Build a new door frame or buy it?

[Bennylava]

Hi all. I have a few questions regarding door frames. I need a new back door on my house. This is the door that I use to walk to my detached Garage, so it's an important door. The old back door has seen better days, and imo it's just time for a new one. So I found a nice fiberglass door on clearance at Lowes, marked down from $750 to $350. Seemed like a good deal, but the frame was broken. A big chunk is missing out of the bottom of the door frame. It has some kind of particle frame. Don't know if that's good or bad.

Anyway, is this a problem? Is the door frame something that is terribly hard to replace? Could I just use the frame that is already there, from the old door? I've never installed an outside door before, only interior doors that didn't require a new frame.

 

[sr_tj02]

In my singular experience, getting the frame square and the door squared up on the new frame, was much harder than you'd imagine.

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[spudley]

The existing frame is better than the cheap *** particle board frame, but most likely it has settled and its out of square or plumb.

Building a new frame is reasonably easy with the right tools. A planer, table saw and router should be available. Older frames often have rabbeted "pockets" the door closes into, which means you'll need larger than standard 3/4" thick material to start.

I'd try the existing first. If it's way off, then remove each frame piece and make replicas with new lumber.

 

[SteveCh]

Depends on the condition of the existing [old] frame. If it's in good shape, should be easy to simply install a replacement door. "Good shape" for installation includes being square. How are your carpentry skills?

 

[yeldogt]

Hanging a door in an existing frame is harder than it looks --- building a frame is easy .... you can buy the "kits" at a lumber yard. It's getting the hinges correct and fitting the door correctly.

If the full hinge side is still intact -- you should be able to get the other parts w/o too much problem. But -- you have discovered that what you get for $750 is still not all that great. That's why I hate the big box stores ... the value in the product is not there. You pay almost as much as the real deal for substandard products.

I would go to a lumber yard and see what they sell -- get a real pre-hung with a real frame -- understand how to install. Look back with pride.

 

[merim123]

i'll second that chances are your hinges will not align with the new door. Also measure your existing door now and check to see if it is plumb and square. if not, Id say you are better off redoing it like others said. not hard, but it will take you the better part of a day. and you will build it better than that particle board thing. when I did construction with my father, we had to fix a lot of these in old buildings with heavy oak doors. everything moves over time. sometimes you just need to rebuild it as long as it is not rotted out.

 

[nadogail]

IMHO, Building a squared frame and hanging a door are advanced carpentry skills.

If you feel Frogy, jump; otherwise reconsider a pre-hung door and carefully follow instructions. You will need some taper shims too.

 

[mv213]

Pre-hung all the way. You can order one with the exact jamb width needed to fit perfectly in the existing opening. Having replaced numerous doors over the years in old houses I would not even consider doing it any other way.

Now, if you have the skills of a Tommy Silva, the answer might be different. He seems able to make doors fit properly the old fashioned way. Me, not so much.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Just because its on sale doesn't make it a good deal. Like others have mentioned, you may have a ton of work to make that "sale" fit right.

I think I would pass and spend the money on a new prehung.

 

[rburke65]

Particularly board frame!!! Don’t think I’d buy it got $50. I’d vote NO.

 

[Kevin54]

I'd just get a new prehung door and install it, and call it a day. Measure your door size and get the prehung that is the same size. Once installed, all you have to do is finish off the inside trim work.

 

[rsanter]

Step one
Install the door you bought into the frame you have.
Stand back and evaluate the fit. Does it fit in the hole? How do the gaps look?
If it fits and the gaps are good, then does the lock line up from door to jamb?

If all is good then you are done.
If the locks do not like up you can modify the jamb.
If the gaps are not good you can pull the trim and reshim/ resquare the jamb to the door.

If it does not really fit in the hole, there is a shave that over time as the house setteled, they may have trimmed the door to fit the hole. Hard to do this with the modern fiberglass doors.

If the door does not fit, then you can buy a new door jamb kit (or make one if you are a woodworker) and install that.

If you want to up the security, you could install a steel door jamb

 

[CraigStu]

Since it's an outside door, you may want to look into making the frame from some type of non-wood so it doesn't rot the bottom sides.