While some customers choose to purchase only a door (slab only) to install into their existing jamb, others prefer to have their new door fitted into a new jamb (sometimes called the frame.) This is referred to as “prehanging”. This process includes new hinges, threshold, door shoe, and weatherstrip. It allows your installer to simply replace the entire unit. It is the standard for new construction. It is also the perfect solution for replacing a door where the jamb has been damaged or worn over the years.
Preparing the Jamb
We build the jamb from solid hardwood, the same as your door. Thresholds are made from oak, for durability. A kerfed weatherstrip (E-lon) is installed on all exterior jambs.
The jamb is constructed to be 1/2″ shorter and 1/2″ narrower than the Rough Opening dimensions. These revised dimensions are called the Unit Outside Dimensions. They ensure that the new unit will easily fit into the Rough Opening.
After assembling the jamb unit, hinges are mortised into place and weather strip is fitted..
Preparing the Door
The door is then sized to fit the jamb with an even gap to allow smooth operation. The leading edge is beveled to allow clearance when opening and closing the door. Hinges are mortised into position. If basic hardware prep has been ordered, it is performed at this time.
Mortise Prep
Two-hole prep
Dual Strike Prep
If hardware was purchased here or supplied by the customer, it is completely installed with strikes inlaid and mounted on the jamb.
Full Installation
The door is then physically hung in our shop to guarantee it fits properly and all hardware is in alignment. We do not simply rely on the math or patterns provided by the hardware manufacturers.
Preparing the Door Shoe
The door shoe is a metal drip cap that fits over the bottom of the door and diverts water away from the door’s bottom. It houses a neoprene gasket that makes contact with the threshold. It is adjustable to allow a perfect fit. We cut the shoe’s metal housing to length and notch the ends so they will clear the jamb’s stops. The neoprene gasket is secured in its track so that its hinge end will compress against the jamb leg when it is fully installed. We leave the leading edge of the neoprene long. It must be trimmed to the precise length by the installer after the shoe is installed.
Shoe Fit
We do not install the door shoe. It must be installed after the entryway’s installation is complete. Only then can the shoe be positioned so the neoprene gasket kisses the threshold and the jamb legs. This fit is important to keep daylight from creeping around the ends of the door shoe gasket. It can only be completed by the installer.
Hinges
We typically use square corner, commercial-grade (heavy duty) hinges, which are available in a variety of finishes. Steeple Tips and Ball Tips are available by special request.
- For a 1 3/4″ thick door, we use 4″ x 4″, steel, plain bearing.
- For a 2 1/4″ thick door, we use 5″ x 5″, solid brass, ball-bearing.
- For a 3″ thick door, we use 6″ x 6″, solid brass, ball-bearing.
If we are not providing the decorative hardware, the customer must provide the hinge finish color. If we are providing the decorative hardware, we will endeavor to match all hardware finish colors on the project.
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