DIY can sometimes seem a bit daunting for even the most competent of people, but it doesn't have to be. We've put together a little guide to take you through the steps of fitting a new door so you can see how straightforward it is. Obviously, the first thing you need to work out is what kind of door you need - internal or external, flush (smooth) or panel, lightweight or fire check. As a rule, your sturdiest doors should be for your kitchen and front doors.
When you've chosen the door you want, you should buy one as close to the size of your frame as possible. There are a range of options and the most common sizes will be available at good DIY retailers. This means you might be able to buy one off the shelf that fits perfectly, but you should still check to make sure. Take down the measurements of your frame and mark these on your new door, allowing for 5mm of floor clearance at the bottom and 3mm on the remaining sides so it won't stick.
If you only need to trim off a small amount from your door (less than 5mm), then you could use an electric or hand planer to do the job. Otherwise, use a circular saw to cut your new door down to size. Don't cut off more than 15mm from any edge as this weakens the joints - try and buy a different sized door instead. You should also make sure to trim off equal amounts from top and bottom or the sides to keep things even.
Next, use sandpaper to smooth off any rough edges and then check the fit of your new door. Do this by slotting it into the frame and wedging it at the bottom. Once you're sure it fits, lie the door back down. If you've bought new hinges, this is the time to fit them to the hinge recesses in the door frame. Then place the door in the frame and support it with two timber wedges.
While the door is wedged, pencil the hinge positions onto the door edge. Then move the door so you can chisel out the waste wood so that, when you put the door back into the frame, the hinges are flush with the edge of the door. Make holes in the door with a 3mm wood bit so you can screw in the hinges, hold the door in the frame and screw in a couple of the hinges. Check the door opens and closes, then screw in the rest.
When you've chosen the door you want, you should buy one as close to the size of your frame as possible. There are a range of options and the most common sizes will be available at good DIY retailers. This means you might be able to buy one off the shelf that fits perfectly, but you should still check to make sure. Take down the measurements of your frame and mark these on your new door, allowing for 5mm of floor clearance at the bottom and 3mm on the remaining sides so it won't stick.
If you only need to trim off a small amount from your door (less than 5mm), then you could use an electric or hand planer to do the job. Otherwise, use a circular saw to cut your new door down to size. Don't cut off more than 15mm from any edge as this weakens the joints - try and buy a different sized door instead. You should also make sure to trim off equal amounts from top and bottom or the sides to keep things even.
Next, use sandpaper to smooth off any rough edges and then check the fit of your new door. Do this by slotting it into the frame and wedging it at the bottom. Once you're sure it fits, lie the door back down. If you've bought new hinges, this is the time to fit them to the hinge recesses in the door frame. Then place the door in the frame and support it with two timber wedges.
While the door is wedged, pencil the hinge positions onto the door edge. Then move the door so you can chisel out the waste wood so that, when you put the door back into the frame, the hinges are flush with the edge of the door. Make holes in the door with a 3mm wood bit so you can screw in the hinges, hold the door in the frame and screw in a couple of the hinges. Check the door opens and closes, then screw in the rest.
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