Handyman Articles - Ordering an Exterior Door

Purchasing a new exterior door is not as easy as making a trip to Home Depot. After selecting an entry door to purchase, there is a lot of information needed to order the correct door. This article covers the information My Handyman gives Harvey Industries when ordering a new exterior door, and addresses problems our customers have experienced when purchasing doors from other suppliers.

Door Size Doors are referred to by their width and height. A typical front door may be 3 feet wide and 6 feet, 8 inches tall and is therefore called a 3-0 x 6-8 (or 3068) door. When you are replacing a door, you can measure the size of the existing door and that should be the size of the new door. If you are replacing the door and the surrounding door frame (called pre-hung) or framing in a new door, you want to leave several inches for adjusting and shimming the door in the opening. A good rule of thumb for replacement doors (existing flooring in place) is to add: 2-1/2" to the width of the door (1-1/4" for each side) 3-1/2" to the height of the door Normally exterior doors are 1-3/4" thick (interior doors are less at 1-3/8"). Exterior doors are usually solid core so the extra thickness allows for more insulation. In measuring a door's size, it is not the thickness of the door that is important but rather the thickness of the door jamb. It is easiest to identify if the exterior walls are framed with 2x4 or 2x6 studs and let the manufacturer add the extra width for the sheetrock and siding.

Door Hinges and Swing Once we have the size, we need to identify where the hinges go and which way the door swings. These questions can be very confusing for homeowners and sometimes for contractors too. Here is one technique that works fairly well: Stand outside the house and face the door Determine if the hinges are on the left (left hinged) or right (right hinged) Identify if the door swings in (most common) or out Determining where the hinges for screen doors are more challenging. Most often the hinges will be on the same side as the entry door, with the screen door swinging out. At times, the homeowner may prefer to switch the storm door hinges to the alternate side to accommodate the natural traffic flow in and out of the door.

Door Hardware Homeowners may reuse existing door hardware or select new. They must specify if a deadbolt lock is to be installed, as this will be pre-drilled by the manufacturer. A single bore allows for a door knob only while a double bore supports an additional deadbolt lock. For double entry doors, it is also important to indicate which door will open first.

Door Trim After a door is installed, trim is used to cover the gaps between the door jambs and the sheetrock or siding. Interior trim should match what is used throughout the house. The most common exterior trim, brick moulding, can be ordered for delivery with the door.

Other Exterior Doors Any of these doors will require additional research: Screen/storm doors are used in conjunction with entry doors. Door hardware for the inside door requires 3 to 4 inches clearance. An extension jamb kit can be used to build out one or both sides of the door, most often when you have sidelights. Note: Less expensive storm doors are cheaper because additional assembly is required upon installation. Try to avoid this situation, which almost always costs more when labor and material costs are added together. Sliding patio doors may be 2, 3 or 4 panels wide. A 2-panel door will have one active (sliding) and one inactive (stationary) panel. For 2-panel doors that come assembled, a homeowner must specify which side is active. Patio doors with more than 2 panels will be delivered unassembled.  Swinging patio doors are typically 2 or 3 panels wide with the active panel hinged to an inactive panel and the latch at one of the side jambs. Swinging patio doors tend to be more secure and energy efficient than sliding patio doors. French doors contain at least 2 active panels that swing in or out from the center of the unit. They use a 3-point locking system to secure the door the the head jamb and the sill.

Tina Gleisner, President of My Handyman of Southern NH, publishes Handyman News and writes articles that address customer problems. Copyright © 2007 iContractor Solutions Inc.