Static Caravan Door Hinges? Top 99 Best Answers

A caravan door is usually around 80 cm wide, but this can vary depending on the caravan model. It is important to check the width of the door before buying a caravan as some models may be too wide for your driveway or garage. If you are not sure whether your caravan will fit, it is best to measure the width of the door before you buy it.

The dimensions of the caravan door are the visible outside width minus the thickness of a rubber sealing strip around the opening. A caravan is classified as a commercial vehicle, so strict guidelines apply to the maximum width allowed on roads and in places such as car parks.

The Department for Transport’s UK maximum dimensions for caravans on the road document states that the width of a caravan, including mirrors, must not exceed 2.55 metres. This is reduced to 2.45 meters when the caravan is towing a vehicle.

If you plan to use your caravan at a campsite or rest area it is important to ensure your door size will allow you access to the site. Most campgrounds have van-sized bays about two meters wide, but some may be narrower or even larger depending on site policy. You can use the website to check whether the websites are accessible to vans before booking.

The size of your caravan also depends on how many people you live with. If you intend to use it as a permanent home, choose a larger size than if you are using it as an extra room or for weekend camping trips.

Finally, consider the interior of your caravan and adjust the door width accordingly. You don’t want to be restricted by a small door when moving around your caravan.

What are caravan doors made of?

Caravan doors are usually made of aluminum or stainless steel. Sometimes there can be a wooden outer door with an aluminum inner for insulation purposes, but that depends on the model.

Why should you consider the door width of a caravan?

It is best to consider the caravan door width before buying a new or used caravan. The width of the door affects how easily you can get in and out of the caravan, as well as the size of the furniture you can bring inside. It is also important to ensure that the door width matches the width of your caravan’s campsite access points.

How wide is a static caravan door?

A typical static caravan door width is approximately 28 inches, however this may vary by model. However, the dimensions may vary depending on the type and age of the caravan.

In an RV, replacing or repairing doors can help the structure retain its structural integrity and visual appeal. Measures must be taken to ensure the correct installation of doors in a motorhome before they are installed.

The dimensions of a mobile home door are not the same as those of a traditional house. Because there are so many different styles and designs of RV doors, appropriate measurements must be gathered before remodeling the space.

How do you take a door frame off a caravan and replace the front door?

Replacing caravan front doors is an interesting process because although it may seem simple on the surface, it is quite complicated and there are numerous opportunities for error.

Remove the inner finishing strips and unscrew the old door.

Cut the frame and then remove it.

Reroute all cables and strip the insulation

Measure the opening to fit the new door

Cut out the opening with a jigsaw and insert wood so the door can be screwed in

Glue the door frame to fit the new door

Can you fit french doors to a static caravan?

With static caravans it is almost impossible to retrofit an external French door. The exterior openings in a stationary caravan are limited by the width of the opening and its height from the ground.

To fit a French door you would need to redecorate a room in your stationary caravan and do some major work on the caravan walls which would most likely provide significant structural support.

This is possible, but would require significant modifications. If you are interested in pursuing this project further, you should consult an expert to help you realize your vision.

How to measure doors in a static caravan

Measure the opening in the wall. View the room as if the door had been removed entirely, then measure the opening from wall to wall. This measurement serves as a basic guide for measuring the circumference of the door. You do not measure the outside door frame as RV door frames vary by manufacturer.

Check that the static caravan door is the same as the outward-moving door. Measure the full opening from the inside of the house for an outward opening door. Because RV doors can only be measured in increments of 2 inches high and 2 inches wide, the total opening measurement is the best estimate for door replacement.

Check that your motorhome’s door opening is normal sized. The most common size of an RV door is 32 inches by 76 inches.

Older motorhomes made before 1980 have slightly smaller doors. The standard door size ranges from 32 to 72 inches.

Check whether the door can be combined with a storm door and swing to the desired standard door hinge centre. Measure the entire opening as you would for a traditional outward-opening door. Also include the door frame when measuring the inside of the opening.

When combining door measurements, remember to consider the timber frame. The wood frame on both sides and the top and bottom of the door is approximately 1/2 inch thicker than the metal frame that generally accompanies a standard that opens out of the door.

summary

The width of a caravan door is around 70-80 cm, which means that it is 20 cm wider than a normal door. Caravan doors are made of steel and you should be aware that this material is a good conductor of heat.

Before buying a caravan, you should check the width of the door. Replacing caravan front doors is an interesting process because although it may seem simple on the surface, it is quite complicated and there are numerous opportunities for error.

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Over time, houses will begin to “settle down” and things may change slightly. This is often the case with doors. Whether your door is rubbing against the frame, closing by itself, dragging along the floor, or has a large gap when closing, adjusting the door hinges can usually fix door problems. Here, our door repair experts will show you four options:

Add a long screw:

Use your screwdriver to loosen the center screw on the top hinge. Remove the screw and replace it with a long 3 inch screw. Make sure you drive the screw into the frame. This should change the gap at the top of the door as well as on the opposite side.

Bend the hinge:

Place a nail set between the hinge plate and the hinge roller and hold it in place. Slowly pull the door to the closed position. (The nail set should widen the gap.) Remove the hinge pin. Using your wrench, slowly bend the knuckles on the door side toward the door handle to close the gap. Replace the hinge pin.

Cut away the groove:

Using your screwdriver, remove all three screws on the hinge plate that attaches to the door frame. Remove the plate and note where it made an impression in the frame. Use a pencil to trace the imprint. Cut along the pencil line with your utility knife to make the groove larger to accommodate the hinge plate. Use a small chisel to remove the excess wood so your plate will sit flat. Reattach your hinge plate.

Reposition hinge:

Hinges are the essential hardware that allow doors to pivot on an edge when opening and closing. They can be found on virtually every door in a house, from the main front door to the door on the medicine cabinet in the bathroom to the gate on a country fence. Hinges are also found on a variety of storage boxes, ornamental boxes, and other decorative containers. There are many different types of hinges designed for different uses. Some are robust pieces of hardware that must support the heavy weight of a large front door that opens and closes thousands of times over the door’s lifespan. Other hinges are found on decorative items and are only used occasionally, but they must match the style of a chest or cabinet.

There are hundreds of styles and variations of hinges, but here are the 10 main categories you should know about.

butt hinges

Butt hinges are the most common type of hinges used on entry and passage doors and some cabinet doors. The hinge consists of two wing panels, one anchored to the edge of the door and the other anchored to the jamb. The wing panels come together and are hidden between the door and frame when the door is closed, so that only the barrel of the hinge is visible, which contains a pin that holds the hinge’s wing panels together. This type of hinge is also known as a mortise hinge because the two wing panels are recessed into notches cut into the edge of the door and jamb. Roller hinges are usually made of steel for indoor use; Exterior doors and exterior applications require stainless steel.

Flush hinges

A butt strap is a special form of butt strap where one wing panel fits into a cutout in the other mounting panel. Therefore, only one groove needs to be cut in the door or door frame, providing a space-saving technique. It is usually used for light doors, e.g. B. on cupboards or decorative boxes.

spring hinges

A spring hinge is another variant of the roller hinge, where the wing plates are equipped with spring metal, which causes the hinge to close automatically. On large doors they are often installed in groups of three to provide sufficient closing force for the door

strap hinges

Unlike barrel hinges, a ribbon hinge has wing panels that are fully exposed when the door is closed. One wing is attached to the front of the door on the swing side, the other wing is attached to the front of the housing. This type of hinge is commonly used for utility applications such as shed and garage doors, although decorative hinges are also available for ornamental boxes and chests. A less common form of strap hinge is known as a T-hinge, in which one of the straps is concealed in a groove on the inside of the post.

butterfly hinges

A butterfly hinge is a variation of the strap hinge with leaf plates decoratively shaped to resemble the wings of a butterfly. They are always plastered. Often made of brass or some other decorative metal, they are most commonly used for decorative boxes or cabinets.

gate hinges

This is another variant of the ribbon hinge, but here the wing panels are different sizes. In a gate hinge, a wing panel is narrow and is intended to be anchored to the front of a gate post. The other leaf plate is a long extension anchored to the horizontal rail of a wooden gate.

barrel hinges

A barrel hinge is a special type of hidden hinge typically used for light duty applications such as B. Hinges on doors for small cabinets and chests. It owes its name to the two-cylinder pins embedded in the edge of the door and the frame. A hinge connection between the pins pivots to allow the door to open and close.

piano hinges

A piano hinge, also called a continuous hinge, is a long hinge designed to provide continuous support along the length of a door. It is typically used for lids on large chests or toy boxes – or the lid of a piano, the application that gave this hinge its name. Piano hinges can either be mortised into the lid and frame to be concealed when the lid is closed, or they can be surface mounted as a ribbon hinge type.

pivot hinges

A pivot hinge is commonly used for overlay cabinet doors or entertainment centers where one arm of the hinge mounts to the inside frame of the door and the other arm mounts to the inside surface of the cabinet. A single pivot allows the hinge to open and close. These hinges are usually sold in pairs, with one installed at the bottom of a door and a mirrored hinge at the top. Cafe doors use a different type of rotary hinge.

Euro style hinges

A Euro-style hinge is a special form of rotary hinge used on overlay doors where the hinges are completely concealed. On some styles, one panel of the hinge includes a recess that mortises into the door. The other half of the hinge is mounted on the side panel of the cabinet. When closed, the hinge pivot mechanism fits into the groove, allowing the door to sit perfectly flush with the cabinet frame.

Flush Door Hinges (2 Products)

Flush hinges are small lightweight fasteners ideal for lightweight doors and furniture. These flush hinge fittings are quick and easy to install with no need for a recess to insert the fastener. They are the ideal fastening to close gaps between door and frame. The carefully selected range offers different sizes to choose from.

2 types of continuous hinges

Full length hinges are manufactured to fit the full height of the door. They can support heavier doors and last much longer than traditional mortise or butt hinges. Because full-length hinges run the full height of the door, the weight of the door is distributed over the full height of the frame, reducing stress on the hinge. Full-length hinges ensure smooth operation in high-traffic and high-traffic areas. They are commonly used on front doors for shops and stores and other high traffic applications, or for oversized doors that are taller or wider than normal.

There are two main types of continuous hinges.

Continuous aluminum gear hinges

Aluminum toothed hinges are made from extruded aluminum with small toothed teeth. A cover is also made to enclose and protect the serrated portion of the hinge, giving a clean look. The gears move together when the door is opened, allowing the door to open and close smoothly. Gear Hinges are available in basic finishes such as clear aluminum or dark bronze. Because these hinges are made from anodized aluminum, they can be used on both interior and exterior doors and frames. Aluminum gear hinges can support doors weighing hundreds of pounds as well as standard door weights. These hinges are often available for fire rated openings.

Continuous pin and barrel hinges

Pin and barrel hinges are usually made of steel or stainless steel. They have a long barrel and pin that run the full height of the hinge. This type of hinge is often referred to as a “piano hinge”. These hinges may include a hinge leaf that wraps around the edge of the door (as shown below) and acts as an edge protector for the hinged side of the door. Similar to the gear hinges, the pin and barrel hinges support much heavier doors than standard hinges.

Installation options for continuous hinges

The term “full mortise” in relation to continuous hinges is a misnomer as the door is not actually mortised or prepared to receive the continuous hinges. The size of the door must be considered when choosing which hinge to use. Continuous hinges can also replace worn out old hinges. A “full face” hinge may work better than a fully embedded hinge because the hinge leaves are installed on the front of the frame and the front of the door. There are also options for half slotted or half surface hinges.

When installing continuous hinges, they are first mounted on the door and then on the frame. The hinge size is ordered equal to the nominal height of the door minus 1 inch. So if we have a door that is 84″ high (7 feet), we order the hinge as 83″. This dimension takes into account the undercut of the door and the typical play at the top of the door in the frame.

If you have questions about continuous hinges or additional options not mentioned here, you can call Beacon CDL and speak to a sales representative to find available solutions.

How to Adjust PVC Doors to Stop Drafts It is common for PVC doors to become misaligned when screws, latches and hinges become loose from constant or excessive use. To fix the problem, you need to adjust the door latch so that the lock sits firmly in the latch and pulls the door tight into the frame.

To secure a PVC door against drafts, you can adjust the latch or hinges so that the door fits better in the frame. If your PVC door is loose in the frame, it will rattle when you pull the handle. You can also feel drafts by running your hand over the edge of the door frame.

Alternatively, if your door closes in the frame but does not catch the latch, you may need to decrease the door’s compression by increasing the gap between the door and frame.

There are two ways to do this. You can adjust the strike plate by loosening the screws in the plate and door frame and sliding towards the entrance of the door to make the fit tighter. Or by sliding towards the inside of the house to loosen the fit to allow the latch to engage the strike plate. Test and tweak to get a perfect fit by turning the screws and closing the door to test the fit.

The other option is to adjust the compression screw as shown above.

How to adjust a fallen PVC door that’s dragging on the floor

This setting works best on a door that is sunken towards the handle side and not the hinge side.

Use an Allen key on the screw on the door side of the hinge.

Begin the adjustment with the door closed.

Turn 1-2 turns clockwise and then test if it still grinds.

Adjust the hinges until you get a smooth opening and closing.

Test and tweak to get a perfect fit by turning the screws and closing the door to test the fit.

The other option is to adjust the compression screw as shown above.

How to adjust the height of the PVC door If the door has fallen or needs to be mounted higher (or lower) in the frame, you can adjust the screw that controls the vertical movement of the hinge.

Use an Allen wrench and start with 1-2 full turns and then tweak from there.

How to set the compression

If the door is off the frame in the top or bottom corner, you can tighten the fit by turning the pressure adjustment screw.

Select the compression adjustment screw, usually the bottom screw, and use an Allen wrench to make adjustments.

Use an Allen wrench and start with 1-2 full turns and then tweak from there.

How to adjust a PVC door hinge from side to side

I have adjusted the hinges but the door is still not aligned

If you adjusted the hinges but the door doesn’t fit, there may be a problem with the hinges. In this case you can either try to replace the hinges or contact your original supplier to see if the door is still under warranty.

We recommend only replacing your hinges with the original supplier to ensure a perfect fit.

It is worth noting that a poorly aligned or poorly installed gate will shorten the life of the gate through additional wear and tear.

Aside from that, a poorly installed door creates drafts and decreases the energy efficiency of your home.

Replacing caravan front doors is an interesting task as it seems very simple on the surface, however it is quite complicated and there are many opportunities to go wrong. In theory, anyone could do it – you don’t need any qualifications to work on the door, as you do with gas or 240V electricity.

1. UNSCREW AND REMOVE THE OLD DOOR

The first component of this work is the disassembly of the original door, beginning with removing the door from the frame at the hinges.

2. REMOVE INTERNAL CLOSING STRIPS

Then the inner door frame cover can be removed by first removing its decorative covering strips, then the frame cover itself can be unscrewed from the wall and removed.

3. CUT THROUGH THE FRAME

The glued-in frame must then be cut out of the door opening with a cutter knife. Most of the glue can be cut through on the inside.

4. REMOVE FRAME

Then carefully pry the door out of the opening from outside the van.

5. REMOVE INSULATION AND ROUTE WIRE

With the old frame removed, you can start preparing the opening for the new door. First you need to check the wiring to make sure it’s recessed enough to not get damaged (or pinched by the new door frame or the screws that hold it in place) when cutting out the side panel for the new door. In this case, there were only wires at the front of the doorway (when carriage lighting is fitted, wires are often also routed at the back of the doorway).

The insulation between the inner and outer wall skin was trimmed back, allowing for not only the larger opening we wanted to cut, but also the timber that would later be glued in to secure the new door.

6. MEASURE THE OPENING TO FIT THE NEW DOOR

Now for the hardest part of this job – measuring exactly how much of the side panel needs to be cut out. Of course you don’t want to get this part of the job wrong because if you cut out too much or don’t get the cut straight you’ll have at best unsightly caulk between the frame and side panel and at worst have to make some sort of gasket around the gap cover the frame. The new door was 21mm wider and 15mm taller and not quite square. This meant measurements had to be checked and rechecked. Additionally, a cardboard template was made of the top and bottom of the new door to ensure the radii we wanted to cut for the new door were correct.

Then it was time to put a few layers of tape around the door opening so the outer wall skin would not be damaged when the new opening was cut with the jigsaw. Then the intersection lines were marked from measurements we had already taken.

7. USE A JIGSAW TO CUT THE APERTURE

This is the point of no return, so careful review of all measurements is vital. We took our time with this step, slowly going through the measurements we had calculated several times. We checked the cut lines we marked on the masking tape with our calculations. The new door opening was then cut with an electric jigsaw. While using a jigsaw is quicker and easier than a hand-held saw, you can still make the cut wrong if you’re not careful. A slow, steady cut – making sure you don’t stray from the marked cutting line – will ensure your cut is straight (or a neat curve, depending). Don’t rush it or you’ll find that your new doorway is slightly wavy.

8. INSERT WOOD SO THE DOOR CAN BE SCREWED IN

With the new opening cut, it’s time for a quick trial assembly with the new door. A tool like the Dremel can be used to sand out areas that are cut out that are too narrow – hopefully the cut will be just right like ours. Since the new door is both glued in place and screwed on the front and back, pieces of wood have to be glued in between the inner and outer skin so that the retaining screws have something to bite on. The insulation is cut out a little more to make room for the wood, which is then glued.

The tape used to mark the cut is now removed and the opening cleaned, removing any residue, and the cutout is quickly wiped with wax and grease remover around the outer perimeter to ensure a good seal.

9. GLUING THE DOOR FRAME

Now the outer frame of the new door is coated with polyurethane adhesive and the door fitted into the opening in the caravan wall. To hold the door securely in place while the glue cures, holes are drilled around the new door frame and then screws are installed. The excess glue is removed from around the frame and the door is left overnight to allow the glue to cure.

10. INSTALL THE NEW DOOR

The door can be finished with the adhesive set. Adhesive is applied to the inner door opening as an additional barrier between the inside and the wall cavity, then a T-shape finishing strip is attached to the inner door frame to conceal the joint. Heat is applied with a heat gun to prevent the T-shape from curling at the corners of the door frame. Instead of the previously used fastening screws on the outer door frame, matching white rivets are now mounted. These help secure the door in place, but their main purpose is to give the exposed door frame a neater finish. Finally, use a pencil to mark the sides of the outer door frame so that when you install the screws on the front and back of the frame, the frame is pulled evenly. The screws are fitted and the pencil marks wiped away. A final check is then carried out to ensure that the door does not get caught on the frame and whether it engages and locks correctly.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Philip Herr

Phil is a long-time tow tester and former owner of a 1979 Viscount Grand Tourer, which he restored before selling to make way for his next project: a mid-1980’s Windsor windbreaker.

Phil has been a car writer for more than 20 years. He has covered most automotive and technical subjects throughout his media career, contributing to such famous magazines as Caravan World, Camper Trailer Australia, Wheels, 4X4 Australia and Motor.