subject: Fitting A New Door : A Short Guide [print this page] Fitting A New Door : A Short Guide Fitting A New Door : A Short Guide
Fitting a new door is one of those DIY jobs that's fairly easy but, because you don't have to do it very often, you can forget how it's done. Read on for some tips to help the process run smoothly. Importantly, it's vital to know what kind of door you need. If you're fitting a kitchen or external door, then you want something sturdy and fireproof. Internal doors are usually lightweight and can be flush or paneled, so pick your preferred style.
You obviously need to make sure your chosen door is going to fit into the existing frame. The most common door sizes are readily available from DIY shops so you might not have to worry, but it's worth checking your door against the frame to see if you need to alter it at all. Mark the frame measurements onto your new door allowing for floor clearance and fluctuations in the wood 5mm at the bottom and 3mm on the other sides.
When cutting the door down to size, it's important you don't cut off more than 15mm from any edge of it will weaken the joints. If you need to cut off more, investigate getting a smaller door size instead. If you have to cut off less than 5mm, use an electric or hand planer to ensure accuracy. For more than 5mm, use a circular saw. Make sure to trim the top and bottom or sides equally so the door stays even.
Next, use sandpaper to smooth off any rough edges and then check the fit of your new door. Do this by slotting it into the frame and wedging it at the bottom. Once you're sure it fits, lie the door back down. If you've bought new hinges, this is the time to fit them to the hinge recesses in the door frame. Then place the door in the frame and support it with two timber wedges.
While the door is wedged, pencil the hinge positions onto the door edge. Then move the door so you can chisel out the waste wood so that, when you put the door back into the frame, the hinges are flush with the edge of the door. Make holes in the door with a 3mm wood bit so you can screw in the hinges, hold the door in the frame and screw in a couple of the hinges. Check the door opens and closes, then screw in the rest.
