the opposite side of the other door jamb. Just be cautious if you have tile floors.
I totally agree with what you mentioned above ^^^^.
Got plenty of funny looks when folks saw me (a finish carpenter) plopping it down in the living room to organize my tools.
Having 1/4 inch each way isn’t too bad in the big picture. If you remove the trim and adjust the jambs together, you could potentially regain 3/4 inch.
Install door sweeps.
A quick fix is to adjust the hinge placement on the doors in opposite directions. Move one hinge in at the bottom, and the other out at the top, and you should achieve a straight line.
Tap the bottom jamb hinge on the right door inward with a 2×4 block of wood and a 4lb maul.