How do I adjust my uPVC doors?Updated an hour ago

How to adjust the hinges on my uPVC door.pdf4.3MB

Over time, uPVC doors can naturally drop or become slightly misaligned due to regular use and seasonal expansion. Our uPVC doors feature adjustable hinges, allowing you to fine-tune the door’s height, lateral position and compression to ensure a smooth close and a secure seal.

Our step-by-step guide explains how to safely adjust your hinges using standard tools, helping you correct common issues such as catching, gaps or difficulty locking.

You can download the full PDF guide using the above link for detailed instructions or reading through the below.

uPVC Door Adjustment Guide for Log Cabins

Timber is a natural material and will move over time as it responds to changes in temperature and moisture. As a log cabin settles, expands, or contracts, this movement can affect openings such as doors and windows.

uPVC frames are far more dimensionally stable than timber, but they can still experience minor thermal expansion and contraction. Because uPVC doors and windows are fixed into a timber structure, any movement in the cabin itself is usually more noticeable at these rigid openings, which can cause doors or windows to appear out of square.

This guide provides a clear, step-by-step process to diagnose the cause and correctly realign the doors if required.

Important First Point - How the Doors Are Supplied

All uPVC doors are pre-fitted into the frame at the factory. Before dispatch, each door set is:

Squared within the frame;
Heeled and toed;
Checked for correct operation.

What does heeled and toed mean?

Heeling and toeing is a glazing technique used to keep doors square and prevent them from dropping over time.

Small glazing packers are placed diagonally inside the door sash;
These transfer the weight of the glass to the hinge side of the frame;
This ensures the door remains square, level, and properly supported.

Because of this process, the doors leave us square and correctly aligned. If the doors appear out of square once installed, it almost always indicates an issue with the base or cabin construction, rather than the doors themselves.

Why Base and Build Accuracy Matters

Even a small discrepancy in the base can have a noticeable impact on door alignment.

For example:

A difference of just 2-5mm across the base can twist the cabin structure;
This twist transfers directly into the door opening;
The result is doors that appear to drop, bind, or show uneven gaps.

uPVC doors are rigid and manufactured square. Timber cabins, however, will reflect any inaccuracies in the base or wall alignment.

Step 1 – Check the Cabin Walls and Door Frame

Before adjusting hinges, always confirm the structure is correct.

Check walls are vertical (plumb)

Use a spirit level on both sides of the door opening;
Check internally and externally;
Ensure walls have not leaned in or out.

Check the door frame is square

Measure diagonally from top left to bottom right of the frame;
Measure from top right to bottom left;
If both measurements are the same, the frame is square.

If these measurements differ, the door frame needs adjusting.

Step 2 – Squaring the Door Frame (Most Common Fix)

If the frame is not square, this is the primary method for resolving door alignment issues.

How to adjust the door frame

Locate the fascia boards around the door internally and externally
Carefully remove or loosen only the OUTERfascia screws
- ⚠️ Do not remove the inner screws;
- Removing inner screws may cause the door frame to fall out;
Once the outer screws are loosened, the frame can be gently adjusted.

Why this works

Behind the fascias, there is a small tolerance gap around the door frame. This gap is intentionally designed to:

Allow for natural timber expansion and contraction;
Enable minor adjustment during installation;
Allow the frame to be squared if the cabin settles.

Best practice

Temporarily remove the doors from the frame before adjusting;
Square the frame using diagonal measurements;
Once square, re-secure the outer fascia screws;
Refit the doors.

This step resolves the majority of door alignment issues.

Step 3 – Additional Checks

Base level

Run a spirit level across the full width of the base
Check across the door threshold specifically;
Even a few millimetres of variation can affect door operation.

Walls plumb (final confirmation)

Re-check vertical walls after frame adjustment;
Ensure nothing has shifted during installation.

Log gapping

Log cabins naturally settle and logs can sometimes open small gaps as they dry and move. This can place stress on door and window openings and cause frames to move out of square.

Check for visible gaps between logs around door and window openings;
If log gapping is present, remove the outer screws only on all window and door fascias, both internally and externally, to allow the structure to relax;
Loosen storm braces slightly if fitted, ensuring they are not restricting natural movement;
Check for any internal or external fixtures or fittings that may be tying logs together and preventing normal settlement.

Once the cabin has been allowed to settle correctly, the frames can then be re-squared and fascias re-secured

Step 4 – Final Fine Tuning: Hinge Adjustment

Once the base, walls, and frame are confirmed correct, any remaining minor alignment issues can usually be resolved with hinge adjustment.

Quantum Hinge – On Site Adjustment

The Quantum hinge system is fully 3D adjustable, allowing adjustment: