Andersen French Door Latch Problem
Bob08889
11 years ago
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millworkman
11 years agoBob08889
11 years agoRelated Discussions
Sliding glass doors, or French doors opening outward - crossposte
Comments (30)marti8a- We have 2 sets of aluminum clad, low e, argon filled sliders and a set of the same outward opening french doors, all by Eagle (now owned by Andersen, but independent when we purchased them 8 years ago). They all operate easily, close securely and have no air infiltration, we are in NNY and have wind, cold and snow and have never had a problem. While I like the look of french doors better, we chose sliders in two our of three locations because we wanted screens on the doors, we don't have or want A/C, so screens are on the doors are a must for us. The one french door we have will someday open onto a small sunroom/conservatory (hopefully), that's why we chose a set of french doors in that area. Eagle, as well as the other well known manufacturers, have lots of options on the interior; primed, painted, stained, different wood species, hardware options, etc. We rented a house with vinyl sliders when we were building and I would not recommend them at all, they didn't work well, ice built up in the channels and the cold air poured in seemingly from the entire opening. I strongly prefer the wood interior and aluminum clad exterior, but overall I would get the best ones you can afford, good doors and windows pay for themselves in the form of lower energy costs. Good luck- sandyponder...See MoreProblems with Ultrex Wood outswing French doors
Comments (7)What a pleasant surprise. The Marvin Rep brought a laser level and tripod and very clearly showed me what the problem was. The laser projected exact level lines on the door and frame so you could see without a doubt how the doors lined up. These are French Outswing doors with fixed panels mulled on both sides. Turns out, Outswing doors are more sensitive to installation imperfections and the mulled panels prevent using screws in the jambs to help align the doors. The Marvin rep said the installation was not perfect, but most are not. He said it was more than adequate and focused more on the door itself and fixes than the installation. It also appeared that the door strikes may be off. Marvin recently changed these on this line of door (about 9 months ago according to the rep). One of the strikes had clearly been modified (made a little bigger), probably at the factory. The rep is contacting the Marvin factory for guidance, ordering new strikes and assured me that the problem would be corrected. His knowledge and the time he spent explaining things was outstanding. The laser level was an excellent way to evaluate the doors. Based on what I saw, new strikes will solve the problem. Here's a pic. 8' tall, 5'w french with mulled panels, flanked by fixed panels. The top windows are Marvin Ultimate...See MoreStaining pine on Andersen french doors
Comments (20)Ok, I'm going to stain my new Anderson sliding door. The sliding door itself is pine and the outer trim is oak. I had stain matched to the existing woodwork color. I have the pretreat conditioner and will apply it to the pine but not the oak correct? Wait 24 hours, sand with 400 paper?? Wipe with tack cloth. Apply stain, let dry 24 hours, sand again??? I bought Waterlux as my final finish. I also read the thread that said to fill the nail holes AFTER I do the staining. I can not find the powder to mix with the stain to fill the nail holes. What do I do with those??? There are a LOT of them. I'm very nervous about ruining this expensive door and appreciate any feedback on what I've outlined. Can I use the foam brushes or should I use my good Purdy brushes??? I could also wipe all of this on. Can I tape the glass to avoid getting the waterlux or other stuff on it? Should I tape off the oak and stain the pine sliding door 1st?...See MoreWood French or In swing Casement! Kolbe, Andersen or Marvin?
Comments (9)In-swing casement lover here. Well, "infatuated with inswing casements" is closer to the truth, since I have yet to actually have experience with them, lol. My rationale for them.... (1) Here in the US South, we have bugs. Lots of bugs. Big-as-Texas bugs. Naturally, we need bug screens if we want to open our windows and keep the little devils outside, where they won't meet an untimely demise via a rolled up newspaper. The thought of bug screens on the *inside* of the window (the logical solution for out-swing casements) doesn't appeal to some folks. ....Although, I reckon they'll appeal quite well to some cats.... And retractable screens can get a wee bit pricey. So, bug screen outside = great argument in support of in-swings. (2) I'm short, with a proportionate arm span. It's much easier for me to clean windows if they swing *into* the house, where I can use a step stool instead of a ladder. Because cleaning birdie doo doo *outside* (while precariously hovering above rose bushes) is NOT fun. (3) In-swings, when opened, won't disturb the herbs and flowers in the window boxes. :-D (4) I very much love drapery. Fabric is just so lovely. Who needs tie backs when a 180* in-swing casement can pin the curtains against the wall? Granted, I haven't yet figured out how to do blinds with 'em... Outside-mount, maybe, and string 'em up high prior to opening the window? Or are blinds a complete no-go with in-swings? (5) They're just... I dunno... romantic? In-swing casements on the inside, with real working shutters on the outside. Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh.... Anyhow, I'd love to have the same info that Miss Angel is looking for, since my own (non-professional, therefore fairly limited) research has led me to Marvin and Kolbe as well. Which are probably great options, but it's always nice to feel like I've considered every option available when it comes to house stuff....See MoreBob08889
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