It’s no secret that the gateway or portal if you will to any home is the front door. Without a front door, our homes would get rather cold, and anyone could walk into our homes at random! The front doors of our homes come in all different styles, sizes and colours.
Over time, our front doors will become worn with the effects of constant use. What’s more; they will become draughty and offer little insulation for our abodes.
As you’re reading this, I will assume that you want to get a new front door for your home. But, can you replace it yourself? The answer is YES! Many keen DIYers have successfully learned how to hang a new front door to their properties. Here’s how you can do it too:
Tools
Before you begin, it’s important that you have the right tools for the job! After all; the last thing you want to do is have a problem part-way through the fitting process! Preparation is key, so here is what you need at your disposal:
- Mitre saw;
- Caulk gun;
- Spirit level bars (two-foot and four-one)
- A pry bar; and
- A reciprocating saw.
Materials
As with any DIY job, you also need some materials to carry out the replacement of your front door:
- Timber for the sill (not always needed, but handy to have just in case);
- Roll of flexible self-adhesive flashing;
- A couple of tubes of decorator’s caulk;
- A couple of cans of expanding foam; and
- Zinc-coated nails and screws in various sizes.
Taking out the old door
To begin, you will need to remove your existing door. There are a couple of ways to approach this step. If you wish to reuse the door frame, all you need to do is unscrew the door from the hinge.
But, if your frame is rotten and in need of replacement, you’ll also have to pry that off as well. This is where your pry bar will come in handy!
You will also need to remove the lock from the door. What if it won’t fit well into your new door? You might need to call a locksmith to sort that out for you. Otherwise, they can install a new lock on the replacement door.
Setting up the new frame
If you’re reusing your existing frame, you can skip this step. Otherwise, what you’ll need to do is the following:
- Prepare the sill (bottom) of your frame. Use some timber, expanding foam and a spirit level to make sure the sill is flat against the ground;
- Install some self-adhesive flashing to protect the frame from weather damage;
- Offer up and then install the frame to the sides and top of the door area using screws and nails where necessary;
- Use expanding foam and caulk to cover up any small gaps. For larger gaps, you may also need to install some architrave.
Hanging the new door
Last, but not least, you will need to hang your new door. Be sure to make any adjustments using your mitre saw. Well done; you’ve just fitted your first front door!
