|
Installing an exterior door
Although there are general rules that govern the
installation of doors, most manufacturers insist on
delivering their products with specific instructions. An
expensive door that has been poorly installed will lose some
of it energy efficiency. As well, its mechanical components
may, over the long term, suffer problems.
But if you choose to install a door yourself, get help as
doors are heavy!
Refinish your front door before selling
Replacing or refinishing the front door at the same time as
a balcony and the foundation roughcast, are generally the
most profitable improvements in advance of selling a house.
Pay special attention to such details as outdoor
imoprovements, the state of the indoor finish and the
presence of cracks, both indoors and out, etc.
Screwing firmly with dowels
Have the door hinges, or any other hardware, come loose and
can't be tightened because the holes in the frame are worn?
Nothing's easier to fix. Remove the door, drill a hole to
the proper depth with a 1/4 inch bit, insert and glue a
piece of 1/4 inch dowel. Once the glue has dried you can
securely screw in the hinges.
When
hinges squeak
Oil is an option on squeaky door hinges, but it also traps
dirt and dust. WD-40 will not only clean the hinge, but it
will also assure silent hinges.
Marking the frame to install a strike plate
To cut a precise hole in a door frame (strike plate) to
receive a door handle bolt, shake some chalk line powder on
the bolt, close the door firmly holding back the bolt and
turn the handle to mark the correct location where the
strike plate should be installed. Turn the handle back and
forth to clearly mark the spot. You will then be able to dig
out the hole with a chisel or a router. Finish the edges
with sandpaper. |
