Installing Interior Doors.
An exciting part of basement renovations is installing interior doors, including bi fold doors for closets. It makes it look somewhat finished.
Once the basement is drywalled and the walls are primed, you can start installing the doors.
Tools needed.
- Level- Hammer or finishing nailer (air or cordless)- Nail set- Screw gun or screw driver- Framing square- Tape measure- saw
Before installing interior doors, decide which way it will swing (left or right) by facing the door from the side where you can’t see the hinges. If the door opens to the right, then it’s a right hand swing, If it opens to the left then it’s a left hand swing. When you buy the door, refer to the swing by left or right hand swing.
The rough opening for entry doors should be 2’’ wider then the door(not including the door jamb). The length should be 3’’ taller the height of the door (not including the jamb). The rough opening for bi fold doors is different.
Steps for installing interior doors.
- Remove the door from the door jamb by punching the pins out of the hinges.
- Lay the jamb flat on the floor.
- Square the corners of the jamb with a carpenter’s square.
- Nail a piece of wood to both corners to keep them square. (Refer to the diagram on this page).
- Place the door jamb in the rough opening on top of two shims (on both sides of the rough opening) with the narrow ends of the shims in the middle of the rough opening.
- Adjust the height of the door as required by moving the shims in or out. (make sure that the type of floor you are laying will cover the gap between the basement floor and the bottom end of the door jamb).
- Place two shims every 12” to 16” between the door jamb and the jack stud and two shims in the center of the door header while checking for plumb with a level and for square with a carpenter’s square.
- When you’re satisfied that everything is square and plumb, drive 2-½’ finishing nails or #6 screws in the middle of the door jamb where the shims are located I like to use screws. It‘s easer to take off if you have to. Make sure that the door jamb is not twisted.- Hang the door back in place and check the gap between the door and the door jamb. -
- This gap should be 1/8’’ all around between the door and jamb. If you need to make adjustments to the gap, simply push or pull the shims as required. If you have to pull the shims, you will have to also push the door jamb. Use a piece of wood to hammer the jamb otherwise you might leave marks on the jamb.
- Once satisfied, set the nails or screws and saw off or cut the shims flash with the wall or even at slight angle.
- Check the plumb and square of the jamb one more time.
- Nail on the door stops in place. Start with the hinge side and then set a combination square to the distance from the edge of the jamb to the door stop. Use that setting as a guide to locate the top and side door stops.
- At this point, you can leave the door as is or you can install the door lock.
Tommy Tool Time
