Replacing an Exterior Door

Replacing a door is not as hard a DIY job as many people fear, with some of the right tools and a little work you can replace yours for less than having it done and get professional results.

This article is for replacing a simple door and door frame. If you have a double door or a door with panels on each or one side you can replace them with the same technique used here but you will need to ensure the frame door is the same size as the one originally there.

If you change the size of the door frame that you are putting in you will need to do extra work to either cut out more of your door frame area or add some panels or wood and siding to the area if you going with a smaller door. If you are doing something like this you might want to consult someone who knows more about construction.

You'll first want to go and get the door and all the parts and tools you will need before you begin. The main things you will need is a door with frame, this will be the biggest expense of course. A steel door without a window can run as little as $135 and with a window can be around $180 and up. From there you can go way up in price, these are for an economy steel on wood door with nothing fancy about it.

These will also be prehung doors, this means that when you buy it the door is already hung with hinges on the door frame. All you have to do is put the door and frame into the correct position and screw it to the frames that are part of the wall. You will also want to get the door hardware, the door knob and bolt that you want in the door.

Outside doors are usually 36 inches wide, but the hinges are either on the left or right, this makes them left or right doors. There are two parts to determining the hand of a door. Which way it swings and which side the handle of the door is on. Is the door handle on the left or right?

To determine the hand of a door you stand inside looking at the door. If the door swing inside then you look at the door and the handle. If the handle is on the left and the door swings in, it is a left hand. If the handle is on the right and it swings in, it is right hand.