The Art of the Shim

This technique is one of the fastest and most reliable and evasive way to fix doors.   This technique works considerably better on commercial doors than residential doors.  Shimming Doors is something that many try and only few have perfected.  There are many problems shimming can fix and this is just a few:

·         If the door is dragging the floor.

·         If the door is rubbing the frame on the header on the latch side.

·         If the door is rubbing the frame on the latch side or hinge side.

·         If the Latchbolt is grabbing the strike.

·         If the door is springing or bouncing shut.

·         If the reveal is uneven.

It is possible to move a door 3/16 to a 1/4 of an inch with shimming.  However shimming a door 1/4 doesn’t look very nice because you can see behind the hinge.  You can use a number of things to shim a door.  I have taken doors that where hung 25 years ago in a demo project and have found 1965 copper pennies stacked behind hinges (that was cool).  I have also used strips of metal, plastic, wood, and cardboard.  Some Door Hardware Institute members feel you can not use cardboard behind hinges on fire rated door but I do not agree.   After you install a cardboard shim between a steel hinge prep.  and a steel hinge and after its pressed with the screws it can’t burn very well and by the time it does I’m sure it will not matter. 

To shim a door away (OUT) from the latch you should place the shim toward the back of the hinge.

To shim a door toward (IN) the latch you should place the shim toward the front of the hinge.

You can combine these techniques by moving the top hinge one way and the bottom the other to increase the effect.  Or you can shim all three hinges in one direction to move the entire door one way.  Any way you go this information is an important tool for the adjustment of doors and has proven invaluable to door installers everywhere.

Steven Seigler

Seigler Corp.