Common Question on Saloon Door Installation

Tips and Trick to make installing your saloon door fast and easy! 

How hard is it to install saloon doors?

Installing saloon doors can be done by DIYers or professional contractors. We offer videos and tutorials to help with the installation process. The commercial grade spring hinges are a little more difficult than the gravity hinges. We recommend that you read the alignment blog before installation. The alignment of the doors is one of the trickier parts of the installation, see more tips below on alignment.

How long will it take to install saloon doors?

Installation time for a set of our custom made doors, made to fit your opening should take about 30 mins to 1 hour to complete. This will depend on the skill of the installer and the hardware purchased.

What do you recommend knowing before starting the installation?

We recommend watching some videos of installing saloon doors, the installation process is different from a traditional door installation. We also recommend reading and understanding the alignment process of saloon doors and reading this article to understand the best steps in installing swinging saloon doors.

Can anyone install saloon doors?

Yes, for sure this can be a DIY project from start to finish if you like. With some basic tools and skills, you can install the doors yourself.

How do you align a set of saloon doors?

Alignment of double swinging doors starts at installation. Not all doorways are straight and perfect but having double saloon doors out of alignment can be noticeable. Following this alignment suggestion for double saloon doors only, aligned the doors to each other for the best visual appearance. Install one saloon door, square and plum to the door jamb. Do not measure from the door jamb and measure to install the second door. The second door installation is really determined by the first installed door on a set of double swinging doors and will need to be aligned directly across from the first door. See all the additional instructions and detailed photos here.

How to fix alignment issues on installed saloon doors?

The alignment of saloon doors varies on the hinges that you have. For most hinges, you will need to use shims if the doors do not align perfectly after installation. For perfect alignment, that start at installation.

Where is the best place to place the doors in my opening?

The best placement for swinging doors will depend on the overall height of the doors and doorway. For a standard 80” tall opening, doors over 48” tall we recommend installed in the middle of the opening. For a 60” tall door, the gap at the top and bottom would be 10” if the doors were installed in the middle of the opening. For doors under 48” tall, we recommend 20” off the floor. Full length custom saloon doors made for the opening will be installed according to the hardware gaps,

Which hardware is easiest to install?

The gravity hinges offer easier installation. Follow the instructions to ensure the proper spacing for the hinges. Spacing on double-action hinges is key to a successful installation. All measure twice to ensure accurate measurements.

Why does the door fall on the hinges?

Gravity hinges offer a hold open feature which is a great feature. The top pivot will need to rise to allow the hold open to engage properly. When installing the door measure carefully… the top pivot must be engaged properly to ensure a secure installation. If there is too much space the top pivot only engages slightly and then if the door is swung fast, it could fall off the hinge. Measure twice to ensure accurate measurement for this step.

My doors are installed but do not meet in the middle?

First, check the alignment of the doors. Again, for the best alignment, you need to align the doors to each other, not to the door opening. See the above questions for more information on alignment. Is the hardware able to swing correctly?

How large are the gaps on swinging saloon doors?

The gaps vary depending on the hardware selected. There are gaps on all swinging doors, butt hinges, single action hinges, and double action hinges. The difference between butt hinges and double action hinges is there is no doorstop to hide the gaps. The gaps are generally small. For the smallest overall gap with swinging saloon-style doors, we recommend commercial grade gravity hinges. For full length swinging doors, we recommend the commercial grade horizontal spring pivot hinge for function and small gaps, the door will be around 1” shorter than the overall door opening size. These gaps will allow the doors to swing in either direction and the hinges will return the doors to the center. The center gap is around ¼”.

Why does the center gap vary in width?

The center gap will vary if the door opening size varies. We recommend shimming out the hinges to make the center gap uniform.

How do I make the gap in the middle smaller?

The gap between the doors should range from ¼” to 3/8”. The gap can vary depending on the overall door opening size and if the door opening size varies. You can shim the doors slightly, but we would recommend keeping a ¼” gap between the doors.