Tag: pre hung door installation problems

What’s a door level?

Written by JENTRA on . Posted in Doors 101. Leave a Comment

A door level attaches to the door slab to show level and plumb during installation. It also spaces out the door slab in its frame.

(And why you’ll never want to install a door without one again!)

In this article, we’re going to walk through what it takes to install a prehung door properly with clear bullet points to lead the way.  We’ll also give a few tips and a tool at the end to make the process a lot easier.  Follow along below, and please feel free to reach out to us with any questions that may come up – we’re here to help!

What’s the problem with using a traditional 6’ handheld level?

There’s nothing wrong with a good 6′ handheld level, but it can be cumbersome to use one for door installation.

Let’s start at the beginning – There are 4 key goals when you’re installing a door. Getting any one of these wrong can result with the door not working properly or even needing to be replaced due to warping.

A correctly installed door needs to be:   

LEVEL

The best way to describe LEVEL is to imagine a straight line that is perfectly horizontal. Take a look at the picture above, the dotted green line represents LEVEL.

PLUMB

To visualize what PLUMB represents, look at the dashed green line above. PLUMB is the term used to refer to a perfectly vertical line.

SQUARE

The definition of SQUARE is a 90 degree corner. A speed square, framing square, and T squares are all good examples of tools used to find SQUARE on a jobsite.

TRUE

The picture above describes TRUE. A door or window can be installed perfectly LEVEL, PLUMB & SQUARE on one side, but if the other side’s aren’t LEVEL, PLUMB & SQUARE, the unit will not be TRUE.

While these concepts are easy to talk about and understand, it can be very hard to achieve all 4 at once during the actual door installation. (Click here if you want to learn more about Level, Plumb, True & Square)  

Here are a few factors that make installing a door difficult –

  1. If you’re using a traditional 6’ level, you can only read Level or Plumb, not both at the same time.  When you try to move the door into Level, you’ll often move it out of Plumb or visa versa.  I’ve literally spent hours in the past trying to get a door right, only to end in frustration! 
  2. The door slab is what needs to hang Level & Plumb.  If it’s out either way, the weight of the door will cause it to swing open or closed on its own.  You can probably think of a door in your house that does this – and now you know why.  Too many people focus on the door jamb, but it’s the door slab that counts!
  3. The door jamb needs to be spaced consistently around the door slab – (precisely 3/32” on the strike and top sides & 1/16” on the hinge side.)  Again, this is easy to say but can be very hard to do using a traditional 6’ handheld level.

Keep these tips in mind for your next door install:

  1. Starting with a level sill – The sill is the bottom of a door and it being level and flat is the corner stone of any good door installation.  It’ very important that the floor space that the door is going to be sitting on is completely level and flat before starting on the door installation.  If it’s not, you need to fix it!  Here’s an article about how to level the floor using common building materials.
  2. Use screws, but don’t overtighten them – You’ll want to use screws, not nails when installing a prehung door.  Nails will pull out over time with use, causing the door frame to move and not work correctly.  Just be careful not to overtighten the screws.  If you put too much torque on the screw, it will pull the jamb out of level or plumb and give you trouble.  A nice positive connection holding the door shim is all you need.
  3. Shimming – Every door needs to be shimmed during installation.  The shims create a firm hold between the door jamb and the wall.  Shims are essential in preventing the door from moving over time.   Here’s a whole article about properly shimming a door and the various shims on the market.

When you install a door, It's important to shim it properly.

How does a door level make it easier?

If you haven’t heard of a door level – don’t worry, you’re not alone.  It’s a fairly new innovation, but it can be a great time and frustration saver when it comes to installing a prehung door.  

Here’s how a door level helps during installation – 

  1. A door level attaches onto the door slab to show Level and Plumb at the same time – this frees up both of your hands to work.  You can watch level and plumb change as you install the door, getting it perfect from start to finish. 
  2. A door level also creates the proper spacing between the door slab and its frame.  Acting as an assembly guide during the shimming process.  Every door gets installed with the same consistent reveals – 3/32” on the strike and top sides & 1/16” on the hinge side.  
  3. A door level helps to hold the door assembly true and square during installation.  Its spacers help to prevent the door from racking back and forth by locking the door slab into its frame. 

Where can you buy a door level?

You’ve come to the right place, JENTRA is the creator of the door level.  We’ve used our same door installation knowledge from above to develop the CHEATAH door level.  We’ve sold almost 10,000 CHEATAH door levels to date, so hurry up and get yours!

In stores – Here’s a map of local stores where you can purchase our CHEATAH door level.  We are not currently in any of the large box stores.

Online store – Click here to purchase the CHEATAH door level from our online store.

Thanks for reading and please be sure to reach out to us with any questions that may come up! Happy Door Installations!

Measure a Door

How to Measure a Prehung Door

Written by JENTRA on . Posted in Doors 101. Leave a Comment

Do You Know How To Measure a Prehung Door?

We’ll go over everything you need to measure on your next replacement project.

In this article, we want to go over the different ways you can measure a prehung door. Depending on the application, you’ll need to know how and what to measure so you can order the correct replacement door from the Lumberyard.

How To Measure a Prehung Door Interior

Prehung Door Measurement Terms:

Door Handing –

First, if you’re planning to measure a prehung door yourself, you’ll need to know how to tell what the “handing” or “swing” of the door is. The best way we’ve found is to put your nose to the hinge pins, (with the door shut) and see which of your hands can grab the door handle. Since the hinge pins are only visible from one side of the door (interior or exterior,) it allows for a fool-proof way of determining swing. The door in the picture would be called a LH inswing.

Note: Exterior doors can also be specified as inswing or outswing – essentially, does the door swing into the room or out to the exterior?

Slab Size –

Next, the most common way to measure a prehung door is to call out the measurements of the door slab only (translated into lineal feet.) Look at the door in the example picture above – the Blue measurements are the door slab size. This door would be called out as a 3068 (3’ x 6’8”) when ordering a new prehung unit for replacement.

Rough Opening (RO) –

Another industry standard is to remove the interior or exterior casing and measure the 2×4 stud framing or “Rough Opening” (RO). Back to our example picture – the Orange measurements show the RO of this door at 39” x 82 ½”. (Industry standard is to call out the width before the height when ordering a door or window.)

Frame Size –

Some manufacturers allow you to order a door by “Frame Size” or the outside measurement of the door jamb assembly. This allows for an exact fit when trying to save interior and exterior casings. The Red measurements show the door in the example has a frame size of 38” x 82”.

How To Measure a Prehung Door Exterior

Outside Measurement of Exterior Casing (OSM) –

Finally, if you’re trying to replace an exterior door and save the existing siding, you’ll want to measure by what’s called the “Outside Measurement of Exterior Casing (OSM). You’ll also need to measure and specify the width of the existing Brickmolding or casing. This will give you an exact replacement that fits into the existing siding and RO. The Green measurements above show this example door has an OSM of 41” x 83 ½” with 2” Brickmolding.

These terms are hard to differentiate at first, but by gaining a good understanding of how to properly measure your next door – you can avoid costly mistakes caused by miss-orders.

DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE?

DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE?

Here are some more you might be interested in! We’ve taken everything we’ve learned about door installation and wrote it down for your use

Read more

The Door Is Installed Level & Plumb, but it still doesn’t work!

Written by JENTRA on . Posted in Doors 101. Leave a Comment

Has this ever happened to you?

We Can Help!

You’ve tried to do everything right, taking your time to find level & plumb perfectly.  Even shimming properly at each hinge location, but no matter what you try – the door frame will not line up correctly with the slab.  (learn some shimming tricks here)

Let’s trouble shoot some of the possible causes below:

1.  The door slab is level, but the sill is not

This is one of the most common issues when you’re facing the problem the door being installed level & plumb, but it still doesn’t work.  Look at the picture below to get a better idea of what’s going on here. 

picture-correct-door-sill-vs-an-incorrect-door-sill

A level sill is the foundation for a good door installation

As you can see, even if the door is level & plumb – if the sill isn’t, you will have a hard time getting your reveals to line up correctly.  (learn more about getting a level sill here)

2.  The door’s frame legs are not installed true with one another

Here is a picture of another trouble-spot that we’ve seen on job-sites.

Doors 101 - True

Note how the door legs don’t align with one another

It is possible to have a door slab level & plumb and one side of the door frame level & plumb. But if the other side of the door frame isn’t true with its partner – the door slab can appear warped because it will pop-out from the frame in one corner.  (you can learn more about what installing a door true means here)

3.  One of the door’s components was manufactured incorrectly

Even though it’s rare and door manufacturer’s try very hard to produce every unit correctly, it is possible for a part to be made incorrectly and find its way into the field.  Fortunately, you can check that your door was made correctly by measuring both frame legs to make sure they match and both head and sill to make sure you have a matching pair.  As for the spacing between the door and frame (usually called the reveal) it is recommended that there is at least 1/8” on both the Strike and Head sides of the door and 3/32″ on the hinge side of the door.  We’ve put together a diagram below to help explain this.

Proper reveals are required to maintain Energy STAR® ratings on exterior doors

4.  The door slab is warped

Again, this is rare for a new door. But it is possible for the door slab to warp before it has been installed.  If this has happened, the door will pop-out from the frame in one corner as mentioned above. It will also not match with its frame.  An easy way to test for this is to use a string pulled tight from the top of the bottom of the door corners. (as shown in the picture below) If the gap is larger than ⅜” from the string to the door, it is warped.

DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE?

DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE?

Here are some more you might be interested in! We’ve taken everything we’ve learned about door installation and wrote it down for your use

Read more

Doors 101 - Level

Level Plumb Square & True. What do they Mean?

Written by JENTRA on . Posted in Doors 101. Leave a Comment

What do they really mean?

Our clear-cut explanation of Level Plumb Square & True.

We hear these words used all the time, but have you ever taken the time to really think about what they mean?  Equally important, these terms can have a major impact on your next door or window installation.  Take a read below to make sure your fenestration terminology is up to par.

Doors 101 - Level

1.  LEVEL

The best way to describe LEVEL is to imagine a straight line that is perfectly horizontal.  Take a look at the picture above, the dotted green line represents LEVEL.  If a door or window is installed out of LEVEL, it will tend to rub on the jamb and it will be hard to get the reveal (spacing between the door and frame) to line up.  If the reveals don’t line up, the sash will not seat up properly with the weather-strip seals.  As a result, you risk losing the Energy STAR rating your door or window came with.

Doors 101 - Plumb

2.  PLUMB

To visualize what PLUMB represents, look at the dashed green line above.  PLUMB is the term used to refer to a perfectly vertical line, thus why the clever tool used to find PLUMB is called a plumb-bob.  If a door or window is installed out of PLUMB, it will cause a host of issues.  Such as:  sagging open in the corner, unwanted opening or closing doors, and binding during operating.

Doors 101 - Square

3. SQUARE

The definition of SQUARE is a 90 degree corner.  A speed square, framing square, and T squares are all good examples of tools used to find SQUARE on a jobsite.  Installing a door or window SQUARE involves being both LEVEL & PLUMB at the same time.  This is important to prevent: binding during operation, springing open on the corners and again to insure proper sealing between the sash and frame.  Take a look above for a visual explanation of SQUARE.

Doors 101 - True

4. TRUE

By far, the most forgotten term of a door installation.  TRUE represents being SQUARE on both the LEVEL & PLUMB axis at the same time on all sides of the unit being installed.  The picture above describes TRUE.  A door or window can be installed perfectly LEVEL, PLUMB & SQUARE on one side, but if the other side’s aren’t LEVEL, PLUMB & SQUARE, the unit will not be TRUE and will create many of the problems mentioned above.

These terms are hard to differentiate at first, but by gaining a good understanding of LEVEL, PLUMB, SQUARE & TRUE you are sure to get better results out of your next installation.

DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE?

DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE?

Here are some more you might be interested in! We’ve taken everything we’ve learned about door installation and wrote it down for your use

Read more

How Important is a Level Door Sill?

Written by JENTRA on . Posted in Doors 101. 1 Comment

it’s not that big of a deal… is it?

Let’s Take a Look at Why a Level Door Sill is So Important.

It’s a Big Deal…

This is a question that most people don’t think about before beginning a door installation, but it might be the most important step to take. Installing a door with a level door sill is like building a house on a level foundation, you have to start right to end right.

picture-correct-door-sill-vs-an-incorrect-door-sill

As you can see in the picture above, if you don’t start with a level sill, it’s practically impossible to end up with a good result to your door installation. The sill is the door’s foundation, if it is out of level; the problems compound over the height of the door and become much more difficult to troubleshoot.

A Level Foundation is the Key Building Block to Any Structure.

Now that we know we need a level sill, it’s easy right?  Well in the real world, you’ll find most construction sites don’t offer a perfectly level sill area in the rough framing.  In fact, it’s very uncommon to find a perfect RO (rough opening) with a perfect sill. So what do you do?  You fix it!

Take the time

It’s important to use a straight edge level long enough to run the entire length of the door sill to make sure that the entire span is level and without dips or rises. A dip or a rise in the sill must be fixed before beginning the door installation.

One of the best methods we’ve come across to fix a dip or a rise in the door sill is to use strips of Ice and Water shield (found on most jobsites as a roofing underlayment) or asphalt shingles to build up the rough framing in order to create a level door sill.  Depending on the thickness you need, the strips are easy to cut and stay nicely in place where you need them during the door’s installation and afterwards.

Fix Any Problems Before Moving Forward with Installation!

By taking the time to complete this small step, you will find that many common door installation problems disappear when you start with a level sill!

DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE?

DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE?

Here are some more you might be interested in! We’ve taken everything we’ve learned about door installation and wrote it down for your use

Read more

The Ups and Downs of a Door Shim

Written by JENTRA on . Posted in Doors 101.

a door shim has a top?

The Ups and Downs of a Door Shim

The pitch of the door shim is important!

Did you know that door shims have a top and a bottom, and that if you put them in the wrong way they don’t work? Let’s take a look at this.

A Shim Has A Taper for a Reason

To start, we’ll call the thicker portion of the shim the top and the thinner end the bottom.  The taper this creates is designed not only to help make up various gaps when combined with another shim, but it also sets the “projection” of the door. Take a look at the picture below.

All bound up?

Have you ever tried to shut a door that feels like it is binding when you try to close it the last few inches? More than likely, this was caused by putting the shims in the wrong direction creating the bad projection and the door hinges to bind.

The Taper Helps the Door to Swing One Way or the Other

By correctly placing a shim at each hinge, you will help the door easily close all the way. It’s all about the top and bottom when it comes to a door shim.

DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE?

DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE?

Here are some more you might be interested in! We’ve taken everything we’ve learned about door installation and wrote it down for your use

Read more

5 Mistakes You Might be Making Installing a Door

Written by JENTRA on . Posted in Doors 101.

we’ve been there too.

Our pick of the top 5 most common door installation mistakes

Below are 5 of the most common problems seen when it comes to installing a door. Take a look below to see if you’ve ever struggled with any of these!

1.  Hanging the door parallel to the wall, even if it is out of level 

If the wall is out of plumb, it’s hard to install a door correctly and it may tend to swing open or closed. If the wall is plumb but the door frame is not, the door frame may need to be adjusted to ensure an even reveal on each side of the door. If the walls on either side are not parallel, extra time may be needed during shimming to ensure the best results.

Don’t Expect Good Results if you Don’t Start Right.

2.  Using the wrong hinge screws or over-tightening them

The right screws, or 3 ½” screws, keep the door stable over time. Too small of screws can allow the door to migrate over time, which can cause it to rub or scrape on the floor or not shut at all. When the screws have been tightened improperly, the door will experience uneven tension and will eventually warp.

Go Slow and Steady.

3. Placing shims improperly or backwards

When installing a door, thick end of the shim should face the door’s hinge pin. This helps it swing shut properly. If the shims have been installed backwards, the door will begin to resist before it is completely shut. Putting door shims in backwards can also be a large contributing factor to a door that swings open or shut on it’s own. Read more about proper shimming techniques here: The Ups and Downs of a Door Shim.

Proper Shimming is Important.

4. Failing to check the reveals

As the industries top cause of warped doors, uneven reveals can cause significant long-term problems with a door. The reveals must be parallel to ensure proper operation and a long life for the door. If the reveals are uneven, the door will build up pressure over time and warp as the moisture level changes. If a door is hanging with even tension across all three hinges, it will operate properly for years to come.

EnergySTAR Ratings can be Voided by Improper Reveals.

5. Not starting with a level sill

As seen in the picture below, by starting without a level sill, it’s practically impossible to end up with a good result to your door installation.  The sill is the door’s foundation, if it is out of level; the problems compound over the height of the door and become much more difficult to troubleshoot. Read more about proper level sill here: How Important is a Level Sill?

Installing a door with a level sill is like building a house on a level foundation, start right to end right.

picture-correct-door-sill-vs-an-incorrect-door-sill

 

DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE?

DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE?

Here are some more you might be interested in! We’ve taken everything we’ve learned about door installation and wrote it down for your use

Read more

JENTRA™

794 32nd Ave NW
Backus, MN 56435
(855) 947-4300
sales@jentratools.com

Mon-Sat: 8am - 5pm

Contact Us

Categories

Services

Sign up to Our Newsletter
and Never Miss a Deal

Copyright 2021 JENTRA™. All Rights Reserved.  Tools are sold under US Patents 8,677,636 and 9,482,016.