In addition to adding a sense of beauty and grandeur to your home, installing French doors can also increase its monetary value. When it comes to installing French doors, you will need to assemble several items, including a measuring tape, caulk, shims, a level, screwdriver, screws, and insulation. If you have chosen to purchase French doors that are not stained or painted, then this task will need to be performed before you begin installing the doors.
It is highly important for you to take the time to measure carefully when you are installing these doors. The task in and of itself is not difficult, but it is important for your measurements to be accurate. You can first begin by measuring the opening where you plan to install the French doors. If you will be widening the opening, ensure that your measurements will allow for framing. If you live in an older home, you must ensure that the preexisting jamb depth to make certain it meets the new doors’ requirements.
After removing the doors from their packing materials, make sure that all of the correct hardware has arrived with the doors. The French doors should be measured to make certain that they are the right size. The old doors, and their hardware (i.e. casing and fasteners), should be removed. The opening should then be measured for levelness. The frame of the doors should then be centered in the new opening. Shims should be used as needed on either side of the unit to make certain the door frame fits properly.
Each time a shim is added to the frame, it should be checked for levelness. Once all of the shims are level, the frame of the French doors should be attached with screws. The French doors should then be set on their new hinges. Test the doors to make certain that they swing freely without obstruction. The strike plates of the doors should then be added, and the placement and fit of the doors double checked.
If it is needed, adjust the threshold riser to ensure that drafts will not blow in from underneath the door. If there are gaps between the framing and the wall, then you will need to add insulation before you install the molding and the caulking. Finally, if it is necessary, paint or stain the molding to match the exterior of your new French doors.
