Doors and windows are installed on similar principles. Installation of external doors and windows is, however, crucial for maintaining proper heat management in the building. Incorrectly mounted external doors can directly affect large heat losses and cause so-called thermal bridges. How to install the external door? How to install interior doors? What tools should be equipped? What should be remembered during assembly? We answer these and other questions below.
Exterior doors are to stop the thief and heat escaping from the building. Their appearance is also important – after all, it is said that the entrance is a showcase of the house. Correct installation is the key to maintaining the parameters desired by the investor (adequate thermal and sound insulation, burglary resistance).
Reasons for home doors replacement
There can be many reasons for replacing external doors – the old ones are warped or dried up (so it blows through them), damaged, not nice. Some will replace them because they do not match the refreshed facade or new windows. Others, because they do not give the household a sense of security and, if necessary, will not pose any obstacle for the thief. It may be important that they do not block street noise.
New ones should have good thermal and sound insulation, be tight, durable, resistant to changing weather conditions. And they have to resist burglars long enough. They should be at least 90 cm wide and at least 200 cm high (in the light of the frame). In the case of double-leaf doors, it is sufficient for one leaf to fulfill these conditions.
Before buying, decide whether the door should open inwards or outwards. The second variant is more preferable – such a wing is more difficult to balance, the door is tighter, because the wind pushes it against the frame. They do not take up space in the vestibule and after opening the rain does not flow from them inside.
General rules – how do you install the door yourself?
Installation of external doors and installation of internal doors should be carried out in accordance with several general principles. Installation of external doors is similar to the installation of windows. As it was mentioned before, both windows and external doors should be installed in such a way that thermal bridges do not occur.
Installation of external doors in a single-layer wall is carried out in the middle of the wall thickness, and in a double-layer wall at the edge of the outer load-bearing wall. In the case of three-layer walls, the installation of external doors is carried out over a layer of thermal insulation. Some deviations from these rules will take place in passive, energy-saving houses and when installing security doors.
Prepare the necessary tools before installation. Certainly you will need a spirit level, hammer, screwdriver, adhesive and mounting foam, dowels and struts. Other tools and instruments recommended by renowned door manufacturers include an angle grinder, impact drill, rubber hammer, construction angle and other tools as needed. The exact list of tools and measuring and control instruments is usually found in the door assembly instructions that we will receive when buying them.
What else is worth knowing about door installation?
Inserting interior doors should depend on the type of wall, the size of the opening and the manufacturer’s recommendations as to the conditions of assembly. Replacing old doors with new ones can provide some problems. The existing hole should be used instead of interfering with the wall structure, which always carries some risk. If the wall is weak, to protect against pushing the door together with a fragment of the wall, strengthen the jambs. This can be done with a metal frame or reinforced concrete elements.
However, if the insertion of external doors or installation of internal doors is to take place in a newly emerging house, remember not to order the door too soon. Incorrect storage of the doors can also result in their warping or damage, so it’s worth bringing them to the construction site when all wet works are completed.
