| Installing Cafe Doors |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-213 |
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Q: I'm looking for a way to help separate the kitchen from the dining room. I don't have enough room for a regular interior door. Do you have any suggestions? A: (Brad Staggs, Ask DIY Home Repair expert): How about cafe doors? They give you a sense of separation, but they don't block your line of sight. You can buy cafe doors at any millwork store. The heart of the system is what's known as a gravity hinge (figure A), which uses gravity to pull your doors closed automatically. The first installation step is attaching the appropriate halves of the gravity hinges to the doors. Read the chart that comes with the cafe doors to determine where you should place these pieces (which are essentially brackets) so they'll allow the door to swing properly (it's according to door and doorway size and the door's thickness). Start with the bracket that goes on top of the door. Put on safety glasses and then hold the bracket in place to predrill holes for the screws (figure B). Always use a drill bit that's slightly smaller than the diameter of the screw when you predrill. While you have the drill bit in place, drill the holes for the bottom bracket too. Then screw the brackets into the doors, making sure you place the plastic part of the mechanism properly. Next, attach the other halves of the gravity hinges to the sides of the doorway. Measure from the top of the doorway (the floor can yield uneven measurements) and mark where the brackets should go. Predrill for the screws and then screw in the doorway brackets (figure C). Then hang the cafe doors by matching the halves of the gravity hinges on the doors with the corresponding pieces on the doorway. That's all! More Questions for Brad:
Q: What is the best primer I can use on my semigloss walls that are stained with markers and crayons?
A: First, clean the walls with trisodium phosphate, a really strong solution that may remove some of the marker and crayon. If not, try lacquer thinner. Then use a stain-killing or maybe even mildew-resistant primer to cover the walls.
Q: When I turn on the dishwasher, it takes forever to fill up with water. How can I fix it to fill up faster like it used to? It's about 11 years old.
A: Probably your sprayers -- the little arms on the top and the bottom -- have mineral deposits. Clean the little holes on them with vinegar and a toothbrush. You could also have a problem with your supply line. Check underneath your kitchen sink and make sure your water supply is turned on all the way.
Q: When grouting a ceramic floor, does the tile have to be at a stable temperature for the grout to adhere? What's the ideal temperature?
A: Most important, make sure that you let the tile adhesive set for 24 hours before you grout. As long as the adhesive and the floor are room temperature, you'll be fine. Books: Carpentry: Remodeling: Framing and Installing Doors and Windows
By editors of Creative Publishing
ISBN: 0865737215
Creative Publishing
5900 Green Oak Dr.
Minnetonka, MN 55343
Phone: 800-328-0590 or 612-936-4700
Fax: 612-988-9108 Doors, Windows and Skylights: Selecting and Installing
By Roberto Lombardi, Jeff T. Williams
ISBN: 089721241X
Ortho Consumer Service
P.O. Box 1749
Columbus, OH 43216
Phone: 888-295-0671
Web site: www.ortho.com
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