We’re buying a new prehung exterior door for our most commonly used entry to our home. We’re desperately in need of a new door but are tight on funds. I was astonished to find out that if you buy a basic door, installation will cost more than the door at a big box. I’m contemplating installing it myself. I have average handyman skills. Should this be left to the pros?
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Replacing a entry door is a pain. But if you are carefull with your measurement, read up on flashing/weatherproofing and take your time you should be able to do it. Be prepared to repaint (more likely replace) your interior trim. The door frame is rarely exactly the same size as the old one. Just start with a perfectly level sill, plumb the jamb and the rest is easy. You can also look into a replacement door. This door, along with a low profile jamb and stop fit inside your existing jamb. It closes in your opening a little, but is a lot easier than a full tear-out. Chuck
You primary entry door is the first thing visitors see and gets more use than almost any other part of the house. It needs to be attractive, weather-tight, smoothly-operating, secure, and durable.
Average handyman skills might not be enough for this. I am an advocate of people doing what they can for themselves, but this is a case in which you might regret your decision half-way through the job - and then good luck trying to get a pro to mop up after you!
Solar & Super-Insulated Healthy Homes
your average handyman skills... might be better than the skills of the guy the big box store sends out...
look on the net... read up on it... look at how yours in installed... notice the details... go to the big box store... look at the prehung doors... get an idea of what you'll be dealing with.... take a few min and read some of the books they have at the store...
do a search on this site of how guys here hang/install prehung doors... make sure you have or have access to a good level...
yes you can do it... just a step by step thing... figure out the steps in advance plan well and have plenty of time...
p
your average handyman skills... might be better than the skills of the guy the big box store sends out...
That's funny and true at the same time.
Think I'll add that to my FAQ: My local big-box store said they install, would that be a better option than hiring you?View Image “Good work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com
And one other thing.
Therma Tru doors are NOT worth the money you pay for them.(which isnt very much)
The jamb will more than likely be out of square or will have about a 3/8 to a half inch margin on the latch side.
You would be better off going to a local fab or millwork shop than going to the big box.
Where there's a will, there are 500 relatives
Therma Tru doors are NOT worth the money you pay for them.(which isnt very much)
The jamb will more than likely be out of square or will have about a 3/8 to a half inch margin on the latch side.
Listen to bambam, he's right on the money!
Bill
My cousin just bought one, I installed it.
Once I shut it for the first time, the latch caught, but the top and bottom of the door had a 1/2" gap.
I checked the jamb with my 6' level, the jamb had a 1/2" bow in it. I fought that door for almost 6 hours before I got it to seal.
Woods favorite carpenter
Reminds me of when friend bought a vinyl patio door and asked me to install it. I'm not sure he ever totally understood that the door was a POS, although he was thankful that I came back like twice to adjust it. It has 'seasonal problems'.
We have discussed Therma-Tru doors here before at length. I think the consensus was that the door slabs come from Therma-Tru but are locally hung at a regional assembler (not Therma-Tru). Some of these pre-hung door assembly plants are better than others. Personally I haven't had much problem with Therma-Tru doors. I'd rate them of Chevy quality, at a Chevy price, and have installed a number that were very acceptable. You can always go buy a Cadillac door, but it depends on how much the house in question is worth.
If memory serves, Gene used to work for Therma-Tru and knows more about them than most anyone here.
Granted this "Rookie" doesn't need the challenge of installing a out-of-wack door though. A careful examination of the door at the store before purchase can usually revel problems.
Another one they sell around here in the big-box is Stanley. Nothing to rave about either...
I have installed alot of them, nothing like this last one. I almost had him get another door.
But it was about 6 degrees out and 40mph winds, so I needed to get the hole closed up.
After some tweaking, I ended up pulling the middle hinge out what the difference was. It sealed nice, also was self closing. He didn't care and actually liked the new option.
And I'm glad you replied, I told the story of the bad door and forgot to post the lesson, check the doors reveals and jambs. If it looks off, then it just might be.
Woods favorite carpenter
Edited 1/30/2008 4:02 pm ET by MattSwanger
Did you charge extra for the self closing option? ;-) Sounds like the hole was messed up in addition to the door itself.
The hole was fine, at least in the ball park. The jamb had a huge crown in it.
With a straight 2x4 and two bar clamps the crown wouldn't still wouldn't leave.
Without scraping it I had no fix for it. I haven't run into something that bad before in a door jamb. With an interior door the stops could be adjusted. Not so on a prehung steel door.
Woods favorite carpenter
Thanks to all who posted. I think I'm going to take a pass and leave it to a pro. I'm going to see if I can find someone who would let me watch closely or help. That way I can get a feel for how difficult it is and determine if I want to take a shot at the front door in warmer weather.
Thanks again!
"I was astonished to find out that if you buy a basic door, installation will cost more than the door at a big box."
Well, if you do take it on yourself, you'll find out why this is true.
Riversong said it well and Bambam has some good advice.
Good luck.
I'm sure there are some online tutorials on how to install prehung doors. Heck, even the directions I've seen come with most doors aren't half bad.
Here are some basic tips without getting into a full fledged tutorial:
1) As I said above, check the door carefully in the store to see of the margins are even on the top and sides of the door - they should be around 1/16th to 1/8th max. (Margins are the gaps around the door).
2) buy a door who's jamb size is as close to the same size of the one you now have - it will make your life much easier.
3) It kinda takes 2 people to do the install unless you are a pro - one on the outside do do the lifting and fastening and one on the inside to read the level, check the fit, etc, which is the more skilled job - The process is kinda hard with one and a half men.
4) Check the rough opening carefully with a level and a tape before you stick the new prehung door unit in it, and adjust the RO if necessary as much as possible. Test fit the door into the opening before going to the next item.
5) Use a lot of caulk, especially under the threshold. If you get too much, you can always remove the excess, but if you don't get enough it's very difficult to add more in the right places after the door is installed. You might want to use the best paintable caulk you can find just incase you make a bit of a mess.
6) You are going to plumb and fasten the hinge side first. Use a 4' level, or better still a 6'.
7) Just tack the door in at first and make sure it operates properly, and has uniform margins. I recommend using 10p finish nails not drive down all the way. Many prehung doors even come with little temp spacers installed to help get the margins even. Make sure the door slab contacts the weatherstrip evenly on the strike side. There is a little trick that is kinda hard to describe, but basically you open the door about 1/8 of an inch and then stand aside (on the inside) and look at an angle at the light coming through the crack. The light coming through should be uniform up and down the entire strike side of the door. You can try this technique on any door that is already hung - it's how I check behind my carpenters.
8) once you have it all good then you can shim it and fasten it with screws or whatever. Then stuff insulation in the gaps and finish off the interior.
Good luck.
Two hints that I haven't seen yet:
1. Paint the door BEFORE doing the installation. Be sure to pick a paint appropriate for the type of material for your door. Especially with wood be sure you seal ALL 6 faces well. And if you have to plane the door later, be sure to re-seal it. If you get a metal or fiberglass door, you might want to check at an auto body shop to have it painted. This is one of the advantages of doing it yourself. I could not find an installer who was willing to do the painting also.
2. Have a way to board up the opening, just in case. Meaning have a sheet of plywood handy that you can somehow secure into the opening if something goes wrong.
Your profile says Milwaukee.
My helpful hint is to wait a few months.
Joe H
I have hung many doors and didn't think a novice could save money, much less do the job correct. Most people could make the door work ok but it's in the problem solving and tricks of the trade that separate the pros from H.O.s Let's see if I can help.
1. Make sure you bought the door to swing the correct way. Left hand in one shop and left hand in another are sometimes different. Make sure! Look at your door and see what side is the hinge is, looking from the inside.
2. Measure your jamb width and see if there is any jamb extensions added on. If there is you probably need to add them once you have the jamb. Cause big box only carry standard sizes. Nothing custom.
3. Sill needs to be level, or you need to shim under the threshold. Place the door in the opening and put a level on the top of the jamb if the sides are level your ok. Also real quick check how much room you have on the sides, take a mental note or measure. Take door out.
4. Install shims plumb at the hinge locations. That's right!... Nail them onto the jamb. If you don't have a jamb level measure a straight edge the length of the jamb and tape a good level to it, so you can see if it's plumb and flat.
5. Flash as necessary on the sides and top and if you can make a pan for the sill do that, it's worth it. IF not caulk two strips (one in back and one if front) and go up the framing 6".
6. Place pcs. of wood strips or shims at the corners diag. and bottoms that stick into the opening, but not to far as to get in the way of the door swing. That acts as stops so your not fighting the jamb falling out if the door is still on. Once I place the door into the opening then lock it in with strips on the other opposing side of the strips you first installed.
7. Now you can concentrate screwing into the hinge with a 3" screw (usually gold) into the shims and framing. (Yea you need to take out a factory screw).
8. If everything is perfect it should be a breeze to finish nailing everything else in. Be careful not to nail everything off until you check everything first. You don't need many nails maybe three pairs going up on the strike side, remember the casing will help further to lock in the jamb. Take your time.
9. Make sure all your reveals are even at top, bottom and sides . Most important in my mind is the hinge side. YOU want a gap no matter what or else your door will bind.
I hope this wasn't to much for yea, and if I missed anything everyone will add to it I'm sure. Good luck!
Let me clarify something when I said nail shims on the jamb. I meant on the rough framing. Sorry got carried away.