How To Install a Wooden Front Door
Step 1: Measure the Door Frame
The rough opening should be at least one inch wider and taller than the outside frame dimensions of the door to be installed. Make sure the rough opening is plumb and the floor beneath the new door is level. To level the floor, use shims.
Step 2: Caulk the Bottom of the Opening
Apply two beads of caulk generously along the floor an inch inside the front and rear edges. Extend the caulk a few inches up the sides of the rough framing.
Step 3: Insert the Door
Lean the door into the rough opening, putting the bottom in first with the top facing outward toward you. Tilt the door fully into place, pressing firmly on the hinge side.
Step 4: Add the Hinges
When the hinge side is flush with the rough opening and plumb, screw the hinges into the rough opening (Images 1 and 2). Shim the other side (Images 3 and 4) and drive screws through shims into the rough opening. Be sure that the screws or nails are installed through the shims in such a manner that they don't distort the frame by putting pressure against an unsupported area. Check the frame and door to ensure the door remains properly adjusted.
Step 5: Test the Door
Open and close the door to test its operation. From the outside, make sure there is even contact between the door face and the weather stripping attached to the frame opposite the hinge jamb. Inside, close the door and examine the edges of the door, adjusting the lock side jamb until there is an even gap, about 1/8 inch all around between the door edges and the faces of the jambs.
Step 6: Add the Insulation and Trim
Insulate around the edges of the door frame with insulation or low expansion foam. We opted for natural cotton insulation. Install the interior trim per the manufacturer's instructions.
Step 7: Finish the Door
Caulk all joints and intersections of trim and frame, and install the weather strip at the base of the door per manufacturer's instructions.
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