How to Install a Door

If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, and installing a door is a sticking point for you, you now have no more reason to fear. Figuring out how to do this will open up an entire new window of opportunity for you. The reason being that a new door can change the whole overall look and style to any room, as well as enhance the exterior of your home. Plus, and many people love this, by sealing more tightly shut can help decrease your heating bill.

Basically there are three kinds of doors. There are doors that act, as the entry to your home, there are interior doors such as for bedrooms and the all important bathroom door, and the combo storm/screen door. Replacing a door involves a few steps that must be taken, and I’ll go over those for you now.

The most difficult door is probably the entry door and once you’ve mastered this type of door all the others are pretty much a simplified process, since the locks are usually either much more simple or not even included.

Changing a combination storm/screen door will usually follow the same procedure of the entry door, though sometimes it’s a bit more complicated. If you’re unsure how to do it, look at your manufacturer’s information for more instructions, or call up and talk to a representative of the manufacturer, or the store that sold it to you.
Remove the old door.

You have to remove the old door obviously to replace it. You’ll have to open the door, and stick a wedge under the outer corner so as to take weight off the hinges. Usually, the door will have a hinge that contains a pin that you have to pop out. Sometimes after years of paint or rust this is a bit difficult. You’ll need something to tap it out upward to release it. After the hinges have been taken off, you can take the door off the frame.

You can either leave and reuse the same hinges or else take them off and use new ones. If you use new hinges, just ensure that they’re the same size as the old ones.

You may have to trim the door down to fit. You’ll want to cut along the bottom using the old door as a pattern, or else just leave a 1/8″ clearance along the bottom and 1/16th along the sides and top. If it’s going to be over carpet you’ll want to go a bit more on the bottom like

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