9 Signs That You're A Boarding Up A Door Expert

How to Go About Boarding Up a Door Protecting investment properties that are vacant from the elements is feasible by putting up a door with a board. While emergency boarding up service www.repairmywindowsanddoors.co.uk won't prevent all damage, it can avoid some of the problems that can arise from severe storms. The boarding of doors and windows will also discourage trespassers and vandals. However it can be costly and time-consuming to set up plywood boards over the openings of a property. Take a measurement of the door You'll require a tape measurement. You might also want to have a chair or ladder on hand in case you need to gain a better view at the top of the frame. If you have to use these tools, be sure to wear gloves and goggles. Once you have the measuring tool, begin by taking the door width measurement. This can be done by running a tape measure horizontally along the door. Be sure to remove any extra door parts, such as the door sweep, from the measurement. Then, determine the height measurement by measuring up from the floor to the current sill plate or lintel. It is essential to measure more than one location, especially with older doors, as they may not be a perfect rectangle. If the measurements vary, use the largest figure. After you've recorded the measurements of height and width then you'll have to determine the size of board you'll need for the frame. It should be at least 2 inches wider and 1 inch taller than the door. 2'' higher. This will allow plenty of space to put the door and frame to fit. When you're ready to measure the door frame's width and height measurements It's recommended to remove any trim or casing from around the door jambs so you can see the studs behind them. This will let you measure the exact gap between the frame's studs and the edge. After removing the trim, measure the length of your door frame using a tape measure. Take measurements of the frame at three different locations and then use the most compact measurement. Also, you should determine the height of the frame from top to bottom on both sides. Make use of the shortest measurement to determine the width of your door. If you're having issues with these measurements it's best at this point to consult a professional and have them come to your home to take the measurements for you. They will tell you what dimensions and what kind of door you'll need and how to prepare your frame for a new door. Cut the Plywood A door frame is usually comprised of a set of thin boards or studs which create a hollow space around the door. Two hinges are attached to the studs and hold a typical door in position. If you are looking to refinish a door, you will need to remove it from its hinges and then leave it for a night. To prevent insects from entering your home and to secure the door's opening, a quick and easy method of boarding doors is to place plywood into the opening. It is simple to do this without having to nail or screw the plywood onto the door's frame. Plywood is inexpensive, easy to work with and looks stunning when finished. This makes it the perfect material for temporary solutions to a problem that requires removing an existing door and renovating or installing a brand new one. It can be used to secure the opening of a space being renovated, like an excavation site or basement. Begin by measuring the width of your door opening as well as its height. Draw the measurements on the plywood with a utility knife and an drywall square or any other metal straight edge. Then, draw the chalk lines across the lines you have marked to indicate where you'll need to cut. Finally you can use a circular saw to cut the plywood to the desired size. When cutting the plywood, it is essential to protect your eyes and ears. If possible wear safety goggles and earplugs when working. Additionally, it is crucial to use a knife that has a wide range of teeth that cut quickly and without tear-out. To avoid cutting pieces of wood from the edges of the cut, use a small block of wood as a template to guide the blade and hold it at a distance of just a hair's width away from the marked line while cutting. An effective way to hold the plywood in place without screwing it to the studs is to attach two braces at each end. Set one brace inside and the other outside of the door. Install a deck screw in each hole and tighten with an open-end ratchet. Fix the Plywood When you have a piece of plywood cut to the proper size and with the holes for stiles and rails predrilled and ready to attach the panel to the frame. It is a fairly easy project that doesn't require extensive carpentry skills, provided you follow the correct procedures and use the proper tools. Start by setting up a table near the doorway. There are two sawhorses and a 2-by-4 frame lumber at each end of the table. Lay the entire sheet of plywood flat on top of the sawhorses, using the marks from the measurement process as a guide to cut. Utilize a utility blade and a straight edge made of metal to cut the lines. This will serve as a guide to the saw blade and prevent splintering of the plywood when cutting it. Wear eye protection and use a circular or table saw with a blade that has a fine-toothed edge to cut along the line of scoring. Then sand the edges the plywood panel with 120-grit sandpaper to smooth the panels and remove any burrs that may have formed from the saw cuts. After sanding the plywood, apply a wood sealer and allow it to dry according to the manufacturer's instructions. Install the hinges onto the frame of your door. If you're using T hinges, make holes through the outer face of the door for the straps of the hinges. Then, you can screw the hinge on the outside to the frame using the screwdriver. Repeat the same procedure on the inside of the door for the hinges remaining, being cautious not to tighten too much on any of them or the hinge could shift. If you're using one outside hinged door you can make it easier to lock and close using a chain latch by fishing a piece of wire through the loops on the outside hinges. Fold a short piece to tie wire in half, and then fish it through the two holes on the exterior of the door. Then, twist the wires together and lock the door. Install the Plywood Install the plywood in the door's opening using the measurements that you made. Shim the header (top) of the frame and the sill (bottom). Use a level to be sure there's no slop in either the header or sill. If it's not perfect then place another shim if necessary and continue the process until the sill and header are even. Once the plywood is in place, secure it with the stainless-steel hinge bolts and wingscrews. It's a good idea to make use of a screw gun with an hex-head attachment so that you avoid stripping the head of the screws. If your house has studs running along your doorway, you can drill hanger bolts into each framing member. This is much simpler than using a drywall cutting tool to create the hole. After installing the plywood take measurements of the width and height of the door opening. If necessary, cut your plywood bottom to fit the height of your door frame. Cut two pieces of framing lumber 1-by-6 to serve as braces for the lower and upper ends. Put on eye protection and cut along the lines drawn on the plywood using a circular saw equipped with a fine-toothed knife. Remove any splinters from the cuts with the help of a Sanding block. Once you have the braces in place attach each one to the plywood with pairs of finishing nails 2 inches long. When you're finished counter-sink the heads of all nails. Seal the braces with a quality wood sealing product, such as the wipe-on polyurethane made by Minwax. If the door is still too large for your doorway, you can put in some decorative molding to fill in the space between the door and jamb or you can resize the opening. In many cases it's cheaper and simpler to purchase the door. It also removes any problems you may have had with your door's original model, if it was damaged or was not fit for the opening.