Homes have what we call curb-appeal… From the street, if someone sees your front door and it appears that they could kick through it easily then it can put you at a great security risk as well. To prevent this one eyesore and that other little threat, we have a walk through on how to install your own front door and what to do about hiring someone if you don’t want to do it yourself.
Installing a door
First of all, don’t purchase a door if installation requirements, including tools to use, sizes and instructions don’t come with your purchase. It’s important that before installing a door you know what to use. And, more importantly, you need to follow any building regulations and have a new door on hand before you remove the old one. There are a ton of doors to choose from:
Measure
To install your new door, measure the height and the width of your door. Your new door should be 1/2 an inch less than the height and 3/4 of an inch less than the width of the opening.
Note: Make certain that you chose a door that opens with either your right or left hand as this is imperative to some entryways.
Removal
First off, remove any exterior trim or installation that helped secure the old door, if needed. This is useful if your new door comes with a new frame (pre-hung). Many indeed do. If uncertain, call the store from which you purchased the door and ask them for professional advice. Then, remove the old door from the hinges with a hammer and screw driver. Then, take the hinges off the jam as your new door should be equipped with new ones. Afterwards, remove the screws in the jam and sill. With a reciprocating saw cut away the door frame and remove. A pry bar can be done useful here also. When the removal is done, dry-fit the door before securing it into its place. Make certain that during this time the door doesn’t fall over.
Installation
The sub sill is where the door will fit into place. Make certain that its square and settle. A leveler can be used to make sure it’s sitting well. If not, make an adjustment with shims and make sure the new door clears the thinnest flooring. Do this by measuring from the bottom of the sill to the bottom of the door and check it against your flooring. If for some reason the new door will not clear, you can raise the door with additional sill pieces available for purchase at most home improvement stores.
Don’t forget to: Weather bead the sub sill with caulk. In the winter and through the seasons you’ll be happy you prevented any leaks of air or water from coming through. Also, apply caulking to the sill.
Setting the door in place and final installation
With the assistance of another individual secure the door in place from the bottom upwards. You can use shims to help stabilize the door while you do the remainder of the installation. Next, insert the shims at the hinge locations. This will keep the door fairly leveled and plumed. Then, you can drive the screws through the shims. At the door reveal make certain that there is an even gap. If it’s off center that will inhibit the door from closing properly. Check outside as well that the door and the jam stops are equidistant from top-middle-to-bottom. Lastly, place shims where the lock and deadbolt will be inserted. To ensure your door is going to work properly open and close it a few times. The manufacturer’s instructions may require further securing, check them and then proceed to the next steps. Any gaps should be sprayed with a minimal spray foam installation. When the insulation dries, remove the excess with a putty knife or something similar used for safe scraping. DO NOT A KITCHEN KNIFE.
Warning: This material is somewhat toxic; prevent any skin, eye, contact when applying.
Take the door out to paint and install the hardware
If necessary, place the door on sawhorses for these next steps. Use this time to paint the door or finish any caulking that you may have forgotten. Pre-hung doors are fairly easy to install in this scenario. Next install your hardware and you’re ready to open and close a new chapter within your home installation experiences.
Hire a specialist
No question it’s great to do it yourself, but for those of us who’d rather not spare the energy and peace of mind, our specialists can assist. Hiring a specialist is easy for you and will not break the bank. Not only that, then you can rest assured that the job is perfectly done to suit your needs. Installing a door is difficult for first timers, but we believe you can do it with a little time and patience. If you an unsure of what you want to do, you can always contact your local locksmith to request for a free estimate! Whatever you choose we welcome you to your new door soon.
