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Ken Scout
Citizen
Username: Lightningken
Post Number: 127
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 1:18 pm: | 
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Ok....I have an opening framed out with 2X4's already framed out, and I just recieved delivery on my beautiful new interior pre-hung door cut to exact size. It fits. What do I do now? Do I just nail it in?
Also, the door frame goes all the way around the door, including along the bottom. Do I remove the bottom thin wood piece, which I assume is there to help for stability/shipping?
What size nails should I use, and where do I want to check for levelness? Top bottome, or side to side...or both? |
peteglider
Citizen
Username: Peteglider
Post Number: 2122
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 1:53 pm: |
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I think you know the answers in your gut...
yep, the piece on the bottom is for shipping -- take it off.
There should *still* be another stip, though which keeps the frame square at the bottom -- on one or both sides? (if not, tack a piece on there before taking off the bottom.
Before the next step - is the floor perfectly even? you may need to cut the jamb to account for floor height, sloping, etc.
Put the door & frame in the opening, straight and square, and shim around the perimeter as needed. You need to make sure the door is level top, sides, and that the door itself is perfectly straight, too!
At the shims nail through the casing into the frame. Before you set the nails, recheck that everything is *really* level and straight!
BTW (from the school of hard knocks) -- shims will move around a bit when you are nailing -- keep checking.
Size of nail? 8 penny is probably good. You want to hold the casing well into the framing.
Have fun!
Pete |
Ken Scout
Citizen
Username: Lightningken
Post Number: 129
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 1:59 pm: |
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Thanks Pete....To clarify, the final door "Frame" will include wood slats on ALL 4 sides, including along the bottom? I'm not 100% sure what you mean by another 'stip' there?
We had our carpet installed already, do I need to cut out a section that the door will fit down into? Or can I install it straight on top of the carpet? |
george H
Citizen
Username: Georgieboy
Post Number: 274
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 2:38 pm: |
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I hope your r/o [rough opening]is 1 1/2" wider than the width of the new unit incl. the frame.Check your opening for sq.,plumb,level,etc.Is the floor level or do you need to make some adjustment there? You might find it easier,after writing down all of your dimensions,to pop the hinge pins and set the jamb without the door attached.Some guys will case one side of the jamb and set it in place that way,but if this is your first door you probably would be better off setting your jamb,checking your door for fit,and then deal with trimming it out.Shim behind the hinges on the side jamb taking care to maintain plumb,level off your head piece,and shim the latch side.You might find it helpful to pre-drill where you plan on nailing to avoid knocking the frame too badly out of position.If you keep the nails away from the plane of the door,you can leave them proud,check the door for fit,then drive them home once your sure everything is on the money.Interior doors have 3 pcs. making up the frame.Head[top],L&R jambs.No carpet should be cut but the bottom of the door might need trimming. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 12298
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 3:21 pm: |
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There should be pretty good instructions with the door with illustrations. This is a lot easier to do than to explain. Pictures are great. Check the web, especially the website for the DIY Channel.
You need a good level, preferably a four footer (a six footer is even better), a framing square, drill, nails, hammer and nail set. |
Ken Scout
Citizen
Username: Lightningken
Post Number: 131
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 3:46 pm: |
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Bob...instructions? please. If their WERE instructions that were legible, it's likely I would refuse to read them anyway.
I ask you, are you a man that uses Maps?
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Ken Scout
Citizen
Username: Lightningken
Post Number: 132
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 3:48 pm: |
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George, to be clear......The 4" wide wooden slat along the bottom of my door can be removed, and I can install this door directly ontop of the existing carpet?
This is in a basement, and it's an allweather carpet, so this would be an ideal situation for me, not to have to cut out the rectangle of carpet where the door goes. |
peteglider
Citizen
Username: Peteglider
Post Number: 2123
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 4:02 pm: |
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good tip about pre-drilling the casing
I've heard some people use screws -- not a bad idea, except harder to hide.
My point about adding a "strip" or two -- before you take off the bottom piece of wood, tack a strip on one/both sides to keep the frame square. The "strip" may already be there...
About the level -- you can always do what I do -- use duct tape to tape 1 level -- then hold the other one by hand...
/p |
george H
Citizen
Username: Georgieboy
Post Number: 275
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 4:15 pm: |
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I've gotta feel that the strip you allude to is strictly for shipping.Exterior doors come with a threshold attached,but unless you specced out wanting a threshold,I think its just to keep the unit together and to keep it from racking.This 4" strip doesnt look like a coponent of the unit does it? Make sure you check to make sure that no screws are attached to the door bottom,before you whack off this strip with a hammer.Bob K.,what do you think? Peteglider? |
sportsnut
Citizen
Username: Sportsnut
Post Number: 2530
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 4:40 pm: |
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When I hang these kinds of doors I actually screw in "tabs" on each side of the door. These tabs then prevent the door from sliding through the opening (since I'm usually doing this by myself). I try to leave the plastic banding on the door if there is one, but tacking a piece of wood from one side to the other in order to keep the door square is also a very good idea.
I also invested in a finish nailer that shoots 2 1/2 nails - makes the job easier.
I think the strip on the bottom that Ken is talking about is indeed for shipping. When I ordered a door for our basement it had to be cut down to size and it came with a bottom piece stapled to the jam. Purely to hold the jam square. |
george H
Citizen
Username: Georgieboy
Post Number: 276
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 5:21 pm: |
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Ken,go to www.finehomebuilding.com click on article archive select category doors/windows select sub-category doors scroll down to Jan. 2001 setting pre-hung doors another point of view |
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