Door Installation Tips

1. Verify that the rough opening (r/o) is at least ½” wider on all sides of the outside of the jamb. If the opening is less than ½”, it may be fine for the installation if the r/o is square and plumb.

2. Make sure the framing surrounding the door is solid and free of movement. If the walls surrounding the door are not properly secured, this could allow for unwanted movement of the door after it is installed in the r/o. This could result in damage of the door unit.

3. Check the r/o for any security wires that may need to be installed into the jamb of the door and the slab. Drill and install wires and contacts as necessary.

 

 

4. Check the height of the finished floor in relation to where the sweep on the door slab will be. It may be necessary to raise the area under where the threshold of the door will rest. Keep in mind any rugs or floor coverings the customer is considering placing at the interior entrance area of the door and allow for clearance of the door slab and the sweep.

5. Place the door jamb, or frame, in the r/o. Make sure the threshold portion of the frame is resting completely flat on the subfloor and that no debris is under the jamb. Picture 1:

6. After making sure the jamb is plumb, mark on the studs or sheetrock where the mounting flanges are and the bolt holes of the flanges (picture 2). It may be necessary to remove the sheetrock behind the flanges so the bolts do not hinder the ability to install casing on the inside after the door is installed

7. You may want to consider pre-drilling pilot holes for the bolts to keep the studs from splitting, which would weaken the integrity of the installation (picture 4). Now you are ready to secure the jamb into the r/o with the bolts through the mounting flange into the studs (picture 5).

8. Now would be a good time to place the slabs onto some secure saw horses or other method of raising the slab up to help prep the slab for installation. Make sure to protect the surface of the door by putting a moving blanket or carpet on top of whatever the doors will be resting on. Now that the doors are resting securely on your ‘work station’, it is time to install the sweeps on the bottom of the slabs. 9. Install the sweeps onto the bottom of the slab in the method shown in picture 6:

9. Install the sweeps onto the bottom of the slab in the method shown in picture 6:

10. You are ready to hang the slabs on the hinges. We recommend removing the glass from the slab to make the door lighter, and easier to handle when re-hanging the doors. Placing the slab on the hinges is best done with two installers. Pay close attention to where you handle the door, especially if you are holding the door by its scroll work. The scroll work could become bent or damaged if pressure is applied in the wrong fashion. Also, you may consider placing small pieces of cardboard around the area of the hinges to prevent unwanted scratches. See picture 7: