Diy install interior door

There are many methods including hand planes, table saws, jointers, etc. I use a jointer but because my jointer has a very short bed, I use roller stands to help me extend the bed of the jointer and allow me to straighten these longer boards.

For more information, see the YouTube video below. The other components of the door also need to be straight, but it is much easier to square up smaller pieces than larger pieces. My rails are very short; only 12 inches around 30 cm between the two stiles, but the size will vary depending upon the size of the door. While all rails must be cut to the same length, the width of the rails will vary.

Bottom rails are generally large - around inches. I think that this is because the bottom of doors tends to get kicked and you don't want a panel to be kicked in. Top rails are also generally much smaller than the bottom rail, but are also generally slightly larger than middle rails.

I believe that this is because the top of a door may sometimes be cut if it does not fit. The top rail on my door measures 6 inches. The middle rails are the smallest and vary in size depending upon the style of the door, but are generally always uniform with each other.

My middle rail is around 5 inches. When cutting the panel make sure to allow for additional space for the panel to fit in the groove more on that in the next step. After I laminated the boards I left them in the room for about a week so that the wood could acclimate before I planned them down to the final thickness. This will reduce any potential warping. How you put it altogether is very important as poor joints can lead to a failure of the entire door. There are numerous joinery methods, many of which require specialized tools and equipment.

Other methods may be time consuming or require special skills. Whatever route you choose, your joints must be structural and provide strength. That rules out solely glue, biscuits, small dowels or even tongue and groove. I decided to use thick hardwood dowels to join my door together.

In order to accomplish this, I created a doweling jig that allowed me to drill all the holes that I need. I created another YouTube video on that process. Check it out here. This allowed room for my panels to sit in. From there I glued everything up and let the door dry. With the door built you will need to cut holes for the doorknob and mortise hinges.

The cross bore hole for the latch should be 1 inch in diameter right in the centered in the door and the knob hole. To mortise hinges I use a router bit set at the same height as the hinges, but you can also use a chisel. I think that it is easiest to attach the hinges to the door first before attaching to the frame. Interior door Hinges are generally placed at center 10 inches from the bottom, 7 inches from the top and in the center of the door.

Before I install the door, I will measure the hinges that I have already placed on the door and mortise the hinges in the frame if necessary.

In my video, I painted before I drilled the holes and mortised the hinges, but in hindsight it probably would have been better to paint after. I did one coat of primer and two coats of paint. Once all the paint is dry, the door is ready to be installed. Once the door is installed all that is left is to feel that feeling of accomplishment that you get when you do something for yourself.

What a nice feeling. Please check out my other instructables, my website, diywithdave. Did you leave room, or do you think it's not necessary? Has it held up well over the year since you built it? Question 2 years ago. Good job with the door. I didn't see or missed this in the article, but what about the door frame?

Did you have to build that, as well? Answer 2 years ago. I also built the door frame. Maybe I'll add that to the article. Did this summary help you? Yes No. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers.

Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article Steps. Tips and Warnings.

Things You'll Need. Related Articles. Article Summary. Buy your door. Purchase a door to fit the rough opening in the wall. Doors and door openings are generally standard sizes, generally ". The framed-in rough opening for the door is always around 2" wider than the purchased door not including the jamb around the door.

This allows for adjustment when installing the door to achieve plumb "level". Start getting things straightened out. Start by drawing a plumb line on the wall. Using a 6' or 4' level draw a level line down the drywall.

You can also use a laser level, which may be easier and more accurate there are many models that can attach to a wall. Attach the door installation brackets. Attach 6 door installation brackets to the outside of the door jamb, the wood frame to which the door comes pre-attached.

Place a bracket behind each of the three hinges. Attach the remaining three brackets on the the other side of the jamb. The first bracket should be 8" from the top, the next bracket just above the latch stop, and the final bracket 8" from the bottom of the door. Place the door into the opening on top of blocks or shims.

Never place the door directly on an unfinished floor. Attach the brackets. Using the plumb line on the wall, screw in the top bracket on the hinge side of the door. Then screw in the next 2 brackets using the same reference notch as the first bracket. After the 3 brackets are screwed into the wall using the same reference notch for each, the door is now level. Now check the reveal gap between door and door jamb when screwing in each of the final 3 brackets.

Start at the top of the door and check the reveal when screwing in the top bracket. Check the reveal when screwing in the final 2 brackets. The door will now be perfectly hung and the blocks under the door can now be removed. Install the casing around the installed door. The casing, also called the trim, is the strips of wood that hide the joints and some parts of the hinge.

Done correctly, the trim will perfectly conceal the door installation brackets.