Split construction is also used for door panels, but they have an insulation core. Look for tough, furniture-grade veneers at least 1/16 inch thick anything thinner damages too easily.Ĭompanies such as Lamson-Taylor, Pella, and Simpson discourage bowing and warping by laminating two pieces of wood to create the stiles and rails. At about $200 or so to start, they’re a low-cost alternative to solid-wood doors. This configuration minimizes the expansion and contraction that cause warping. Many stock wood doors are a sandwich of wood-veneer skins over an engineered-wood core. ![]() You’ll also find paint-grade doors in several softwood varieties, such as pine and western hemlock. Natural-finish stock and custom wood doors come in oak, cherry, walnut, mahogany, maple, fir, and pine. Versatility and beauty are their strong suit. But it’s the surface material that most affects appearance, durability, security, and price. Most combine several materials for example, many fiberglass and steel doors have wood frames. Perhaps the most important decision is what your door is made of. A third option is to have a local woodworker or millwork shop build a wood door according to your specifications. But these doors have to be specially ordered and take two to eight weeks for delivery. Some manufacturers let you specify the types of panels and glass options you want. Most manufacturers offer dozens of door styles, and you’ll find a broad selection at lumberyards, home centers, and door dealers. This Chautauqua Woods system includes decorative glass ovals and sidelight muntins. MOST CUSTOM DOORS are really modifications of a standard door design. However, these kits slightly reduce the original opening, they’re available in only a few sizes, and they can’t be installed over rotted jambs. Benefits include easy installation and the added security of the steel frame. ![]() Here, the door is prehung in a small steel frame that attaches to the old one. Door Replacement KitsĪn alternative to replacing the entire frame is to use door-replacement kits, such as Replace Door Systems from Pease Industries. Most doors are sold as 3-0 (36 inches) or wider. The width of the door is measured across its face. Add 1/2 inch to the frame height and 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch to the width. To choose the proper jamb size, measure the height and width of the existing door jamb between the inside edges of the casing. If the lockset is on your right, you have a right-hand door. If you’re replacing your old door with a prehung unit, first determine if you need a left- or right-hand door. Prehung doors are an ideal choice if the old frame is bad or if you’re removing the frame because you want to enlarge the opening. ![]() Most new doors are prehung, which means the door hangs on hinges within a new frame (these systems also include some form of weatherstripping). This is only an option with a wood door metal and fiberglass doors can’t be planed or cut. To make a new wood door fit an out-of-kilter frame, you’ll need to plane the top and bottom or even trim one of these edges so the door hangs correctly. This makes it difficult to open and close the door. But in some cases you’ll have to rip out and replace the old door framing, which includes the door jambs and threshold - especially if these wood members have begun to rot.Įven if the old door frame is fine, the wall studs it’s nailed to can bow and settle out of square. Sometimes replacing a door means simply exchanging one door, called a slab or blank, for another. There are new wood doors that resist the elements better than earlier versions, as well as metal and fiberglass ones that look like wood but provide greater security and often cost less. Whether that describes your front door or you just want to trade a solid door for one with glass panels that offer more light, you’ll find plenty of options available. Metal doors don’t last forever, either-the surface on some older steel doors can peel. Most older ones are made of wood or wood veneer, both of which warp, crack, and delaminate after years of exposure to the elements. Unfortunately, meeting those needs is a tall order for many front doors. Entry doors must be tough enough to withstand wind, rain, scorching sun, and would-be intruders, yet handsome enough to make a good first impression.
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