Even though prehung doors are usually easier to install than slab doors, you still need basic repair skills, including precision and accuracy. After all, a properly installed door unit beautifies the doorway, functions properly, and lasts a long time without needing to be replaced.
Nowadays, factories' capacity is practically unlimited, so door manufacturers offer a wide variety of models. They differ in materials, dimensions, and design. Nevertheless, there are significantly fewer ways of installing them, which can be conditionally divided as follows: the interior door is either installed in its own jamb or not.
The difficulty level of installing a hinged door is medium. As for time, you will need at most 4 hours. We have prepared step-by-step instructions to avoid mistakes and to do everything like a professional.
What is a prehung door?
Before we prepare the right tools, let's learn the theory. What is the difference between a prehung door and a slab door?
A slab door is a simplified "version" of a door that does not have a frame or hardware. That is, both of these parts are purchased separately.
A prehung door is a ready-to-use product that consists of a door slab with a frame and hardware. You only need to choose a handle in the showroom or online on the website.
Unpacking and preparing tools
The DIY-friendly Belldinni set includes:
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Door slab (pre-cutted for hinges and American standard lock).
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Door frame (jambs).
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Invisible hinges.
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Precut for handle.
The frame supplied is disassembled. Parts of the frame (jambs) should be connected to the provided hardware and predrilled holes before installation.
Necessary tools:
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Screwdriver.
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Drill or screwdriver with bits.
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Pry bar.
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Hammer.
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Wood shims.
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Fixing nails.
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Level.
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Measuring tape.
Checking the rough opening
First, the installation of interior doors starts with preparing the door opening. It must be leveled using a level: the floor, walls, and trimmer studs must be level. Make sure that the ends of the trimmers' faces are level with the wall.
If your doorway is about 2 inches larger than the door, this will allow the door to be adjusted to a level plumb position for proper operation.
Shimming the trimmers
Next, measure the distance from the bottom of the jamb to the center of each hinge. Next, attach the hinge side of the answer to the top of the trim and measure the gaps. Place overlapping shims in the smallest gap using nails to compensate for their difference.
Adjust the thickness of each pair of shims and nail them in place. Carefully trim off the excess so the ends do not protrude beyond the drywall.
Installing a door in the opening
If the door is heavy, it is best to lift it with someone. However, in most cases, men can do it alone.
So, connect the hinge jamb to the shims on the trim and press it down. Measure 3 inches below the miter, and fix the structure on the hinge side with a nail in the trim. Check for proper operation with a level.
Consider the various options:
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Plumb wall: nail the trim flush against it at the other two hinge locations.
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Non-plumb wall: install shims where the hinges are so that the door is plumb, and nail them in place.
Use wooden wedges if gaps are left between the wall and the trim.
Adjusting the gap between the door
If the top of the closed door is straight, you do everything correctly and follow the instructions. However, minor mishaps occur, such as an uneven indentation between the door and the jamb. Don't worry; this is normal and easy to fix. Adjust the gap by raising the jamb to the correct position and fixing it.
Set the reveal by driving nails every 16 inches through the latch-side casing and into the trimmer.
Fixing the jamb
Shims can be used between the jamb and the trim in three places to prevent the jamb from sagging: near the top of the opening and above and below the striker plate. When installing them, ensure they do not deform the jamb (it must remain flat), and then fix it with nails.
Attachment the casings
This step is performed from bottom to top. Insert the edges of both keying into the grooves on the jamb and fasten them together by hand. Secure them with screws. Continue until the keying is secured at full height.
Installing the latch hardware
Installing the latch hardware is the last step in installing prehung doors. However, it is just as important as all the previous ones. You will need screws and possibly a chisel.
Attach the strike bar to the hole in the latch jamb. If it is not the right size, shorten it as needed by tracing the necessary contour with a pencil. Then, proceed to insert the deadbolt and fix the plate on the edge of the leaf. Also, install the handle into the slab.
As a result, your door should work perfectly: close and open unobstructed (the latch must go into the strike plate, and the door slab does not rattle). Check it.
Three helpful tips for installing prehung doors:
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Size matching: the rough opening must be 2 to 2 ½ inches larger than the corresponding jamb dimensions. Also, note that the jamb's depth should match the wall's thickness (including drywall or plaster).
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Opening method: first, decide where you want the door to open. We offer left-hand and right-hand swing directions.
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EZ-Hang: a unique seven-bracket door installation system that can be used at any stage of construction, eliminating the need for shims. With this patented technology, hanging an interior door is five times faster. The advantage of the EZ-Hang is that the attachment is adjustable: there's no requirement to bend or alter the bracket, and it is suitable for either or both sides of the door, with or without drywall.
How do you maintain a barn door?
Like many Belldinni interior doors, prehung doors don't require much maintenance. However, there are a few recommendations:
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Depending on the type of finish, use the appropriate products.
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You can clean Belldinni doors with a damp cloth without aggressive detergents. A soap solution is allowed.
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If the slab is decorated with a frosted or clear glass insert, clean it with a glass cleaner so no streaks remain.
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Do not use brushes and stiff rags, which can ruin the door by leaving scratches.
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Wipe the hardware regularly with a soft cloth.
Beginners sometimes need help to install an interior door independently, and there is an explanation for this. Formalizing a doorway requires time, careful study of instructions, having the necessary tools at home, appropriate skills, confidence in their abilities, etc. To make repairs the first time without errors and quickly, we recommend applying for a professional service to install prehung and other doors. Our experts install door units of high quality and on time. Contact them at doors-install.com.