A Step-By Step Guide To Boarding Up A Door

How to Go About boarding up services Up a Door

The protection of vacant investment properties from the elements is feasible by board boarding up a doorway a door. Although it isn't able to be able to prevent all damage, it can reduce certain problems that can arise from severe storms.

Boarding up windows and doors can also deter trespassers and vandals as well as squatters. However it can be costly and time-consuming to put plywood boards over the openings in a home.

Measure the Door

First, you'll need a tape measure. It is a good idea to keep a ladder or chair close to hand in case you need an improved view of the top of the frame. If you need to make use of these tools, be sure to wear gloves and safety glasses.

Begin by taking measurements of the door's width. This can be done by running the tape measure horizontally across the door. Be sure to take out all extra parts of the door, such as a sweep, before measuring. Then, you can determine the height measurement by measuring up from the floor to the existing sill plate or the lintel. It is crucial to measure more than one location especially for older doors, because they are not always a perfect rectangle. If the measurements are different, use the largest number.

You'll need to determine the size of the frame after you've taken measurements of the width and height. It should be at least 2 inches larger and 1'' taller than the door. 2'' higher. This will give you plenty of space to shim the frame and door into place.

When you're ready to measure the door frame's width and height measurements, it's recommended to remove any trim or casing the door jambs, so you can see the studs behind them. This will allow you to determine the exact size of the space between the studs and the frame.

After you've removed the trim, you'll be able to measure the dimensions of the frame of your door by running the tape measure across the entire frame in three locations and using the smallest measurement as the width of your door. You should also measure the frame's height from top to bottom, on both sides. Use the shortest measurement to determine the width of your door.

If you're having difficulty with these measurements it's best at this point to consult an expert and have them come out to your house to measure for you. They'll be able tell you exactly what type and size of door you need and how to prepare the frame to accommodate the door you want to buy.

Cut the Plywood

A door frame is usually composed of a series of thin boards or studs that create a hollow space around the door. The typical door is secured by two hinges that are connected to the studs. If you want to restore doors, you'll have to remove it from its hinges over night. To prevent insects from entering your home and to secure the door opening, a quick and easy method to board doors is to place plywood into the opening. This is a simple process without the need to screw or nail the plywood to the frame of the door.

Plywood is inexpensive, easy to work with and looks fantastic when completed. It is the ideal material to use as a temporary solution for situations where you need to remove the door you have in place to finish it or build an entirely new one. It is also a great option to secure the opening of a room that is being renovated, like an unfinished basement or construction site.

Start by taking measurements of the width of the door opening and the height. Draw the measurements on the plywood using the help of a utility knife, an drywall square or any other metal straight edge. Then, you can snap a chalkline across each line to indicate where you want to cut. Finally you can use circular saws to cut out the plywood into a size.

It is important to protect your ears and eyes when cutting plywood. If possible, wear a pair of protective goggles and earplugs while working. In addition, it's essential to choose a blade with a lot of teeth that will cut quickly and with less tear-out. Make use of a small piece wood to guide the blade. Hold it about a hair's breadth away from the line you are cutting.

A good way to keep the plywood in place without fixing it to the studs is to attach braces that are short at each end. Put one of the braces on the side of the door, and the other on the outside. Install a deck screws in each hole and tighten with an open-end ratchet.

Fix the Plywood

When you have a piece of plywood cut to the appropriate dimensions and with the holes for rails and stiles already drilled then it's time to secure the panel to the frame. This is a simple project that doesn't require any advanced carpentry skills as long as you use the right tools and follow the correct procedures.

Begin by setting boarding up doorway a worktable near the doorway, with two sawhorses as well as 2-by-4 framing lumber at each end of the table. Lay the entire sheet of plywood flat atop the sawhorses and use the marks made during the measurement process to guide you for cutting. Score the lines with a utility knife and a drywall square or other metal straight edge. This will provide a guide for the saw blade, and will help to prevent splintering during cutting the plywood.

Wear eye protection and use a circular or table saw with a blade that has a fine-toothed edge to cut along the score line. Sand the edges of the panel using 120-grit paper to smooth it out and remove any burrs. After sanding process, apply a coat of wood sealer to the plywood panels and allow to dry according to the instructions of the manufacturer.

Install the hinges on the door frame. If you are using T hinges, make holes through the outer face of the door to accommodate the strap parts of the hinges. Then, put the outside hinge on its mark and screw it into the frame using a screw gun. Repeat the process for each hinge on the interior of your door. Be careful not to overtighten them, or the door may shift.

If you have a single outside T-hinged door, you can make it easier to close and lock with a chain lock by fishing a piece of wire through the loops of the outside hinges. Fold a short piece to tie wire in half, and then fish it through the two holes on the outside of the door. Then twist the wires and fix the door.

Install the Plywood

With the measurements you made, place the plywood in the door opening. Adjust the header (top) of the frame and the sill (bottom). Utilize a level to make sure there's no slop in the header or sill. If it's not quite right, put another shim in the place where needed and continue this process until you have the sill and boarding up windows and doors the header to be level.

Once the plywood is in place, fix it with the stainless steel hinge bolts and wingnuts. Use a screwgun with an attachment for hex heads to avoid removing the heads of the screws.

If your home has studs running the length of your doorway, you could drill hanger bolts into every framing piece. This is much easier than using a drywall cutting tool to create the hole.

After you have installed the plywood, measure the width and height of the door opening. If necessary, cut your bottom plywood to fit the height of the door frame. Cut two pieces of framing lumber 1-by-6 as braces for the lower and upper ends. Cut along the lines marked on the plywood with a circular blade with fine-toothed teeth. Wear eye protection. Take any splinters out of the cuts by using an sanding block.

After you've put in the braces after you have positioned them, use two pairs of finishing nails of 2 inches to secure each brace to the plywood. When you're finished counter-sink the heads of all nails. Seal the braces with a quality wood sealing product, such as the wipe-on polyurethane from Minwax.

If the door is too big, you can either add decorative molding to fill the space between your door and jamb or you can resize your opening. In many cases, it's cheaper and easier to simply choose the right door. This can also alleviate any problems you might have had with the original door, if it was damaged and no longer fit the opening.