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Repairing an old Van Buren


Rebecca Williams

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8 minutes ago, havanaholly said:

If those are original wallpapers and are in any good condition, they are lovely.

So funny thing about the wallpapers... the red birds on the pic is actually one that was in my childhood home growing up but in browns. I about died when I saw it and ordered it! The sweet calico on the other side is what my mom used when she made this dollhouse for me. Unfortunately it was all but ruined except for in the closets. BUT!!! I found this original on eBay so truly feel like I’ve restored original parts to my house. 

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If you're at all handy & so inclined, I use 1/4" x 1/8" strip wood to make a box to fit snugly into the door opening (stain or paint the sides & inside to match the frame) and shave the door (or make a new one) to fit the box, put the door & box into a bench vise & gently hammer a pin at least halfway into the corner of the box & door on the side you want it to open from, clip off the rest of the pin and push it in flush with the outside of the box and glue it into the door opening.

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10 hours ago, Sable said:

Personally I would pin hinge them to the top frame and the floor. You would have to remove the top frame in order to do this.

So I tried this and it’s splitting the door. Guess I’m not doing it right. Can you advise on the fed ex mailer and how that works?

well... another day fooling with these doors to no avail. Holly I don’t have the patience at this point to redo as your suggestion would require me to do. Although would probably be most efficient long term. I’m headed into town tomorrow to search for a hinge that just shows on the outside of the door. Not the style I was looking for but I gotta press on and make some headway or I’m gonna lose my mind! 

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To pin hinge. Take two thicker pins like an upholstery pin. Cut the ends to 1/4” with needle nose plyers.  Predrill a hole with another uncut pin on the top and bottom of the door and on the floor and your removed header trim. With needle nose plyers insert the cut pin straight into the predrilled  holes on the door. Insert the bottom part of the door into the floor. Insert the top part of the door into the header trim. Glue the top header trim back to the wall. 

 

I doubt you’ll find a hinge that small. And those little buggers never stay put unless applied with absolute perfection. Tyvek requires sandwiching between two parts of the door which you don’t have. If you put a piece of trim on the door and sandwich it that way it should work. I’ll try to do a mock-up for you after dinner.

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25 minutes ago, Sable said:

To pin hinge. Take two thicker pins like an upholstery pin. Cut the ends to 1/4” with needle nose plyers.  Predrill a hole with another uncut pin on the top and bottom of the door and on the floor and your removed header trim. With needle nose plyers insert the cut pin straight into the predrilled  holes on the door. Insert the bottom part of the door into the floor. Insert the top part of the door into the header trim. Glue the top header trim back to the wall. 

 

I doubt you’ll find a hinge that small. And those little buggers never stay put unless applied with absolute perfection. Tyvek requires sandwiching between two parts of the door which you don’t have. If you put a piece of trim on the door and sandwich it that way it should work. I’ll try to do a mock-up for you after dinner.

Why is this challenging me so much? I am beyond frustrated when I think of what I’ve been able to do to this point. I can’t do anything else until I get these doors on. 

Thank you so much for trying to help me. 

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3 minutes ago, Sable said:

They also have a nice assortment of new front doors:

https://www.miniatures.com/Auburn-Door-P27489.aspx

So as you know I’m restoring the house my mom made me 40+ years ago so first I love the front doors so I want to keep them. I’ve also already repainted all the trim around all doors, wallpapered, restained floors and any trimming she stained as well as the doors. The thought of messing especially the wallpaper up by replacing is awful.

So by purchasing new doors and frames I eliminate hanging  the doors I have? 

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I see your point. Tyvek will only work if you remove the side trim and you don’t want to do that because of potential damage to the wallpaper. Pin hinge requires removing the top trim and that’s a no-go to.  With the hinges you have can you try crazy glue and see if you can find the correct sized nails for added support?

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I’m sure it isn’t a disaster, it just feels that way. Take a break from it for a days. As Kathie or Holly always say, “It’s not a race”. In a few days you will wake up in the middle of the night with a solution and all will be well.

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1 hour ago, Rebecca Williams said:

I watched a tutorial with fabric and a pin and I’m wondering if I removed one side of trim and glued one side under the trim and the other to the door edge if that would work 

Personally, I don’t think the glue will hold it permanently. It needs to be sandwiched in between the door. Most of Greenleaf’s doors are two pieces-a front and a back so you can sandwich something between them.

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