Question on Door Frame Installation

[7th Kahuna]

I am trying to help my father install an exterior steel door frame. It is of the knock down (KD) variety. At the top of each side jamb, there is a 'foot', if you will, that runs out on a screw to lock the jamb in place. At the bottom of each side jamb there are two light weight steel straps. They are intended to be nailed to the 2x6 bottom plate of the wall once the jamb is plumb. You can see them in the photo below.

Am I missing something? To me this looks like a really weak installation and as this property has been subject to break-ins, I want this door to be as secure as possible. Here are my concerns:

1) While the straps will prevent the frame from pulling away from the wall, but they don't seem to offer much to prevent it from pressing in toward the wall. Understand that by design, the space immediately behind the jamb is hollow. It doesn't fit up tight against the wood. The 'foot' I mentioned before would prevent it, at least at the top.

2) The straps, being down next to the ground, are apt to rust away eventually, defeating whatever rigidity / security they initially provide.

3) The door is steel as well, and really heavy. It will therefore be actively trying to work the jamb out of alignment.

The frame came without any instructions. I spoke to the manufacturer and they said nail the straps, you're done. Youtube hasn't been much help. I've got some other creative ideas to secure it, but maybe someone here has done it before and could point me in the right direction.

 

[matt_i]

When I built my shop I ran double king studs on both sides of the man doors, in addition to the jacks that hold up the headers. Idea is to increase rigidity to maintain alignment under the swinging loads, and also so that the striker area can also be reinforced for security.

The steel frame seems ideal because it would already be much stronger than a wood frame, thru the striker area, perfect for a warm climate where salt and snow are not present to rust it out.

I am not sure about the cross-section of the frame, but if you can periodically place some GRK-RSS torx drive framing screws thru the frame and into the studs, without causing other problems, you will be well on your way to a heavy duty structure. Those screws are typically available at Homme-D.

 

[Firebird 1]

That is a commercial door frame. Installed properly they are very secure. The knockdown version is for a wall that is already in place with finishes. Typically they are used for interior applications. The throat depth should be the total wall thickness. For example if you are using 3.5 studs with 5/8 gwb the throat depth should be around 4 3/4. To install you put the head in place then slide the hinge side into place. There are usually tabs that line things up. I usually bend these over to lock things in place. The latch side is done next. I make sure the head is level, then plumb the hinge side, and anchor the bottom with the straps with a screw into the wall. I then hang the door, and move the latch side of the jamb until it is true with the door and anchor it off. Whole process should take about 15 minutes. Properly installed this will hold any door you put on. I would like to know what your wall construction is. This may be the wrong frame for you application.

 

[Toolfool]

Not the best jamb for your father's intention. I'd be installing a steel door in a 5/4 solid oak "milled" jamb (jamb and stop is milled out of one piece). Shimmed and screwed.

 

[Dr Stan]

When I built my shop I ran double king studs on both sides of the man doors, in addition to the jacks that hold up the headers. Idea is to increase rigidity to maintain alignment under the swinging loads, and also so that the striker area can also be reinforced for security.

I did something similar when installing my shop man door. In addition the dead bolt goes into a block of aluminum attached to the king studs with grade 8 bolts. Similar treatment was given to the door hinges.

It would be easier to go through the overhead door instead.

 

[7th Kahuna]

That is a commercial door frame. Installed properly they are very secure. The knockdown version is for a wall that is already in place with finishes. Typically they are used for interior applications. The throat depth should be the total wall thickness. For example if you are using 3.5 studs with 5/8 gwb the throat depth should be around 4 3/4. To install you put the head in place then slide the hinge side into place. There are usually tabs that line things up. I usually bend these over to lock things in place. The latch side is done next. I make sure the head is level, then plumb the hinge side, and anchor the bottom with the straps with a screw into the wall. I then hang the door, and move the latch side of the jamb until it is true with the door and anchor it off. Whole process should take about 15 minutes. Properly installed this will hold any door you put on. I would like to know what your wall construction is. This may be the wrong frame for you application.

The wall is an exterior wall, framed with 2x6, plywood sheeted inside and out. The wall sits on a concrete curb but the wood framing reaches the floor around the door opening. The exterior will be trimmed with wood and then stucco applied. The interior was to have been 5/8" drywall but something is off. We will sheet with 3/8" plywood then the drywall will need to **** some sort of trim around the door. Our mistake may have been in going to HomeDepot, but this is the door and frame they recommended.

Not the best jamb for your father's intention. I'd be installing a steel door in a 5/4 solid oak "milled" jamb (jamb and stop is milled out of one piece). Shimmed and screwed.

I like the sound of that. The thieves around here are pretty motivated and don't seem to mind making a ruckus. They took a sledge hammer to a steel door in the middle of the day, in full view of the alley. Drove a railroad spike through the lock assembly.

I did something similar when installing my shop man door. In addition the dead bolt goes into a block of aluminum attached to the king studs with grade 8 bolts. Similar treatment was given to the door hinges.

It would be easier to go through the overhead door instead.

I like the idea of the aluminum block. Whatever I end up doing, it has to be secure. The overhead door will definitely be the weak point. But without spending a fortune, there is a limit to what can be done there. At least the tracks will be well braced. They pried the door off the tracks of the original garage building once. This isn't even a bad neighborhood.

 

[spike99250]

Technically that is an interior frame. The straps on the bottom get hidden by your base on both sides.
You could dimple the frame to accept screws but that usually requires a special tool to do right. You could do it by drilling a small holes in the frame, countersinking the holes and then with a piece of pipe held on the backside smack it with a ball peen hammer to dimple it. After screwing it bondo over the screws. I would also throw a few coats of paint on the backside before installing as the frame looks to be bare metal.

 

[The Cobbler]

often those frames are filled with mortar after installed plumb. a local installer is now using spray foam to fill the cavity . adds a lot of strength .
that frame is satin coat, not bare steel

 

[7th Kahuna]

often those frames are filled with mortar after installed plumb. a local installer is now using spray foam to fill the cavity . adds a lot of strength . that frame is satin coat, not bare steel

Not sure how one would get the mortar in. Spray foam is a good idea. I was thinking about running a 3/4" by maybe 2.5" lag screw into the stud and threading it in until the head of the screw just touches the back of the plumbed jamb. That would offer some extra compressive strength. The spray foam would prevent it from rocking around. But when you've paid for a commercial door and frame, you don't expect to be micky-mousing it into place.

 

[quick60]

You pour mortar in from the top. They also can be set and shot in place with a Hilti gun and the brick mason builds the wall right inside the jamb as he goes up. I set many of those things up as an apprentice carpenter back in the day.

 

[7th Kahuna]

^ I find myself wishing we had built the shop in masonry. The termites have wasted no time making themselves at home. We will have to tent it before we call it finished. I found some great videos for installing this frame in masonry walls. No such luck for wood framing. They all used a different design.

 

[Firebird 1]

Metal door jambs set in masonry walls are filled with mortar. Not the type of jamb you have. I don't see that spray foam would do anything. The finished wall should extend into the throat of the jamb. That is what gives it rigidity. Again, not much help at this time, but that is not the proper ext. door frame. What you need is a welded frame for the existing opening. This would have surface mounted screws in the face of the jambs. Dimpled flush like was mentioned. This frame can be made to fit, but to make it right you should find a competent carpenter that has exp. with commercial doors.