How to Go About Boarding Up a Door

Boarding up a door is one method of protecting vacant investment properties from the elements. It may not prevent all damages but it can assist to avoid certain problems that come with severe storms.

The idea of boarding up doors and windows can also deter burglars or vandals from entering your property. However it can be costly and time-consuming to put plywood boards over the openings on a house.

Take a measurement of the door

First, you'll require a tape measurement. You might also want to keep a ladder or chair handy for when you need to gain a better view at the top of the frame. Wear gloves and protective glasses if you have to make use of these tools.

Begin by measuring the door's width. This can be done by running the tape measure horizontally across the door. Be sure to remove all extra parts of the door, like the sweep, when measuring. Then, measure the height by measuring from the floor up to the sill or lintel. It is crucial to measure in multiple places especially for older doors, as they are not always an exact rectangle. If the measurements differ then use the largest figure.

After you've logged the width and height measurements and you'll need to figure out what size boarding up houses you need for the frame. Ideally it should be 2 inches larger than the door and 1 inch thicker than the door. 2'' higher. This will give enough space to shim the door and frame into place.

It's a great idea to remove the casing or trim around the jambs of the door to be able to see the studs. This will let you take measurements of the exact gap between the studs of the frame and the edge.

After you've removed the trim, you can measure the width of the door frame by running the tape over the entire frame in three places and using the smallest measurement to determine your door's width. Also, you should take a measurement of the height of the frame from top to bottom on both sides, and use the shortest measurement as the height of your door.

If you're having issues with the measurements, seek out a professional who will come to your house and conduct the measurements. They'll inform you of the size and style of door you require and how to prepare your frame for a new door.

Cut the Plywood

A door frame is usually comprised of thin boards or studs that create a hollow space around the door. Two hinges are attached to the studs and keep the door in its place. If you are looking to finish doors, you'll have to take it off its hinges over night. To prevent insects from entering your home and to secure the door's opening, Boarding Up A Door a simple method of boarding up a doorway a door involves placing plywood inside the opening. This is easy to do without the need to nail or screw the plywood to the frame of the door.

Plywood is easy to work with, affordable and looks great once it's completed. This makes it the perfect material for an interim solution to problems that require the removal of an existing door and refinishing or installing a new one. It is also a great option to secure the opening of the room being renovated, such as an unfinished basement, or a construction site.

Begin by measuring the width of your door opening as well as its height. Draw the dimensions on the plywood with an utility knife and a drywall square or other straight edge of metal. Then, you can snap an outline of chalk across each line to mark the area to cut. Then, use a circular saw to cut the plywood to size.

When cutting the plywood it is important to protect your eyes and ears. If you can wear eye protection and earplugs as you are working. In addition, it is crucial to use a knife with a lot of teeth that cut quickly and without tear-out. To reduce the chances of breaking pieces of wood from the edges of the cut, use a small block of wood as template to guide the blade and keep it at a distance of just a hair's width away from the line while cutting.

Attaching a pair of shorter braces at each end is a good way to hold the plywood in place without screwing it into the studs. Set one brace on the inside of the door and the one on the outside. Install a deck screw in each hole and then tighten with an open-end ratchet.

Fix the Plywood

It's now time to connect the panel to the frame once you have the plywood sheet cut to the right size and the holes to attach rails and stiles of the door frame are predrilled. It is a fairly easy project that doesn't require any extensive carpentry skills as long as you follow the correct procedures and use the appropriate tools.

Begin by setting up a table near the doorway. There are two sawhorses as well as 2-by-4 framing lumber at each end of the table. Lay the entire sheet of plywood flat on top the sawhorses using the marks left by the measurement process to guide you to cut. Mark the lines using the help of a utility knife, a drywall square or other metal straight edge. This will serve as a guide for the saw blade and prevent splintering when you cut the plywood.

Put on eye protection and cut along the lines of scoring using a circular saw or table saw fitted with a fine-tooth blade. Then sand the edges of the plywood panel using 120-grit sandpaper. This will smooth the panels and remove any burrs from the saw cuts. After sanding apply a wood sealer and let it dry according to the instructions of the manufacturer.

Install the hinges on the door frame. If you're using a hinge with a T-hinge drill holes on the outside face of your door for the straps portion of the hinges. Then, put the hinge's outside on its spot and attach it onto the frame using an screw gun. Repeat the process for every hinge on the inside of your door. Be cautious not to overtighten them, or the panel could shift.

If you have a single outside T-hinged door, you can make it easier to close and lock with a chain lock by putting a piece wire through the loops of the hinges outside. Bend a small piece of tie wire in half and fish it through each of the two holes on the outside of the door. You can then connect the wires to pull them tight and fix the door.

Install the Plywood

Based on the measurements you have taken and place the plywood into the door opening. Move the frame's header (top) and the sill. Use a level to ensure that there is no slop between the header and sill. If it's not quite right you can put another shim where is required and repeat the process until you get the sill and header to be level.

When the plywood is in the frame, fasten it with the stainless steel hinge bolts and wing nuts. It's a good idea make use of a screw gun with an hex-head attachment so that you avoid stripping the head of the screws.

While you're at it if your house was built with studs running across the width of your doorway, drill hanger bolts through the plywood and into the framing studs. This is much simpler than using a drywall cutter to make the hole.

After you have installed the plywood, determine the width and height of the door opening. If necessary, trim your bottom plywood to fit the height of the door frame. Cut two pieces of framing lumber 1-by-6 as braces for the upper and lower edges. Cut along the lines drawn on the plywood with a circular blade fitted with teeth that are finely-toothed. Wear eye protection. Get rid of any splinters that may have formed in the cuts with a sanding block.

Once you've got the braces in place Attach each brace to the plywood using a pair of 2-inch finishing nails. Counter sink all the nail heads after you've finished. Make sure to seal the braces and the plywood with a high-quality wood sealer, such as this wipe-on polyurethane from Minwax.

If the door is still too big for the doorway, you can add a piece of decorative molding to fill in the gap between the door and jamb or resize the opening. In many instances, it's cheaper and easier to simply find a new door. It also solves any issues that you might have experienced with your original door even if it was damaged or no longer fitted the opening.