I said earlier that all my old doors had hinges on the boarded side. There is one, however with the hinges on the ledges, but this is set into an opening such that the catch is on the wall rather than the door frame. This works fine when you've got a nice thick wall, but not with a standard door frame.
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worms
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This has been an interesting thread and I wonder if there are regional variations around the UK? I can only think of two ledged doors that I have known that had the hinge on the boarded side and these were both doors to outside sheds/privvies on victorian properties where the size of the room made opening inwards impossible. This is obviously at odds with the comments by Penners et al that the hinges are invariably on the boarded side!
In fact yesterday I was in a ruined artisanal property where all the doors were ledged and were of about three or four different constructions but all opened inwards to the ledged side.
In fact yesterday I was in a ruined artisanal property where all the doors were ledged and were of about three or four different constructions but all opened inwards to the ledged side.
Andrew Bodenham
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The problems of getting the latch aligned with the frame when fitting hinges onto ledges is easily overcome by fitting the latch through the middle ledge. This gets the latch and hinges lying in one plane.
I have seen both methods of hanging usd in "authentically old" properties, and it seems to be a matter of function and personal preference as to which way round the door is faced.
If it works and you're happy with it that's good enough. Then go photograph a suitable historical precedent to wave at those who would tell you you've got it wrong.
I have seen both methods of hanging usd in "authentically old" properties, and it seems to be a matter of function and personal preference as to which way round the door is faced.
If it works and you're happy with it that's good enough. Then go photograph a suitable historical precedent to wave at those who would tell you you've got it wrong.
All my doors are ledged (3 ledges) with old penny end strap hinges and Suffolk type latches. The hinges are all on the ledged side, on the top and bottom ledges. This follows what was originally in the house, and is the same as virtually all ledged doors I have seen (certainly in Wales). I would find it very strange to mount hinges on the planks on the reverse - the ledge is the strongest and safest place to attach them and, to my mind at least, looks aesthetically better as well as helping brace the door structure. I have seen hinges on the front, but they were often external doors with more decorative ironwork. Interior cottage doors (not grand places) seem to have had plain fronts with plain strap hinges on the back.
The only problem I found was on one door with a wider door jamb, and I had to put a block under the latch on the reverse to make it line up with the catch - it means the lever is a little short on the reverse, but it works (in the past, the local blacksmith would have made the latches and would have made a longer lever to fit).
The only problem I found was on one door with a wider door jamb, and I had to put a block under the latch on the reverse to make it line up with the catch - it means the lever is a little short on the reverse, but it works (in the past, the local blacksmith would have made the latches and would have made a longer lever to fit).
Penners
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worms said:
I agree. It's also been a thread that has highlighted the difficulties of dealing with a topic like this through the written word. If we'd all been having a pint down at the pub, a pencil stub and a fag packet would have made it all clear within a few minutes.
Oops - I forgot that you can't find fag packets in pubs these days!
worms
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I agree about the difficulty in describing all this with words. The thread also serves to highlight the complexity of a very simple construction that we never really study until the question is asked!
I chickened out of trying to describe the construction of one of the doors I was looking at yesterday - it looked like a standard ledged door but had uprights on both sides (stiles?) but not along top and bottom (so not completely framed), the ledges were joined to the uprights by mitred halving joints (to give a very good dove-tail type finish) before the planking was laid on top. Wish I had been able to take photos! And all this on an internal door in a fisherman's bothy!
Maybe we need a ledged door photo gallery along the lines of Biff's windows site?
I chickened out of trying to describe the construction of one of the doors I was looking at yesterday - it looked like a standard ledged door but had uprights on both sides (stiles?) but not along top and bottom (so not completely framed), the ledges were joined to the uprights by mitred halving joints (to give a very good dove-tail type finish) before the planking was laid on top. Wish I had been able to take photos! And all this on an internal door in a fisherman's bothy!
Maybe we need a ledged door photo gallery along the lines of Biff's windows site?
Penners
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Penners
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Penners
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Not the sun's fault, Middi. When I clicked the "submit" button the website went to sleep - so I tried again.
Actually, maybe it is the sun's fault after all - overheated gremlins.
Actually, maybe it is the sun's fault after all - overheated gremlins.
biffvernon
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There are a pair of hinges like that but slightly larger on a very old plank and ledge door in my house. The hinges are on the planks not the ledges (there wouldn't be room) of the ledged side of the door. The door opens into the room with the ledges and hinges on the room side.