Prehung door

[AllPurposeAtheist]

So I have this prehung exterior door to install and upon examination of the existing door that's been there for about 30 years it appears that there is 1 (one) screw holding it in place other than the exterior brick molding.. No shims, nothing.. It's the same door basically as the new door just older with a bit of rot in the frame and the bottom is swelling open.. It's steel with a full view glass panel.. For some reason a door with no shims and only 1 screw doesn't seem like it should have stood any test of time .. Is it just me or am I missing something here by thinking it should have been more securely installed?

[Munch]

hmm, take a few snap shots of it, maybe someone light recognize the make of it. I have the same problem with my window and the handles, them being 30 year old handles and hard to find replacements.

[SGOS]

I've encountered some strange things in home construction, some of it done by contractors.  I was redoing dry wall one time, and while sanding off a corner that had been troublesome over the years, I discovered that the original finisher had apparently run out of drywall tape and had joined two pieces of sheetrock together with duct tape, and then plastered over it.  One time, while re-siding a house, I stripped off the siding and found one panel of plywood sheathing held in place by one nail.  Crawling around in an attic, I found a truss where a guy building the roof must have come up a foot short on a piece of plywood.  Instead of cutting two pieces, say a four foot and a five foot to span 9 feet, he just twisted the top cord of the last truss one foot out of alignment and nailed to it.  It seemed to have held up OK, but it seemed awful shoddy to me.  When you hire a contractor, you expect things to be done right, but corner cutting seems to be alive and well whenever an inspector isn't looking.

[aitm]

Some "carpenters" use all kind of time saving tricks. Could be the trim was used to hold the frame ridged with one screw or nail being used to finalize the plumbing of the hinge side, (most usually). I have seen the threshold set in place in "tar" or caulk maybe a nail or two at the very bottom and a screw or nail on the hinge side top and then the trim is used to hold the door in place. Not unusual, and that it has lasted as long as it has, gives some credence that there is indeed more ways to "skin a cat" eh?

[AllPurposeAtheist]

There isn't much to take pictures of,  just a frame and door.. I have the printed instructions for the new door and it says to screw it in at about 6-8 places.. Just gotta go get a level.. This place was at one time owned by some young couple,  the wife was your basic cunt/trophy wife and everything they did to the place was for show without a thought to whether it was done right as long as it impressed guests.. I think she may have been related to one Mickey Mouse, but what do I know about trophy wives?

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Some "carpenters" use all kind of time saving tricks. Could be the trim was used to hold the frame ridged with one screw or nail being used to finalize the plumbing of the hinge side, (most usually). I have seen the threshold set in place in "tar" or caulk maybe a nail or two at the very bottom and a screw or nail on the hinge side top and then the trim is used to hold the door in place. Not unusual, and that it has lasted as long as it has, gives some credence that there is indeed more ways to "skin a cat" eh?

Yup.. I did body work for quite some time.. I could show you how to fill a 3 foot rust hole and paint it to look brand new or pretty darn close..

[aitm]

You don't really need a level. Levels are okay for new construction but when replacing in existing the old lines are usually pretty good. Set the frame in place and look at the gap around the door and frame. If it is even all the way around the door is set pretty square. As far as plum you can follow the old paint/stucco/frame lines and be pretty damn good. The last issue is "rack" that would be one side slightly out further and out of plumb than the other which can easily be determined by setting a bottom and top screw on the hinge side and letting the door close into the frame. When and if the door swings tight into the frame you can move the frame to meet the door, check it against the old line and see how close it is. It sounds difficult but it is really pretty easy, the door is square so you set the frame to match it.

If I were there I could scare you how quickly I can do that, wouldn't even have time to finish the one of six beers I would charge you...

[AllPurposeAtheist]

You don't really need a level. Levels are okay for new construction but when replacing in existing the old lines are usually pretty good. Set the frame in place and look at the gap around the door and frame. If it is even all the way around the door is set pretty square. As far as plum you can follow the old paint/stucco/frame lines and be pretty damn good. The last issue is "rack" that would be one side slightly out further and out of plumb than the other which can easily be determined by setting a bottom and top screw on the hinge side and letting the door close into the frame. When and if the door swings tight into the frame you can move the frame to meet the door, check it against the old line and see how close it is. It sounds difficult but it is really pretty easy, the door is square so you set the frame to match it.

If I were there I could scare you how quickly I can do that, wouldn't even have time to finish the one of six beers I would charge you...

Sounds pretty close to how I hung the door in Margies house in Texas.. The  difference there was that house probably never saw a straight line and the floor and sill were completely eaten away by termites..   Thanks  Aitm.. 

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Door installed..Fits perfectly and possibly secure enough to withstand a bunny rabbit breathing on it..

[aitm]

you da ma………what the hell is your av?……….. I find that disturbing...

[Solitary]

You should have gotten a prehung door and frame with a threshold, and ripped out the old frame. The door should be shimmed at every hinge and latch.
 
I was a Union and trade school apprentice Carpenter and Millwright. Metal doors get dented very easily, fiberglass insulated are better for the outside. You can get some with a shade screen built inside the glass that are super nice. If a door doesn't fit because it is tight, do not bend the hinges, it will cause them to be hinge bound, instead shim the hinges on the hinges on the outside to make it narrower, and on the inside to make it wider.

I would sell the prehung door and get a prehung insulated fiberglass door and frame. It's worth the extra cost and ease of installing. Solitary

[AllPurposeAtheist]

you da ma………what the hell is your av?……….. I find that disturbing...

Chucky Jesus Pizza.. A slice of heaven in every bite..
So anyway I removed the old frame..Not a single nail or screw or even shim.. I'm guessing it was lucky that the prevailing winds come from the side of the house and not the back.. The framing was tight so very little shimming was needed,  but it's damned sure not going anywhere now unless a tornado or something hits it.. The old door fit the crooked vinyl siding like a glove, but not so much with the new door.. Got it all caulked up and tight as a drum.. Now I have to find a use for the old door..It's a full double pane glass number.. Thinking about making it into a growing box for next years early plants.. Fucking thing is heavy..