A Guide To Installing French Doors

French doors are ideally made for installation in a standard home. But they are quite popular with mobile homes also. They can be either installed at the existing opening or choose a new location. Some of them which come with an attached trim and frame mechanism are much easier to install. They are also called pre-hung doors and are suitable for installation in both interior and exterior walls. 

Steps to install French doors:

Step 1:

First, measure the width and height of the door frame. The opening of the door should be one or two inches longer than the door frame. It should measure 80” in height and 48” in width. Therefore the wall opening should be 82.5” in height and 50.5” in width. If the floor and the wall studs are balanced you make a smaller opening. 

Step 2:

Next, zero in on the door location. Check if the opening has any electrical circuits. If you find any, turn them off by removing them from the source of electricity. Also, remove drywall and studs from the opening. Ensure that spliced wires are reachable if at all they exist. You can use the electric outlet as the location for the splice after placing the electrical outlet close to the frame. 

Step 3: 

Place 2*4 studs on all the sides of the door opening except at the bottom. In case the wall has mounted studs, you can use them as well.

Step 4:

Remove the door from the frame and the hinges. Remove a part of the existing hinges from the door and frame. Make sure you do not remove the trimmed-off door frame. You will need it later. 

Step5: 

Place the pre-hung frame in the opening of the door. Place the wood shims as and when needed to help in fitting the frame by moving it left or right and up or down till is leveled. You can place a number of shims as per the requirement until the space between the floor and the frame is filled. Secure the pre-hung frame with nails to the existing frame at the places where you placed the shims earlier. Nail the pre-hung frame with a few nails below and above every hinge.

Step 6:

Fit the door panel on all the hinges. Check for any misfits at any location by moving the door. If you notice any loosely or tightly connected points, readjust them for free and secure motion. The gap between the frame and door edge should be uniform across the perimeter of the door. If it is not, adjust the gap using a hammer, nails, shims, or pyre bar, wherever necessary. 

If configured and fitted with the latest mechanisms, they can be perfectly secure. All the exterior French doors should be installed with an espagnolette multi-point lock, similar to that is fitted to the front doors. For homeowners, security is always the prime concern. Therefore, buying the right French doors makes a huge difference when it is about the security and aesthetics of your home. If you are in search of the right vendor for French doors, you can find one at https://active-windows.co.uk/.