How to install house doors

Bifold doors are much like any doors, only connected into pairs with hinges and hung on a track. What makes them look good and work well are a solid, heavy construction and sturdy and carefully adjusted hardware.

The heft of the doors is what keeps them from shuddering when you open them. So it's best to look for solid—core or solid—wood doors, which will feel more substantial than hollow—core doors. Solid doors are also easier to trim if any part of your door opening is out of square.

Then, in order to handle the weight of these heavier doors, you'll need a track that includes a wheeled mechanism, which allows the doors to glide smoothly rather than shimmy along the track. The track, the pivots, the hinges all have to be assembled just so, and it's worth taking the time to double—check every measurement and position to be sure each piece is in the right place and facing the right way.

Finish or paint the doors before starting. Label the doors to show the order they'll be installed and which sides face out. Take a jamb side door and mark its inner edge 11 inches from the bottom, 7 inches from the top, and centered between the two. Place the door on edge with the marks facing up. Take the lower half of a hinge and align its bottom with the bottom mark, its knuckles facing back and flush to the edge.

Use a self? Screw on the hinge plate. Attach the top and middle hinges, on their marks. Place the leading inner door on edge, facing back-to-back with the first door. Align the doors evenly against a square, then put the hinges together. Screw the hinge plates to the leading door. Repeat on the second pair of doors. Fasten the pivot plates the pins that fit into the track and the floor bracket , and the locking arms the hooks that slide along the track to the top and bottom of each set of doors.

The pivot plates go on the tops and bottoms of the jamb—side doors, and the locking arm on the tops of the leading doors. Each kit requires its hardware to be uniquely positioned, so check the diagrams that come with yours for exact measurements and placements.

These will tell you, for example, not only how far a pivot plate should be from the door edges around it but also where its pin should be in relation to the door's edges. Adhering to all the given dimensions ensures that no piece goes on backward. Use a hacksaw to cut the track to length to fit the closet opening. Slide the hanging hardware into the track—the small stops in the center, then around them the track hangers with wheels, and finally the pivot socket on the outside. Attach the track to the door header with the screws provided.

Position the track 1 inch in from the front edge of the header. To make the strips manageable, put them in a cooler or freezer for 30 minutes before installing so the adhesive is less aggressive. Apply a bead of caulk to the felt and set the window in the caulk. Seal around the window opening at the interior, using caulk and backer rod as necessary. To flash a flanged vent: Seal existing windows and doors with tape. Use flashing tape to cover the flange, sealing the flange to the house wrap and then apply a piece of tape along the top flange.

Recessed window installation greater than 4 inch recess before wrb. For roundtop windows step 4 a. If the cracks and things are really minimal, either use cheap caulk or ignore them. On both sides of the windows trim wrap according to the window size and same is. Install house wrap before doors and windows. Slide a piece of house wrap into the slit; Prep and install the window: How to install dupont tyvek homewrap. The strips should extend a couple inches above the top of the head casing and a couple.

Just be very carefull when using it around doors and windows, there is a seperate product to use around those areas that expands less. Insert the window in the opening, plumb and level. Most installers tape the bottom flange to the house wrap which traps water inside the wall. Again, this is critical for proper drainage. Install flashing around patio door. Extend any extra width over the top of the house wrap around the windows or doors on a new frame. Install the house wrap between the double top wall plates.

Install the lock strike, putting the screws through the shim. Install insulation. Finish the job by installing loosely packed, fiberglass insulation around the edges of the door frame. Install interior trim, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Apply paintable caulk along all of the joints and intersections of the trim and the brick-mold. Wear gloves, because you do not want to get caulk on your hands.

Ryaan Tuttle Home Improvement Specialist. Ryaan Tuttle. There are a lot of different styles of weatherproofing you can use for a door.

Some go on the outside of the door. Some require a special tool that you use to cut a groove around the door slab so you can push a rubber gasket into it that goes all the way around the door. You can always add threshold weather stripping as well if you have a draft coming under the door.

Not Helpful 2 Helpful 1. Install hinge shims to correct it. They install under the hinge, just loosen the screws and insert. Not Helpful 3 Helpful 9. Is a metal flashing required under an exterior replacement pre-hung door threshold? Yes, some type of flash should be installed. You can buy sill pan kitsch, or use metal flashing. Just follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Not Helpful 2 Helpful 4. A door should be able to swing around to degrees.

To avoid damage to the wall, use door stoppers. Not Helpful 1 Helpful 6. Yes, if the frame installed allows it to do so and there is adequate space for the door to swing open freely. Not Helpful 2 Helpful Buy a replacement door to fit the opening or frame up the opening to fit the door you have.

Not Helpful 6 Helpful If the floor is notched or not level, get a 2x8 or similar board to level it. Not Helpful 2 Helpful 3. In my experience, backwards is always best as it lets less of a draft through. Not Helpful 6 Helpful 4. That's going to depend entirely on what's wrong with the door.

If you have a specific problem, try looking up that specific issue to find instructions on correcting it. Not Helpful 3 Helpful 3. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. If you're a beginner with this sort of project it's best to get a pre-hung door so you can deal with door and frame at the same time.

Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. The step of adding the caulk is very important. Some people skip this step, but it is vital for preventing leakage in the future. When securing the jambs, be careful not to overly tighten the screws. This will cause the door to fall out of alignment. Helpful 6 Not Helpful 5. You Might Also Like How to. How to. Home Improvement Specialist. Expert Interview.

More References 3. About This Article. Co-authored by:. Co-authors: Updated: July 1, Categories: Door Types Door Installation. Article Summary X To install an exterior door, start by removing the old door as well as the existing interior and exterior trim and old insulation.

Italiano: Installare una Porta Esterna. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read , times. So easy to mess up and have to restart.