Renovation 4th Edition

by Michael Litchfield

  banned by fire codes.

  Prehung exterior doors typically come with

  weatherstripping attached, which can be easily

  removed before installing the unit so you can bet-

  ter see the 1⁄8-in. reveal between the door and the

  To install the reinforcer, you’ll need to drill

  jambs. Door shoe gaskets (which seal the bottom

  through the jamb into the framing behind; the

  of a door) are removed for the same reason.

  extra-long screws will grab the framing.

  Tubular is the easiest to retrofit to old doors and

  the least expensive type of permanent weather-

  Weatherstripping

  stripping. The reinforced part of the strips is usu-

  ally metal, with slots for screws; slots allow you

  Door Frames

  to adjust the stripping so it fits tight to windows

  Air leaks can account for 20% to 30% of the total

  or doors. To install tubular weatherstripping,

  heat loss of an insulated house. If your budget is

  shut the door and press the strip’s flexible seal

  tight, sealing seams (see chapter 14) and holes in against the door, then screw the reinforced part

  the building envelope, packing insulation into the to the jamb. Don’t buy tubular stripping that

  gaps around windows and doors, and installing

  nails up or has round holes (not slots) because it

  can’t be adjusted.

  Metal-leaf, commonly called a V-bronze or

  metal-tension strip, is a thin metal strip folded

  lengthwise and nailed with brads to door jambs.

  When the door shuts, it compresses the metal,

  stopping drafts. Metal tension strips are durable

  and, because they fit between the door or win-

  dow and the frame, are hidden when the door is

  shut. When installing it, place the leaves flush to

  the doorstop, spacing brads every 3 in. Install the

  head piece first, then the sides. To keep the leaves

  from snagging where they meet in the corners,

  snip them back at a slight angle (5°). In time, the

  leaves flatten, but they can be raised by running a

  The 21⁄8-in. face bore for a cylinder lockset is often

  flathead screwdriver down the center of the fold.

  predrilled at the mill. You may need only to screw the

  latch plate to the edge of the door . . .

  Kerf-in features flexible stripping (silicone, vinyl,

  or nylon) that slides into a kerf (slot) between

  the jamb and the doorstop. Kerf-in is the pre-

  ferred weatherstripping for prehung exterior

  doors because it seals tightly and can be easily

  replaced if the stripping gets compressed over

  time. To cut kerfs into existing frames, use a kerf-

  ing tool, which looks like a laminate trimmer on

  an angled base. (There’s an interesting kerf-in

  sequence on p. 145.) Silicone stripping is a good

  choice for retrofits because it compresses so

  small that old doors shut easily without doorstop

  adjustments. At head-jamb corners, cut stripping

  at 45° angles so it lies flat.

  . . . then insert the lock body into the spindle hole of the

  latch assembly, and screw the two handles together.

  Follow the instructions supplied with your lockset.

  124 Chapter 6

  zzzzzz Door Weatherstripping

  Door

  Metal-leaf (also called V-bronze

  Rigid jamb

  Kerf-in

  or metal tension)

  (tubular)

  Jamb

  zzzzzz Weatherstripping thresholds

  U-profile

  shoe

  Outside

  Drip bar

  Vinyl-gasketed

  Neoprene

  Vinyl insert

  threshold

  door sweep

  Threshold

  SeAlINg UNDeR tHe DOOR

  side of the door. On an outswing door, cut the

  sweep to length and hold it against the bottom

  Weatherstripping at the bottom of a door must

  edge of the door so the sweep just touches the

  create a tight seal and be durable. Elements that

  threshold when the door is shut. Flap sweeps are

  attach to door bottoms are called shoes or

  not as durable as kerf-in sweeps, but they’re inex-

  sweeps; those that attach to doorsills are thresh-

  pensive, easy to install, and reasonably durable.

  olds. Although primarily intended to reduce

  If you have an inswing door, install a door

  drafts, they also must resist water seeping or

  shoe or a gasketed threshold. To do so, measure

  blowing in under the door. If your region gets a

  the distance, at several points, between the bot-

  lot of precipitation, a roof or porch overhang

  tom of the door and the top of the threshold.

  should be your first line of defense—properly

  Typically, you’ll need about 1⁄2 in. of space

  sized, the overhang should extend out from the

  between the door and the threshold to accommo-

  building half the distance from the doorsill to the date the thickness of the shoe and its vinyl

  underside of the eave. You’d also be well served

  insert—check the manufacturer’s specs to be

  to retrofit the water-return threshold described

  sure. If there’s not enough clearance, plane or cut

  on p. 126

  down the door.

  attaching sweeps and shoes. If you’re fortu-

  After measuring, pull the door’s hinge pins

  nate enough to have an outswing door, install a

  and lift the door out. Then, using a hacksaw, cut

  compressible gasket to the integral stop in the

  the shoe to length—typically, the shoe stops short

  threshold and a flap neoprene sweep to the out-

  of the doorstops on either side, so it will be 1 in.

  Doors, Windows, and Skylights

  125

  Inswing

  cardboard or “door skins” (thin wood veneer),

  anD

  create a template, transfer those profiles to the

  oUTSWIng DoorS

  underside of the threshold stock, and use an

  oscillating multitool with a metal-cutting blade

  The vast majority of exterior doors on residences

  to make cuts. Dry-fit the threshold to ensure a

  are inswing doors, which swing into living spaces.

  good fit, then remove it, caulk the sill, and screw

  in a perfect world, they would all be outswing

  the unit down. Install and adjust the threshold’s

  gasket, rehang the door, and test the fit.

  doors, which are inherently better at blocking

  air and water because, when they are closed,

  retrofitting a water-return threshold. This is a

  outswing doors butt against a stop in the thresh-

  bit more work. A three-piece threshold can be

  old that is similar to the stops in jambs. Add a

  installed over an existing threshold. Consisting of

  compression gasket to that threshold stop and

  a sill cover, a drain pan, and a threshold with

  weep holes, the assembly is sloped to send water

  water will have to defy the laws of gravity to get

  back outside, hence the name water return.

  around it. But our imperfect world includes bur-r />
  The retrofit requires accurate measurements

  glars, who can easily pop the hinge pins of an

  and careful cutting so all three pieces fit snugly

  outswing door to gain entry—unless you install

  to the existing door frame. To start, measure the

  nonremovable hinges. Food for thought.

  widest point of the doorway opening and rough-

  cut the sill cover to that length. Next, hold one

  end of the sill cover square to the base of a jamb,

  and scribe the jamb’s profile onto the metal sill.

  shorter than the width of the door. Shoes have

  Use an oscillating multitool with a metal-cutting

  screw slots that let you adjust their height; attach blade to cut the first end before scribing and cut-

  the shoe with one screw at each end. Rehang the

  ting the other end. The sill cover must slope

  door, lower the shoe until its seal makes solid

  about 1⁄8 in. toward the outside so it will shed

  contact with the threshold, tighten the screws at

  water. Hold a torpedo level on the sill cover while

  that height, and then open and shut the door. The you temporarily shim the back edge up.

  door should drag slightly as you operate it, and

  Measure and cut the threshold (not the drain

  you shouldn’t see daylight under the shut door.

  pan) next. Usually, the threshold lines up to the

  Finally, insert and tighten the rest of the screws

  outside edge of the doorstop, so when the door

  in their slots.

  shuts, it fits snugly to the threshold as well. As

  P R O T I P

  Installing a gasketed threshold is similar. If

  you did with the sill cover, scribe the profile of

  there is an existing (ungasketed) threshold,

  the jambs onto both ends and cut them out. With

  Metal thresholds are thin

  remove it and measure from the underside of the the threshold resting on the sill cover, lightly

  enough to cut with hacksaws or

  door to the top of the sill. Remove the door so

  scribe the outside edge of the threshold onto the

  jigsaws. But an oscillating multi-

  you have complete access to both ends of the

  sill cover, using an awl or a pocketknife. The

  tool with a metal blade is the

  doorway. The trickiest parts of fitting a threshold outer edge of the drain pan should sit just shy of

  tool of choice: wide enough to

  are the complex trim profiles at either end—

  this scribed line. Remove the threshold and

  track properly and cut square, yet

  doorstops, jamb casing, and so on. Using heavy

  scribe the profiles of the jambs onto the drain

  agile enough to notch door-

  frame profiles. Play it safe: Don’t

  hand-hold stock while cutting it.

  Clamp it down so your hands are

  free. And by all means, wear eye

  protection and work gloves when

  cutting metal.

  Door shoes are usually sized for the 13⁄4-in. thickness of

  By turning the screws of this adjustable threshold, you can

  the exterior door. The shoe is cut back about 1⁄2 in. from

  raise and lower the oak strip to get a good seal to the door

  both sides of the door so the shoe’s drip cap will clear the

  bottom, thus stopping drafts and water.

  thicker part of the jamb as the door closes.

  126 Chapter 6

  Door

  zzzzzz Water-Return threshold

  Integral doorstop

  rabbeted into jamb

  Drip bar

  Metal door

  shoe

  Vinyl seal

  (insert)

  Threshold

  Weep holes

  Drain pan

  Sill cover

  P R O T I P

  If hinges are loose because the

  Old threshold

  screw holes are stripped, fill the

  holes with epoxy putty. Allow

  that to harden before drilling

  new pilot holes and replacing the

  screws. Alternately, you can

  enlarge the hole by drilling it

  with a 1⁄4-in. bit and drive in a

  Silicone caulk

  tapered dowel of the same thick-

  (three beads)

  ness to fill the hole. glue the

  dowel, and let the glue dry

  before drilling new pilot holes.

  This three-piece threshold fits over an existing threshold

  and can withstand just about anything short of Noah’s Flood.

  For success, carefully fit and caulk the unit’s pieces.

  pan; use aviation snips or an oscillating multitool threshold and install the shoe on the bottom of

  to cut the pan—it’s very thin.

  the door, as described in the preceding section.

  With all three threshold pieces in place (and

  sloping toward the outside), measure up 1⁄2 in.

  Keeping the Weather Away:

  onto each jamb and make pencil marks. The

  1⁄

  A Primer on Flashing

  2 in. indicates the thickness of the door shoe

  you’ll attach to the bottom of the door. Remove

  Midway in our look at exterior doors and win-

  the threshold and the drain pan, shut the door,

  dows seems like a good place to discuss flashing,

  and spread a scriber to the distance from the top

  specialized materials that help seal out water

  of the sill cover to the mark(s) on the jambs. Then and—in conjunction with insulation, sealants,

  scribe the bottom of the door to indicate the

  and exterior casing—cut drafts. This short sec-

  amount that you’ll need to trim off. Cut down the tion shows some of the materials used as flashing

  door, vacuum the existing threshold thoroughly,

  and how they are applied around the perimeter

  apply three beads of silicone caulking across the

  of a rough opening to make exterior doors and

  opening, and press the sill cover into it. Then do

  windows weathertight.

  the same with the sill drain pan. Also caulk the

  jamb-and-pan joints. Finally, screw down the

  Doors, Windows, and Skylights

  127

  Hanging a Door to an

  existing Frame

  Hinge Setbacks

  outline of the frame opening after you

  pull the staples.

  Hanging a new or recycled door to an existing

  As you transfer the outline of this

  frame is a common renovation task but not always

  template to the face of the door, subtract

  feasible. At the very least, the hinge jamb must be

  1⁄8 in. from the top and sides of the tem-

  straight. If planing down or screwing down won’t

  plate to create an 1⁄8-in. clearance

  straighten a bowed or twisted section of hinge

  between the door and the jambs; sub-

  jamb, you may

  need to remove the old frame (and

  tract 1⁄2 in. from the bottom edge of the

  its casing) and replace it

  Hinge Setbacks with a prehung unit. If

  Leave a slight gap between the door and the doorstop, so the door won’t bind.

  template for clearance above the finish

  possible, try to leave the frame and its casing in

  floor or threshold. If the floor isn’t level,
/>   A spring-loaded, self-centering Vix

  place—especi

  Door

  ally exterior casing. Retrofitting

  bit is the best way to center pilot

  Doorstop

  you may need slightly more clearance.

  holes for hinge screws. Otherwise,

  weatherproofing elem

  1/16-in. clearance

  ents such as head flashing

  Place a spirit level across the opening to

  screws that drift off-center can

  is tedious an

  Hinge jamb d tough to do right.

  cause hinges to twist and misalign

  Set hinge back 1/4 in. from door face

  see how much out of level the floor is.

  with the other hinges.

  Set hinge back 5/16 in. from stop

  Creating a template

  trimming the Door

  the most reliable way to fit a door to an out-of-

  trim the door rails of the door, then the

  square frame is to create a template. (Read “the

  stiles. to prevent splintering, first score along cutlines with a utility knife (see the photo on

  Beauty of templates” on p. 372 for tips.) Use 4-in.-

  p. 110). then use a 71⁄4-in. circular saw with a sharp, 40-tooth carbide blade to make the cut.

  wide, 1⁄8-in.-thick strips of plywood; staple the

  For best results, cut 1⁄16 in. beyond the cutline. then use a belt sander with 80-grit sandpaper

  plywood strips to the edges of the doorstops the

  to trim the edge exactly to the cutline. Some carpenters trim door edges with a handplane or

  door will seat against. Where strips cross, join

  power plane instead. If you use a power plane, go slowly to remove the wood gradually, making

  them with fast-setting hot-melt glue. In addition,

  several shallow passes.

  run horizontal strips across the top and bottom of

  the door opening from jamb to jamb, and diagon-

  Cutting the Hinge gains

  ally cross-brace the strips so they will retain the

  Cutting hinge gains (recesses) is best done with a router and a template, as shown on p. 121,

  but a hammer and chisel will do fine if you’re hanging just one door. If the door frame already

  has hinge gains, transfer their locations to the door by marking them right onto the template.

  Alternately, you can use shims to wedge the door snugly against the hinge jamb, then use a

  utility knife to mark the hinge positions on both the jamb and the door.

  zzzzzz Hinge Setbacks

  typically, the top of the top hinge is 7 in. from the top of the door; the bottom of the bot-

  Hinge jamb

  tom hinge is 9 in. to 11 in. from the bottom of the door (see “Positioning Door Hardware” on