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Door Framing and Installation Guide

26 articles and videos full of solid techniques for hanging all types of doors so that they function properly and look great.

Door hanging is an essential building skill for any new home builder or remodeler. The process is certainly easiest if your rough openings are framed plumb and square to begin with, but there are reliable techniques for installing a door in a crooked opening too. This collection of videos, articles, and tips covers everything you need to know about framing walls for doors, shimming jambs, cutting doors to fit, and more. Basic pre-hung doors are covered extensively in this guide, but special situations—such as french doors, split jambs, and thick walls—are also covered in depth.

  • How-To 1
    How to Lay Out and Frame a Rough Opening for a Door

    In this video, Scott Grice shares his method for laying out and framing rough door openings efficiently.

  • How-To 2
    framing a rough opening
    Not-So-Rough Openings

    Framing exterior openings precisely will make installing the windows and doors a breeze.

  • How-To 3
    Frame a Door Rough Opening

    A pro carpenter teaches you his 3 simple rules for framing door rough openings efficiently.

  • How-To 4
    Hinge Adjustment for a Door’s Final Fit

    Easy adjustments to screws, mortises, and hinges on interior doors contribute to a perfect fit.

  • How-To 5
    Plumb Perfect Prehung Doors

    Believe it or not, you need the level only once, and that’s before you ever touch the door.

  • How-To 6
    How to Frame a Door Opening

    Follow this step-by-step procedure for an interior door opening.

  • How-To 7
    fit new door in old doorway
    A New Door Fits an Old Jamb

    Are your doors looking tired? Replace them quickly and easily with a technique that works every time.

  • How-To 8
    Troubleshooting a Prehung Door Installation

    If you know where things go wrong, you can install a door that will swing the way it’s meant to for years to come.

  • Tools & Materials 9
    Make Your Own Shim Gauge
    Make Your Own Shim Gauge

    This handy homemade tool takes the guesswork out of shimming doors and windows.

  • How-To 10
    prehung exterior door
    Install a Prehung Exterior Door

    Set the door on a level sill and use shims for a consistent gap between the door and the jamb.

  • How-To 11
    cut exterior door
    Cutting a Prehung Exterior Door

    While it's good practice to order the door cut to fit from the lumberyard, it is possible to shorten the unit yourself.

  • How-To 12
    Hang a Split-Jamb Door

    With casing already installed, split-jamb doors offer a little wiggle room in old houses where wall thickness can vary.

  • How-To 13
    Replacing an Entry Door: How to Flash the Rough Opening

    Builder Manny Silva demonstrates how to weatherproof the rough opening before installing a new entry door in an old home.

  • How-To 14
    Straightening a Warped Door

    Uneven drying probably caused the bow in your door, and fixing it will likely require a similar process.

  • How-To 15
    Jigs for Jambs (and Other Door-Hanging Devices)

    Measuring and cutting jigs make for fast, accurate, sturdy door-hanging.

  • How-To 16
    Installing Exterior French Doors: Prepare the Rough Opening

    The first job is to check the opening for plumb, level, and square.

  • Design 17
    Windows and Doors in Double-Stud Walls

    Minnesota architect Rachel Wagner shares tips for making window and door details attractive, functional, and easy to install when building a home with thick, well-insulated walls.

  • How-To 18
    How to Frame an Arched Doorway

    Plywood and ripped-down studs provide solid backing to create drywall arches.

  • How-To 19
    Framing Rough Openings for Prehung Doors

    Framers Larry Haun and Scott Grice demonstrate how to set trimmers so that shims are unnecessary.

  • How-To 20
    How to Cut Window and Door Openings With a Router

    Mastered in a Minute: Panel pilot bits make clean cuts flush with the framing.

  • How-To 21
    How to Trim the Bottom of a Door

    When you need to cut the bottom of a door, use a straightedge, a circular saw, and these tips for an accurate and clean job.

  • How-To 22
    Installing Tall Doors

    Faced with installing some 60, 3-ft. by 8-ft. prehung doors, I developed the jamb-setting fixture shown in the drawing. Not only did the fixture keep the hinge jamb and the…

  • 23
    Framing Basics: 3 Simple Tips for Framing a Wall

    Learn a few quick tips to frame any wall perfectly and quickly.

  • 24
    Door Stud door-hanging tool
    Hang Heavy Doors Easily with Door Stud

    Editorial Adviser Mike Guertin demonstrates how this clever tool can make the task of leveling and mounting doors more convenient and comfortable.

  • Tools & Materials 25
    How to Build a Simple Door Buck

    Low on materials and high on utility, this door buck can be made with ease.

  • How-To 26
    Hanging Solid-Core Doors Solo

    A tool borrowed from drywallers makes easy work of lifting and positioning heavy wood doors.

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