What can I use instead of wood shims?

One advantage of plastic shims over wooden shims is that plastic is impervious to water. So, if you are shimming up cabinets or subflooring near sinks or other moist areas, plastic shims will be a better choice. Also, for any exterior work such as decks, siding, or roofing, you should use plastic shims.

What can I use for shims?

The most common shims are wood (often cut from cedar or pine) and serve well for almost any interior adjustment. Plastic shims are also available and have the distinct advantage of being water and rot-resistant, which makes them ideal for plumbing or exterior adjustments.

What angle do you cut shims at?

It’s also easy to cut wedged shims this way. A useful rule of thumb is that for every mitered degree you cut through a 3-1/2-in. -wide piece, the wedge becomes 1/16 in. thicker on one end than it is on the other.

Are plastic or wood shims better?

Plastic Shims They are stronger and more durable than wood and lighter and cheaper than metal.

What angle are wood shims?

Use a miter gauge or pencil compass to mark a 7-degree angle into one long edge of the piece.

Do you screw through shims?

The screws must penetrate through shims so they don’t stress the doorframe. Countersink the screw heads a small amount so they don’t interfere with the hinge when you put it back in place.

What is plastic shim made of?

Made from materials such as Polypropylene (PP), High-Impact Polystyrene (HIPs), and ABS, plastic shims are the most versatile of the three common shim materials. Requiring little or no shaping, and available in consistent shapes, thicknesses, and material properties, plastic shims save labor time.

How are shims made?

A shim stock is a roll of thin gauge metal or foil used to create shims. Thin gauge cut sheet metal may be as thin as 0.0005 inch (0.0127 millimeter) to allow for fine positioning adjustments. Since the material is so thin, stock can easily be cut into custom shapes using standard tools such as metal shears.

Do you shim both sides of a door?

The hinge side of the door has to be plumb or the door will swing open or closed on its own. Start by shimming the hinge side of the rough opening. First make marks to indicate the centers of the hinges. Then use a long level or a long, straight board along with a short level to plumb the shims.

How much space do you need to shim a door?

Q: How much space do you need to shim a door? The rough opening typically allows for about ½ inch of shimming on each side of the door frame. If the rough opening is wider, you can tack ½-inch shims together to fill the space.

How do you cut wedges by hand?

By Hand. Large or small, you can cut wedges with a handsaw. Lay out the slopes of the wedge with a bevel gauge on the stock and then mark the cut lines on the end grain with a square. Use a rip saw and cut out the wedges.

Can ball bearing locks be shimmed?

Higher security padlocks typically use techniques that make shimming impossible. The most common being the use of ball bearings instead of a spring-loaded catch, noticeable because the indentations on the shackle are round instead of wedge-shaped.