The Mission: Enlarge the home’s entryway.
The Strategy: Remove an existing single door, transom and sidelights, then replace with a taller double doorway.
New double door.
Old door.
This project is an excellent way to update the look of a home, boost its curb appeal and enhance the interior décor. The first step is to select and order a new door, which in this case was a custom ordered pre-hung (jamb attached) model designed to fit within the door-frame of the existing entry. The homeowners wanted a grander front door design, and the elimination of the stationary glass around the old door permitted enough room to fit the two French-style functional doors.
Entry doors vary greatly in overall style, decorative detail, and glass options, so you should research your options thoroughly. Steel or fiberglass doors will best withstand exterior climates, and they typically include interior insulation.
Out with the Old
To remove a door, begin removing its hinge pins from the bottom, working upward. Set
the door aside. It can be donated to a second-hand supply house if it’s in good condition.
Disassembly of the sidelights and transom might require some exploration and experimentation because different manufacturers build them in different ways. Remove any obvious fasteners that hold the components together.
This custom pre-hung double door arrives with the jamb attached to ensure an
effective weather-seal and facilitate installation.
Along the sides and top of the door-frame, you’ll need to slice through the caulk beads with a utility knife. Hidden screws might be concealed with color-matched wood plugs along the window trim. If you cannot back out the installation screws with a screwdriver, then you might need to use a reciprocating saw to cut through the fasteners.
Do not remove the sidelights from the door-frame until you’ve confirmed that the overhead transom is independently attached to the door-frame or is otherwise supported from below, so it does not come crashing down.
Disassembly of the surrounding glass and trim will vary somewhat, but start by cutting through caulk lines and removing visible fasteners.
Note that when performing demolition around glass panes, the potential for breakage is high. Always wear eye protection. Take the additional safety measure of duct-taping the glass panes across their surface, so if they shatter, the broken glass will stay mostly taped together with no dangerous shards flying around.
Wear eye protection and mask the glass with duct tape to keep it intact in case it shatters.
Make sure the foundation is perfectly level and make any necessary accommodations.
The new pre-hung door jamb needs to be around 1-2 inches narrower and 2-3 inches shorter than the door frame, allowing room for adjustment and shims. Clear the rough opening of any broken fasteners, insulation or old caulking. (If the opening is too large, you can add boards to the framing, then cover with trim.)
The rough opening should be 1-2" wider and 2-3"taller than the door unit. We removed some old shim boards from around the door frame to make sure we had enough clearance to fit the door.
A buzz-cutter equipped with a scraper blade provides a quick way to remove old caulking. When removing doors, a reciprocating saw usually proves to be an indispensable tool for cutting through nails and old building materials.
New Door Installation
Installing a new door of this size and weight is a two-person job. One installer needs to be
on each side of the door to adjust its position.
First, remove any cardboard packing or nails that hold the new door to the pre-hung jamb.
Do not, however, remove the plug that connects the door latches, because this keeps the doors closed during installation to keep the jamb in its rigid, rectangular shape.
If your door includes manufacturer’s instructions, then you should read and follow them
to the letter. Otherwise, follow these general guidelines:
Place the door/jamb combo in the rough opening by tilting or sliding it into position. Make sure the hinge side of the doors are perfectly vertical. When you have the unit lined up and have determined no major problems with the fit, apply caulk/sealant beneath the door seal.
The rough opening should be completely clear of obstruction and debris in preparation for the new door. Installing a door of this size will require one person on the inside and another on the outside to help adjust its position. Once it’s aligned with the door frame, drive a screw into the frame at one corner, understanding that you might have to remove this screw to make further adjustments.
Reposition the door along the hinge side and fix it in place by tightly placing shims around
the frame to hold its position. (Note: If the entry door is exposed to rain, add a sill pan
or extra flashing beneath it to protect the subfloor from water damage.)
With the door in place, start at the top and measure carefully with the level. You can fill
any gaps between the door jamb and the rough opening using wood shims. A shim is
a thin block or tapered wedge used to fill gaps between the jamb and door-frame, making slight adjustments to achieve plumb and level. When the shim and the frame are correctly positioned, drive a screw through the jamb into the frame to hold it in place.
The door must be perfectly square and plumb from side to side and front to back, so the doors will open properly along the vertical hinge axis in an even plane that does not bind against the floor or jamb. The longer the level, the greater its accuracy, as with the 72" Kapro 705 Eagle Box Level.
Once you’re confident you can achieve a successful fit, add sealant beneath the door sill. A waterproof, elastomeric product such as DuraMaster by Titebond is a good choice. Doors exposed to rainfall should be fitted with a sill pan to protect the flooring.
Continue the shimming process around the door frame, inserting more as necessary
to hold the door jamb securely while checking for plumb and squareness as you go.
This may require a lot of readjustment but take your time and do it right.
Once the frame is held firmly, open and close the door to make sure everything works properly. Inspect the top of the door to make sure it closes correctly with no gap. If you find errors, go back and make adjustments. You might need to add more shims to help the door align correctly.
To minimize the spackling work, we prefer to secure the jamb around the door-frame using finish nails and trim-head screws, such as the Fine Screws by U2 Fasteners. Insert wedge-shaped shims against each other from opposite sides of the door to fill the gaps between the door jamb and frame.
Reinforce the hinge locations by supporting them with shims and driving long screws though the hinge and into the door frame.
Use shims at the top center of the jamb, making sure the horizontal top rail is installed level and reinforced with shims or blocking at the midpoint to create a positive connection with the overhead door frame. Drive screws through the jamb into the blocking and top frame. This step will prevent the jamb from sagging over time.
Make adjustments until the door closes properly and the gap at the top is even, then fasten through the shims into the stud framing with finish nails or trim-head screws. To give the hinges extra strength, you can place shims behind them and hold them in place with longer hinge screws driven into the framing.
Strengthen the overhead jamb with shims and blocking to prevent sagging over time. The double doors included top-side latches to provide the option of keeping one of the doors stationary.
A buzz-cutter makes a handy tool for cutting away excess shim material.
Be sure to test operation of the door before driving all the fasteners in place.
When the door is fully installed, it’s a good idea to apply expanding foam insulation in the remaining gaps between the jamb and the rough opening. Be sure to use a low-expanding formula specifically designated for doors and windows.
Seal all seams with a flexible, paintable, weatherproof caulk. The new door arrived primed from the factory but required a topcoat of exterior paint. After painting, you can then install your doorknob or handle-set of choice along with a decorative trim package.
SIDE NOTE
AirShim Makes Door & Window Installation Easier
The AirShim is a contractor-grade inflatable air wedge for door, window and cabinet installations. It’s designed to replace damaging pry bars and temporary wood shims. It allows a single installer to position and hold items in place, saving time and labor costs by providing a much-needed extra hand in installations. It's perfect for window and door installations, and for positioning appliances and equipment. Use it anywhere you need to lift and align objects. The AirShim is certified for a 300-lb. load rating and has an internal stiffener with a rounded corner, so it fits into tight 3/32-in. gaps without folding. When inflated, its 2-1/2-in. gap-spanning capacity means greater lifting or pushing range and more versatility on the job or around the house. Visit www.calculated.com .
MORE SIDE NOTES!
Want to learn more about doors? Check out these other awesome how-to stories!
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Transforming a single entry door into a grand double doorway can dramatically enhance your home's curb appeal and interior charm. This project showcases how a custom-designed door can make a striking difference. visit NJMCDirectNJ, For more inspiration and tips.