Best Practices

Doors

When installing doors, first check your rough opening to ensure that it is plumb, square, and able to accommodate the door to be installed

  • Cut any drywall flush that sits proud of the framing members

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  • Check doors nearby to establish installation height for the new door

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  • If there are no nearby doors, establish height by using a laser and comparing high and low points in the floor. Some areas may require the door to be shimmed for elevation, and others may require jamb and/or door modification to achieve the desired height

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  • Move the door into the rough opening, and secure it into place temporarily by placing shims in the top corner on the strike side, in-between the jamb and the framing member. Generally, you want the hinge side to be tight to the framing member for door strength and stability

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  • Once secured with shims, plumb the vertical jambs parallel and perpendicular to the adjacent framing members. Make sure that the jamb header is square as well

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  • Shims along the perimeter of the jamb allow backing for screws so that the jamb doesn’t sink further than intended, and can be adjusted by pulling or pushing the shim further in or out while tightening or loosening the screw.

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  • Do not shim behind hinges. The screws will inhibit shim adjustment

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  • Hide 3” screws either behind hinges when possible, behind stops, or by using trimhead screws whose holes can be later filled.

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  • Do not screw into shims, this also inhibits shim adjustment. Rather, screw below the shim, to allow adjustment, and to keep the shim from falling out while making adjustments.

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  • First screw should be near the bottom hinge, working your way up to the top hinge, and around the jamb, ending at the bottom of the strike side. This allows you to make adjustments, should the door move and become out of plumb.

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  • One effective technique for hiding screws behind hinges, is to remove each hinge individually and then reattach once jamb is screwed to framing member.

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  • Once everything is shimmed, screwed, and determined to be plumb and square, micro adjustments can be made to jamb to allow a consistent reveal around the door.

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  • cut shims flush with the jamb using a multi tool, to prepare for casing

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  • Mark your reveal for casing. Interior doors use 1/4’ reveal. Exterior doors use 1/2” reveal

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  • **Install casing per the "Casing" sub-section of the Trim section of this guide**

    Trim

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