If your home needs a new entry door, you can buy one yourself at a home improvement store and hire an entry door installation contractor to hang the door for you. However, if you buy your own door, you'll need to take careful measurements of the door and frame so you buy a new door of the exact same size.
Hiring an entry door installation contractor is usually a good idea when you need a new entry door since the work needs to be done in one day or your home will be open all night. This could happen if you run into trouble and can't get the work done in time. Plus, keeping the door level is essential, and that can be tricky to do. Here's an overview of the installation process for a new entry door.
Remove The Old Door And Frame
Entry doors are usually sold as prehung doors. That means the door comes with the frame, so the contractor can remove and discard all of the old parts of the door. The frame has to be pried off the front and back of the door. Plus, the locks and doorbell have to be removed so they are out of the way.
Get Ready For The New Door
Once the old door is out of the way, the contractor checks if the floor and sides of the door opening are level. If not, repairs need to be done to the floor so the opening is level, or the new door may not open and close properly. The first thing to be installed to get ready for the door is the sill pan that is placed on the floor to act as flashing that keeps water out.
Install The New Frame And Door
The contractor inserts the new door and frame by resting the bottom on the sill pan and pushing the frame into the opening left when the old frame was removed. The contractor needs to install the hinges and strike plate while keeping the door level. This may require the use of shims to hold the door steady while hinges are being screwed in place. The shims can then be trimmed before the interior trim is installed.
The contractor also has to hook up the doorbell and add the knob and lock. They may need to stop and check the door with a level a few times to ensure the door doesn't move out of position until it's been screwed tightly into place.
Installing a new door can be harder than it looks since it's so important to keep it level, and a door can be heavy, especially if you choose solid wood. However, when you work with an entry door installation contractor, you don't have to worry about anything since they can get the work done properly and as quickly as possible.
Contact an entry door installation contractor to learn more.
