Fast Facts About DIY Interior Door Installation and Three Season Porch Conversion
Our team answers homeowner questions every weekend on WCCO 830 AM from 9:00 am-10:00 am. Have your most pressing home improvement questions answered by calling or texting 651.461.9226. Here’s must-know information from Barry Stranz (professional & educator) who has 30+ years in the home improvement industry shared on 1.5.19.
DIY Interior Door Installation…A Do or a Don’t?
Prior to committing to a DIY home improvement project, it’s wise to consider the cost in terms of time and money if you commence work but end up having to wave the white flag. While interior door installation can seem like a straightforward endeavor, there are several ways, a rookie can get tripped up especially when it comes to common DIY construction code violations.
Tips On How To Install An Interior Door
When starting your DIY door installation, you must evaluate if the scenario warrants the casing being replaced in addition to the door. Not replacing the door mouldings makes the project easier. However, most new doors available in the marketplace, do not come pre-routed for hinges because hinge patterns can vary from home to home. This now forces the homeowner to cut the hinge gains into the edge of the door blank which is a tricky process for a first timer because of the carpentry skills that are necessary. The alternative approach is pulling the casing off, removing the entire door frame, install the new door frame pre-hung, and then install the existing casing that was there to begin with.
Tips On Installing Sliding Closet Doors
Replacing slide by closet doors, sometimes referred to as sliding closet doors, requires the removal of the hardware track and the doors themselves. Using a bi-fold or swinging door create problems if you’re putting in a new frame. If you’ve had a slide-by door, you might not have enough width of the rough opening to create a frame with a hinged door. You’d be fine with the bi-fold, but not with the hinged door because you might have to open up the framing so the casing comes off and then the width has to be checked so that you know you’ve got enough space. Normally, you’ve got the width of the door, plus the width of the doorjamb, and additional space for shimming. These aspects must all be taken into consideration in order to purchase a new door.
The most difficult closet doors for an amateur to install are those that have a French door or swinging closet door. That’s because there are two sets of doors in one jamb, making them the most difficult pre-hungs to set because there are two doors that need to be plumb level square and aligned in and out so that the top and bottom match on the center seam. They can even give professional trim level carpenters difficulty. Bi-fold doors have a lot of adjustment potential, but whereas French type doors do not.
Porch Conversions: Making Your Three Season Room A Four Seasons Room
While a three season porch can provide a relaxing place to entertain, many homeowners are interested to learn whether or not their current space can be converted to a four season porch in a cost effective manner. In most instances a three season porch does not have a preexisting heating plant within the space. In order to heat the space so that it’s usable year-round, insulation must also be brought up to code. The challenge becomes the ability to access spaces where insulation has never been installed. This could be an overhead attic area that may or may not have easy access. At times, this can be done by accessing the roof on top through the creation of a hole to spray insulation in. Wall cavities may also need to be opened up in order to bring your home insulation up to code and the space underneath the room may also require insulation. The installation of a separately zoned heating plant must also take place, upping the cost of the project.
Don’t Start Your Next Home Renovation Without Watching This!
