Chapter 11: INSTALLING EXTERIOR DOORS
11.1 PREPARATION BEFORE INSTALLATION
11.2 INSTALLING THE DOOR
11.3 INSTALLING HARDWARE
Materials needed:
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Pre-hung exterior door and frame unit
3 inch brass-plated construction screws
cordless drill and 1/8” drill bit
3” or 3 ½” galvanized casing nails
Small caulking gun
Exterior caulk - elastomeric or polyurethane grade
6 foot step ladder
2 and 6 foot level
Reciprocating Saw
Framing square
Wood shims
Hammer
Flashing material -WEATHERMATE Flashing tape 6” wide (Blue tape)
11.1
PREPARATION BEFORE INSTALLATION:
1. Door frame will be provided with a temporary construction door. Final painted
steel door will be installed at finish trim stage of project.
2. Remove plastic shipping cleats from door frame and check for damage. Remove
plastic bag with foam pads and store in trailer for safe keeping until finished door
is installed. Verify building drawing to check for hinges on correct side.
3. Measure dimensions of door frame (not brickmould) and dimensions of opening
and check for obstructions. The rough opening should be 38 1/2” wide and 82
½” high. Add framing material if the opening is larger than ½”.
4. If the 2 x 4 frame across the bottom of the door opening has not been removed, it
must be cut out with reciprocating saw. After sill plate has been cut out, toenail
the end of each sill plate with two 8d nails into floor sheathing. Check if sill is
level.
5. Taper outer edge of foam insulation at sill only with drywall rasp or handsaw to
bevel down.
6. Check to make sure both shoulder studs are level with the 6 foot level both ways.
(front to back and right to left). Check all corners with a framing square. Double
check by measuring the diagonals and correct if not.
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7. Install a piece of ½” OSB cut to 6 ½”x 38 ½” to fit between the door opening over
the ¾” floor sheathing to elevate the door ½”. This is to allow for door swing to
not interfere with mat placed on sheet vinyl by homeowner. Glue with
construction adhesive and nail with 8d nails to sublfloor.
8. Cut a strip of the 6” wide blue tape that is 12” longer than the door sill. Cut a slit
at each end 6” down center of tape. Install half of the tape over the floor
sheathing and the rest down the face of the foam. Run the split ends up the side
of shoulder studs and the bottom half on the foam. At corner cut a small piece of
tape to seal up hole.
9. Temporarily fit door frame into opening to check for fit before installing caulk on
sill and brickmould.
11.2
INSTALLING THE DOOR:
1. Sweep floor and run a continuous large bead of caulk on the floor sheathing
along front and back of opening and in a serpentine pattern between beads. Lay
door on its side and place three very large beads of caulk along bottom of sill.
Apply a ½” – 5/8” bead of caulk to the backside of the brickmould.
2. Lift the door up and with top tilted away from opening sit sill into the opening first.
Place door unit in the rough opening, tight to the foam board and center it left to
right. Check that the jamb is level. Install shims behind each hinge and install 3”
construction screws behind the weatherstripping on the hinge side at the top,
middle and bottom hinges. Check that the hinge side of the door is still plumb
(place level on top and bottom hinge plates or hinge pins). Adjust shims as
needed.
3. Replace one short screw from the top hinge (either of the two screws closest to
the weatherstripping) with a #10 2 ½”-3” brass colored screw provided by door
supplier. Verify instruction notes of door supplier provided.
NOTE: Tightness of the 3” brass screw in the top hinge can still affect the
reveals at either jamb. Tighten or loosen as needed to adjust (adding extra
shims if needed).
4. While keeping consistent reveals, install all remaining shims on strike side (using
3” construction screws behind the weatherstripping) in the following strike side
locations: at the level of the top and bottom hinges; and, above and below the
dead bolt. (four total)
5. Recheck the complete door operation, contact with the weatherstripping, and
reveals on the top and both sides. Adjust shims as needed.
6. Nail the exterior side of brickmould using 16d galvanized casing nails. Make
sure all nails hit a jack stud or the header. Using a 1/8” drill bit predrill the
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Chapter 11: INSTALLING EXTERIOR DOORS
brickmould where 16d galvanized casing nails will be placed. (five along each
side and one at center top) Set and putty/caulk all nails. As an option to the
nails there are screws for the vinyl trim with a special bit and plastic caps to fill in
the screw holes. (four along each side and one at center top)
7. Trim back all shims so they are flush with shoulder stud on the interior.
8. At the exterior caulk around the top and sides of the brickmould and foam wall
sheathing. Do not forget to caulk gap under brickmould near sill.
9. Leave protective tape on the threshold until construction is completed.
11.3 INSTALLING HARDWARE
1. During construction install the temporary lockset and strike plate. Turn keys
over to construction coordinator.
2.
At final trim installation, remove the temporary door and install the painted
steel door. Install lockset and/or deadbolt. Make sure both locksets are
installed so the key direction (notches up) is the same for both doors. If
necessary, the lockset can be changed to place the notches up.
3. Verify door operation. Adjust as needed for easy operation (door closes
snugly to weatherstripping with little effort and deadbolt easily engages and
disengages when door is closed).
4. Install stored foam pads at bottom of jamb to seal of any air leaks.
5. Adjust threshold as required to prevent any air leaks.
6. For doors with window lites, install the white plastic screw plug trim pieces,
being careful to install them in the correct orientation.
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