Installing door blanks
in existing door frames
Tools to complete Handyman project: Router, ½” router bit, 1 inch Chisel, hammer, Phillips Screwdriver, Regular Screwdriver, 1/8” Drill bit, small C clamps, Combination square and pencil
Your door frame is fine but your door is damaged and needs to be replaced.
First thing to do is measure the door. Normally the interior door will be 2ft 6 inches wide (30”), but it could be a different size. The height is pretty much standard size.
Exterior doors are normally 36” wide, but you still want to measure both the width and height in case it is a special order. The thickness on the interior or exterior door are standard in most cases.
When you have the new door, remove the old door by removing the pins of the hinges. Cut the edge of the door if not the same width, you will need a circular saw and a straight edge that are clamped on the door to accomplish this.
Remove the door and set the door on edge with the hinges facing up towards you. Remove the hinges, note and mark on the hinges,how far the hinges are in the door edge and clamp the doors together with the c clamps, again with the hinges facing up and the new door in front of the old door. The top of the doors need to be lined up.
Mark the location of the hinges using the combination square setting the heel of the square against the old door and line the blade up with the edge of the removed hinge. Mark the new door, the length of the door width and on both sides of the hinge, set the hinge within the pencil marks. The hinge needs to go as far as the other hinge was on the older door toward the back side of the door.
Mark the back edge of the hinge! Most hinges have a small radius on the rear, be sure to follow the radius with your pencil.
With the hammer and chisel, follow the hinge pencil marks the depth of the hinge. This will help prevent splintering of the wood when you use your router and will also act as a guild for the router bit.
Use the router next, on each of the hinges. Set the depth of the bit the thickness of the hinge, set the hinge on the plate of the router to get the correct height. The top of the router bit should be at the top of the hinge.
Be sure to wear safety glasses in the next step
With the doors still clamped together and sitting on edge, turn on the router, slowly go into the middle of the hinge area. Remove the area of each of the hinges by following the outline of the hinge.
If the hinge is square the corners will have to be chiseled out. If you do not have a router you will have to chisel out the hinge area.
Install the hinges next by piloting the screw holes first, using the 1/8” drill bit, to keep the wood from splitting but also aligned in the screw hole of the hinge.
Good idea to dimple each of the screw holes with a nail and hammer to keep the drill bit in the center of the hole, Install the hinges
Double check the height, if the old door is a lot longer, there might be a reason.
The door might have to be cut to allow for carpeting or floors that have been added over the years.
Install the door and the lockset next. If you are going to install new locksets a detailed set of instructions will be included. If you are installing your existing locksets and not sure how to install, you might want to check out our article: Installing your used Exterior Locksets on a new door
