Ads we feature have been independently selected and reviewed. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn a commission, which helps support the site. Thank you for your support.
Are you a homeowner looking to take care of a new door installation as a repair, to boost home equity, or to lower utility bills? Because there are a wide range of doors available, there are many different techniques that you can use to approach the project and get the results you truly want at the end of the day.
We’ll explore some of those in this post so that you know what to do when the time comes, so keep reading to learn more. The information you find here will help you tackle a new door installation no matter what kind it is.
The Different Types of Door Installation Projects
What kind of door installation do you need? That’s an important question to answer because no two types of doors are installed in exactly the same way, and in fact, each home and situation is different to some degree.
So let’s look at some of the more common types of door installation projects and you’ll get an idea for how you approach whatever it is you need to do to achieve a professional result.
Installing a New Door in an Existing Opening —
This is a fairly straightforward project and can usually be done in a few hours with the right tools and some basic carpentry skills.
In many cases, the new door should fit just fine. If you find there—s a need to trim a door to fit, make sure you take equal amounts off both sides. This is especially important if the door has raised decorative molding.
An ideal fit should leave a 3/8” gap at the bottom of the door and a 1/8” gap at the top.
Installing a Prehung Door —
This is arguably the easiest of all; with this type of project, holes for the lockset and deadbolt are already in place, as are the hinges, but you still need to take care.
When installing a pre-hung door, make sure that the finished project is right even if the rough opening is off (more common than you might expect).
This means that, if the framing in the rough opening is out of plumb, or the floor is off level, then you want to use door shims. Matching jambs flush to the walls is important to attaining a look that works in your favor.
The easiest way to install this type of door is to use Quick Door Hanger Clips This makes the job fast and accurate. My personal record is 9 minutes from rough opening to hung door! Who doesn’t like that?
Installing a Storm Door —
Protecting your home against adverse weather is one thing you need to do as a homeowner, and a new door installation that involves a storm door is one great way to do just that.
Before you begin, make sure the frame where the door will be installed is square so that the door will seal well and do its job of keeping water out effectively.
You also want to make sure that the door fits so that it achieves a consistent 1/8 inch gap and fits snugly against weather-stripping.
Installing a Bypass Door —
If you need a door that doesn’t require much room to open, such as a sliding closet door, then this is the project you need to undertake.
For this kind of project, you need a bypass door hardware kit that allows you to install the door with the appropriate gap in between them. When you install the track for the door, make sure it’s level so that the doors will slide appropriately.
Once the doors are in place on the track, use the provided center guide to keep them in place.
Trackless Bi-Fold Closet Door
This is another type of closet door. Whereas with the bypass door the doors bypass each other (obviously), with the bi-fold door the two parts of the door hinge in the middle. This means that the pivot bracket must be very sturdy. This can pose a problem with floating floors. Here is how to install a trackless bi-fold closet door on a laminate floor.
These are just five types of new door installation projects that you might find yourself having to work with some day, but there are many others. When approaching this task, it’s important to remember to take your time and follow the necessary process to do the job right the first time.
Door and Window Installation Often Go Hand in Hand
Why? Sometimes they are done at the same time so everything matches in a harmonious manner. Another popular reason today is to boost the home’s energy efficiency, while at the same time taking as many Energy Star energy tax credits as possible.
While we have shown that doors can be an easy DIY project, a window installation job may seem too daunting. In this case you can turn to a professional window installation company to get the job done and have the windows you want, no matter what kind they might be.
Keep these things in mind when you want new door installation and you you’ll have the perfect fixture for your home before you know it. If you have any tips for our other readers, share them in the comment section below.
Did you find this article helpful? Millions of readers rely on information on this site and our blog to stay informed and find meaningful solutions. Please chip in as little as $3 to keep this site free for all.
Do you need an article or blog post written? I offer these services at reasonable rates. Contact me for a quote!
