Replacing a front door is one of the quickest ways to upgrade the look of your home. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy — or cheap. In fact, many models cost more than $5,000, including installation. Here’s what else you should know before you get started.
Slab door versus pre-hung
If a door’s frame is in good shape, and you don’t want to change the size of the opening, you can simply swap in a new replacement door, also called a “slab” or “blank.” If your door’s surround is worn, you can buy a door that’s pre-hung in a new frame, an all-in-one assembly that arrives ready to install.
While buying just a replacement door is less expensive, they come in far fewer style and size options compared to the more common frame-door combo. And if you’re replacing an old door, chances are that its frame is probably pretty beat up, too.
Door materials
Wood looks great and comes in many styles, plus you can paint or stain it practically any color. Keep in mind: If your entry is not protected from the elements by an overhang, don’t install a wood door without a storm door — otherwise, sunlight and moisture will take a quick toll.
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Steel doors are framed in either wood or steel with a core of foam insulation, all wrapped in heavy-gauge galvanized steel. Most steel doors are embossed with a fake-looking wood-grain pattern. Some higher-priced units have a real-wood veneer laminated onto the steel. You can also order steel doors covered in a smooth paintable skin. Although steel requires less maintenance than wood, steel can rust and become dented.
Fiberglass doors are usually wood frames stuffed with foam insulation and clad in fiberglass. Unlike steel, they won’t rust or dent. But like steel, it’s hard for manufacturers to make them look like wood.
Aluminum doors are usually the least expensive and almost completely maintenance-free — many come with 20- to 30-year warranties. But most models dent easily, often making them a better option for side or rear doors that don’t get as much use as a front entrance.
Door styles
The number of choices can be overwhelming. To narrow them down, determine the size of the opening you have now or that you want to build. This will quickly reduce your options. Also, pay attention to the style of your home. If you have a Craftsman, for example, it may help guide you to do a little research into the door styles typical of that architecture.
Energy efficiency
Most well-made new doors will minimize energy waste, but wood and fiberglass ones generally provide better insulation than metal models. Check that any metal door you’re considering has a “thermal break” — a layer of insulation or foam under its metal skin.
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The big energy-wasters for doorways are gaps and glass. Look for Energy Star-certified models and replace weather stripping as needed.
Quality and durability
When you’re shopping, ask for samples (called “corner pieces”) to see how different materials look and to experiment with different stains and paints. For steel and fiberglass doors, make sure wood-look graining runs across the rails (horizontal parts of the door) and up and down the stiles (vertical parts).
Compare warranties: It’s reasonable to assume that a longer warranty indicates a more durable door. Because most door failures occur first in the jamb, look for a longterm jamb guarantee.
Security
Doors should fit snugly within the frame, with no more than a 1/16-inch gap on either side, and all exterior doors should, of course, have good locks. The absolute strongest kind of door is a heavy-duty steel one in a steel frame with a high-security lock.
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If you want a style with built-in windows, make sure an intruder couldn’t break one to reach in and flip the lock. You can also add a deadbolt that must be operated with a key from inside the home. Keep in mind, though, that tough-to-unlock doors can pose hazards in the event of a fire.
Can I install a door myself?
Yes, but installing doors is harder than you might think, especially in older houses, which have usually settled. Also, installing a pre-hung door typically involves carpentry and replacing exterior and interior trim; and storm door installation usually first requires door assembly. Most companies charge more than $500 per door for installation, so doing it yourself can certainly save you a lot. Still, a DIY job is only worth it if you do it right.
How much does it cost to install a door?
It’s well-worth your time to shop around. Checkbook’s undercover shoppers requested price quotes from a sample of area companies to supply and install two entry doors and two storm doors. For one of the entry doors, we received prices ranging from $2,436 to $4,299, including materials and installation.
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One frustration: Our shoppers had to contact most companies several times to pry loose prices from them. We also found that independent installers offer a better selection than big chains, such as Home Depot and Lowe’s.
Until Nov. 25, Washington Post readers can access Checkbook’s unbiased ratings of local door installers free of charge at Checkbook.org/WashingtonPost/doors.
Get a contract in writing
The installer should come out to take final measurements and provide a written contract that specifies the door model, work schedule, fixed price, and any warranties and guarantees. It’s reasonable for installers to require a small down payment.
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Kevin Brasler is executive editor of Washington Consumers’ Checkbook magazine and Checkbook.org, a nonprofit organization with a mission to help consumers get the best service and lowest prices. It is supported by consumers and takes no money from the service providers it evaluates. You can access Checkbook’s unbiased ratings of local door installers free until Nov. 25 at Checkbook.org/WashingtonPost/doors.
For finish carpenters, fine-tuning the fit of a new interior door offers plenty of bang for the buck. For little effort, there’s a lot of gratification. The final fit mostly involves door-hinge adjustment after the painters have finished.
First, I check that the door is swinging properly on its hinges. If the hinge leaf fastened to the door is not set fully in the mortise because of paint, plaster, tape, or misalignment, the hinges will bind. This might cause the door to creak or to spring back from a closed position. If the mortise in the jamb is set too close to the stop the door will bind against the stop. If this is the case, you will probably see telltale signs of scraped paint on the door where it rubs.
When adjusting hinges, I often have to adjust the location of screw holes. Rather than struggle with a hole in the wrong spot, I simply tap in a plug and drill the hole where I want it.
After I get the door swinging properly, I adjust the hinges so that there is a consistent gap between the door and the jamb. When making corrections to the gap or any adjustments to the door, I make incremental changes. Often, going forward by small degrees is easier than going back by any amount.
Secure the door with a long screw. Sometimes a door sags away from the hinge-side framing. To prevent this, I replace the short center screw of the top hinge with a 3-in. screw driven into the framing. Sinking this screw often changes the gap at the top and the opposite side of the door.
Fine-tune the mortise for a good fit. A hinge leaf that stands proud of the face of the jamb can prevent a door from operating properly. Remove the screws to reveal the mortise. If the hinge leaf and the mortise were not aligned so that the hinge leaf was fully seated in the mortise when the screws were driven, there will be a compression mark from the hinge. With a utility knife, carefully cut along this line to expand the mortise. Use a sharp chisel to remove the wood waste and clear any paint, tape, or wood debris that might keep the hinge from seating fully in the mortise; then reattach the hinge.
Photos: John Tetreault (top), Charlie Reina (bottom)
Centering a drill bit in a hinge hole without a self-centering bit is not impossible—but it’s not easy, and even a small error will move the hinge out of place, or make it difficult to seat the screw head completely. Self-centering bits eliminate this problem. The bit’s shank is chucked in a drill. The cutting end of the bit is encased in a sleeve with a beveled tip that centers it in the hinge hole. As the bit is pressed to the wood, the spring-loaded sleeve retracts, allowing the hole to be bored right where it should be. Self-centering bits come in sizes to fit cabinet and full-size door hinges. You can buy them at home centers or online for less than $15.
Open the hinge-side gap by spreading the hinges. I’ve seen shims used behind the hinge leaf to adjust the gap, but bending the hinge takes less time. I can widen the gap in small increments. Remember that when the gap is adjusted on one side, it affects the gap on the other side as well. Place the butt end of a nailset between the hinge leaves up against the pin eyelet, or hinge knuckle. When the door is pulled toward the closed position, the nailset spreads the leaves and widens the gap. This technique puts a lot of force on the hinge, so go slowly to avoid damaging the hinge or bending it too far.
Close the hinge-side gap by bending the knuckles. Set an open-ended adjustable wrench, also called a Crescent wrench, just larger than the hinge knuckle. Remove the hinge pin, and bend the door-side knuckles toward the door handle. This will close the gap. Go slowly. A difference of 1/16 in. is easy to notice.
Correct offset screw holes. Sometimes, the mortise is in the right place, but the hinge wasn’t set properly. This can cause binding or gaps along the doorstop molding. In this case, resetting the screws to move the door away from the stop will allow the door to close completely without binding. In order to do that, plug the existing screw holes and drill new ones with the help of a self-centering bit.
To adjust the screw-hole locations, I whittle plugs from poplar. Poplar is a common hardwood for paint-grade trim material that will give threads a good bite. Size the plug to fit snugly with a few hammer taps. Don’t overdrive the plug or you may crack the door.
Trim the plugs flush with a chisel. There is no need for glue. Friction holds the plugs in place when I drill new screw holes in the correct locations.
Photos by John Ross, except where noted. Drawings by Dan Thornton.
A New Door Fits an Old Jamb – Are your doors looking tired? Replace them quickly and easily with a technique that works every time.
How to Cut a Prehung Exterior Door to a Custom Height – You don’t have to order an expensive custom door if your rough opening is a non-standard size. Buy a stock door instead and make it fit. Watch this video by carpenter and former senior editor Andy Engel to learn how to cut a prehung exterior door.
Jigs for jambs (and other door-hanging advice) – Inventor and finish carpenter Jim Chestnut has hung his share of doors, and he has learned to depend on a variety of measuring and cutting jigs for jambs to make door-hanging quicker and easier. He uses one jig made from 5/4×6 stock to measure jamb legs.
Video Vault: Fine-Tuning Hinges – Whether the door is new or old, Tucker Windover’s technique produces a perfectly aligned door that closes properly and stays shut.