Door Installation

Installation Instructions for Steel, Wood or Fiberglass Doors:

Tool List:

hammer, screwdriver, all-purpose caulk, plumb-bob, rule or measure, level, square, drill, countersink,
nails, marking pen, shims, finish coat and brush for its application

Caution:

Please remember to always transport and store the door system in an upright position and to keep it
dry until it is correctly installed and weather protected. Failure to follow proper installation instructions
and/or failure to finish the unit promptly before exposure to weather will void warranty.
Be sure to install the door under a wide overhang for protection.
A minimum of 4’ for an 8’door is recommended (1 foot out for 2 feet up).
Installing your new door will take time and careful attention. There are no shortcuts.

Follow these instructions carefully and you will have a beautiful door that will give you years of trouble
free service

Step 1 The Opening:

Using your level, and your square, see how level and square the rough opening is.
For example, the top or head and side walls of the rough opening may not be square, or
perpendicular to each other.
Or the rough opening might be in parallelogram shape.
Still another condition to look for in your rough opening is twist.
Making correct adjustments on our door unit as it is installed can compensate for all of these common
problems.
Remember your door must be installed level, square, and plumb within the rough wall opening to
operate as it was designed.

Step 2 Getting the Door Ready:

The screws in the top of the door that have held the doors closed during shipping must be removed.
Run three 1/4" lines of all-purpose caulking compound along the full width of the bottom of the rough
opening or sub-floor.
Set your door unit in the rough, pushing in both bottom corners and sides until the exterior trim of the
door unit is flush against the outside wall.

Step 3 Measuring the Fit:

While someone holds the door keeping the exterior trim snug against the exterior wall, take your long
level and check to make sure the bottom is still level, and that the head jamb of the unit is level.
Next, go inside and check the amount of space between the door and the jamb. Move the unit to allow
the margins to become more even between the door and the jamb.
Returning to the exterior side of the unit. Secure the unit by driving two 2 1/2" finish nails, one into
each upper corner trough the exterior trim and into the wall. Leave about 1/2" of the nail out.
With the door temporarily held in place, push open the doors and see how they operate. If there is
any sticking or binding, or if they swing shut or open by themselves, your door is not hanging level,
square and plumb and adjustments are needed to make it operate properly.

If the doors are sticking or won't close properly, return to the interior side of your door.
Look for areas where there is too much space, and areas where there is too little space.
Shift the door one way or the other to even up; the margins around the door and insert shims to hold
the door unit in position.
Push or pull the bottom of your door until the door is level vertically and square or perpendicular to its
own unit head jamb.
Check the lock set holes to see that they are aligned.
When everything checks out level, square, and plumb, and your door is operating smoothly, place
shims behind each hinge to fill the margin of space between the door unit jamb and the rough
opening.
Also place shims across the top of the head jamb at three equally spaced areas and secure with
screws behind the Q-lon wetherstripping.

Step 4 Securing the Door:
Secure your door unit permanently into the rough opening by driving 2 1/2" nails through the jambs
and shims where you have inserted them, securing them to the studs of the rough opening.
Drive nails flush and set them 1/8" deep with your countersink or nail set for finishing.
Pay special attention when shimming. Your shims must fill up the void behind the jamb to create a
solid nailing surface.
If you fail to shim properly and leave open space, the door unit will be pulled toward the rough
opening.
The adjustable threshold may be adjusted as necessary, using a #3 Phillips bit only.
There are bolts both at the top and bottom of a double door.
Check and make sure these bolts slide.
Drill holes and insert plates provided on side of unit so that head and foot bolts operate smoothly.
Caulk along the sides and top of your door where the exterior trim rests against the house. Make sure
there's a tight seal to prevent water entering the wall cavity between the door unit and the rough
opening.

Step 5 Finishing:

If Designer Doors has supplied the lock, remove the lock so that you can finish the door under the
lock.
For a steel or fiberglass door, insert screw covers, provided in the packet attached to your door, over
the screw heads around the glass insert.
For a wood door, fill the brad holes around the panels and glass frames.
At this point, your installation is complete except for the very important step of applying a proper
finishing coat to all surfaces of your new door unit.

NOTE:
The white frames on a steel or smooth skin fiberglass door will need to be primed with a plastic primer
#XIM Plastic and Vinyl Bonding Primer.
This primer can be purchased at Sherwin-Williams.
Finish with an oil based varnish.
Plastic products should be painted with a light color paint.
Exposure to high ambient temperatures, such as between a storm door, will void the manufacture’s
warranty.

A proper finish is crucial when installing a wood door. This preserves the door surface and without a
proper finish your door can be damaged by the elements. Grain sealer is required for Designer Doors
to Warrant its product.
Failure to properly finish your door will void the door units warranty. Wood does have color variances
and can be blended to a closer match with a proper stain.
Be sure to clear coat with a minimum of 3 coats of a marine type varnish, with a UV inhibitor.
Now is the time to install your lock set following the lock manufacturers directions.

Troubleshooting Tips:
If you've finished installing your door and it's not opening and closing smoothly check the following:

• Make sure your margins are even along the head jamb, side jambs and sill of your doors. If they are
not, shim to shift the door so
it is level square and plumb.

• If your door swings open or closed by itself, it may not be aligned vertically. This indicates incorrect
installation or load shift or
settling of the house. Carefully remove Screws and nails while repeating the installation procedure.

• Use proper flashing around the door to prevent leakage. Always use the recommended installation
procedure for flashing.

Note:
Designer Doors will not be responsible for any injury, damages, actions or loss of any kind
whatsoever or whoever caused arising from the use or misuse of the information and/or instructions
contained herein.