Helpful Tips on Installing Prehung Fiberglass Entry Doors

The promise attached to a prehung door, that it is easy to install, is often misconstrued. The idea behind it is not that anyone at all can place the door but that the unit has been designed so that it can be installed with less effort or trouble by someone who knows how to do it, whether a professional installation service or a homeowner with the needed experience in carpentry. What poses a problem is that homeowners usually encounter prehung fiberglass entry doors while looking to make simple home improvements themselves, like getting a replacement front door. This is not uncommon since older front doors made from wood get beaten down by heat and frost, wind and rain, overuse. The thought of having to replace just one exterior door makes it seem like you can do it yourself.

You should have already decided that the door you want is fiberglass. More and more people are looking to replace wood doors with fiberglass doors, and get prehung fiberglass entry doors rather than complex door systems. No one wants to feel stressed out over a door! Fiberglass is a preferable surface material because it resists warping, splitting and rotting unlike wood, plus denting and corrosion unlike steel. It is also believed to be eight times stronger than vinyl and twice than steel. It lasts longer with hardly any need for repair and maintenance. Fiberglass doors can have a wood grain surface and stain finish resembling real wood. It does not conduct heat and insulates up to five times better than wood plus it allows natural light inside homes, thus it is energy-efficient.

MASONITE EXTERIOR DOORS

You should check the usual problem areas prior to installation. In fact, it is not uncommon for D.I.Y. installers to mess up the job just because they did not care to read the manufacturer's instructions. Surprisingly typical oversights on this stage are having the wrong door size, hand or shims. The knob of a right-handed door is on the right, and that of a left-handed door is on the left. The door should be able to swing to the side where you will be standing to open and close it. Your purchase should have thin strips, called shims, for alignment, overhead or airspace, and resistance to premature wear.

You should go through every detail of the installation to determine whether you had better pay a professional or can do it yourself. The process is pretty straightforward with prehung fiberglass entry doors but requires little tricks that only experienced carpenters would know to do. They would make sure the rough opening is plumb, for example, and the floor underneath the sill is level. Imagine that you roll out a carpet and discover there is no space for it! Someone experienced would use a spacer board to give airspace for carpeting or check that the door jambs are touching a smoothly finished floor like ceramic tile, cork or hardwood. Doing a bad job with the installation will certainly cost you. Your door will rub, open by itself or close improperly if it has been placed incorrectly.

Helpful Tips on Installing Prehung Fiberglass Entry Doors

Ward Eichelberger reviews how to get the best from Prehung Fiberglass Entry Doors. Please visit his Fiberglass Entry Doors site for latest news.

MASONITE EXTERIOR DOORS