Judging from the feedback I get as a contractor, many homeowners have a love/hate relationship with their sliding patio doors that rivals their attitude toward gutters. You appreciate that your sliders let in a flood of natural light and don't conflict with furniture. But for all their size, they only provide partial ventilation and they can be awkward to operate, especially the screens. Unless you have lived in a home with a quality French door, you may not know what you are missing with sliders.
Both sides of the Andersen Frenchwood Patio Door shown here swing inward to create a nearly 5 - ft. - wide opening for maximum ventilation and view. It also features an optional hinged screen door system. One screen operates like an ordinary hinged screen door with an automatic closer. The other screen remains closed during normal use and can be swung open for wide access by turning an interior latch. They are easier to operate than sliders when you are carrying things. Best of all, the screen door closes as soon as you pass. No matter how old your house is, it's never too late to upgrade the doors. Replacing balky sliders with hinged French doors is a popular remodeling project because it can transform a home inside and out, making both spaces more attractive and functional. That's the kind of high - visibility/high - utility home improvement you'll appreciate every day. It also enhances your home's appeal dramatically when it comes time to sell.
Door manufacturers prefer that installations be left to trained contractors. But, as this article demonstrates, there is no reason why you can't replace your own patio door with French doors in a day. All it takes is careful measuring, attention to a few critical installation details and a strong back.
Measure twice, order once
If possible, choose a replacement door that will fit in the existing rough opening so you don't have to replace the header (the large structural beam over the door). The best way to determine the opening's height and width is to remove the interior casing and measure horizontally from stud to stud and vertically from header to floor. Then add the thickness of the flooring (for instance, 3/4 in. for a traditional hardwood floor) for the true height.
Keep in mind that exterior door sizes are not measured the same as interior doors. When ordering an interior door, the height and width relate to the door panel itself. Exterior door sizes refer to the size of the rough opening that's required.
When ordering an exterior door, you also need to know the thickness of the exterior wall where it will be installed. Don't make assumptions; framing can vary, even within a house. While the home where I installed this door is 2x6 construction, the shallow bumpout where the door is located was constructed with 2x4 framing, 1/2 - in. drywall and 3/4 - in. fiberboard sheathing for a total jamb width of 4 - 3/4 in. Since a standard jamb assumes 1/2 - in. sheathing, I planned to add 1/4 - in. interior extensions so the jambs would be flush with the drywall.
The critical jamb thickness measurement is the distance between the interior edge of the jamb and the flange that fits tight against the exterior sheathing. It does not include the distance beyond the flange that projects along the siding.
With the maximum door size determined, choose the best door configuration. With French doors, the door you open first is considered active; the other is called passive. The door shown here is an active/passive configuration because the left door opens first when viewed from outside.
You also will need to choose among exterior cladding colors, interior wood veneer species, grille options, specialty glass, hardware styles and hinged vs. sliding screens.
French doors must be transported and carried on edge to prevent the insulated glass units from flexing and snapping. I always have doors delivered.
D - Day arrives
Don't be surprised if you feel a little anxious as you begin the installation. Creating a 35 - sf hole in the side of your home can make your heart race. But if you plan the project right, you should be able to get things closed up in an hour or less. To be safe, remove the old door carefully so you can replace it temporarily if you run into a problem, such as damage from a colony of carpenter ants.
If your site leads to an elevated deck, it might be safer and easier to carry the new door through the house than to lug it up the deck stairs. A double door unit is huge and can weigh as much as 200 pounds. Verify that it's the correct unit and retrieve the installation instructions as soon as the door is delivered, but don't take it out of the protective box until you get it onto the patio or deck. It will be easier to move if you tie straps or heavy ropes around the box for lifting.
In a perfect world, the rough opening would be only about 3/8 - in. wider and taller than the door itself and it would be both plumb and square. If the existing rough opening is oversized like this one, nail continuous plywood strips to the framing to narrow and shorten the spans. If the sill isn't level, install a continuous tapered shim to fully support the threshold.
French doors come with installation instructions that are specific to each model. The photos in this article aren't a substitute for those instructions, but they should help you avoid the common problems that instructions may overlook.
Many exterior doors have nailing flanges that stick out from the jambs and fit flush against the sheathing. The flange on this Andersen door is designed to seal the joint and position the door, not to secure it. Instead of nailing through the flange, drive screws through the jamb as directed.
Don't assume that a door will be plumb if the flange lies flat against the sheathing. The wall could be bowed or tipped. While that doesn't affect a sliding door that moves on parallel tracks, hinged doors must be plumb even if the wall is not. If needed, flex the flange to ensure the two side jambs are parallel and plumb.
I've seen many techniques to keep door sills weathertight - from ABS plastic sill pans to bituminous roof membranes. I find that three thick beads of silicone sealant will stop drafts and water penetration just fine. The key is to pivot the door onto the sill without sliding it so the beads aren't flattened and smeared before the door reaches its final resting place. That way, the caulk will bond the threshold to the sill with no gaps.
The most important thing to remember when installing any door is to keep your margins or reveals (the gaps around and between the doors) equal. You can measure and remeasure, but the jamb probably will be square if the reveals look right.
Andersen ships doors unlatched with spacer clips in the reveals and suggests that you not remove the spacer clips and open the doors until the unit is fully shimmed and secured with screws. In a remodeling situation where the finished floor is installed and you need to move back and forth between indoors and outdoors, the clips can get in the way and restrict access. If you remove the clips and open the doors before securing the jamb, be sure to latch the doors shut and watch those margins.
I've installed plenty of doors over the years and know too well that houses can move over time. The great thing about the Andersen French - wood Patio Door is that you can fine - tune the fit of the doors in the frame after installation by adjusting the hinges with an Allen wrench.
Door installation instructions don't tell you how to trim a door, but it's an important detail if you want to achieve a professional - looking job. Because the wall was not plumb at this site and the jamb was 1/4 in. shy of the wall thickness, I ripped 1/4 in. from the edge a 1x clear pine board, tapered it with a block plane and mounted it to the jamb. Note that I stepped back the extension and the casing so they don't interfere with the swing of the door. Door makers also offer exterior extension jambs if thicker interior extensions would interfere with the doors.
Sources
- Andersen Windows and Doors, Bayport, MN, (800) 426 - 4261, www.andersenwindows.com
Club Member Kraig McKown builds houses in Plymouth, Minnesota.