I just moved into a new home, but I don't like the doors in the house. Can I change them to a six-panel door, or is this something for a carpenter to do? — J.P., Ballwin

Replacing a door is not difficult, but it does require patience and precision to be done correctly. You can replace just the door (the part that swings — called a slab door), or you can replace the door, framing and casing (called a pre-hung door). Installing a pre-hung door is easier and takes less time, but sometimes requires a second person to help carry and install the door.

For this job, let's assume you want to replace the door with a pre-hung door. Begin by measuring the width of the door itself (just the part that swings). As long as it is a standard width (24, 28, 30, 32 or 36 inches) with a standard height of 80 inches, you won't have a problem getting one. You will also need to know if you want a "lefthand swing" or "righthand swing." Because most doors swing into the room, stand with your back to the door on the inside of the room. Whichever side the hinges are on tells you if it is a lefthand or righthand. Most six-panel doors are for interior doors and have a hollow core. If you want a solid core six-panel door, you're going to pay a lot more for it.

Once you have the door, begin by removing the old door. Remove the hinge pins and discard the old slab door. Then, using a razor knife, score along the edge of the door casing on the inside and outside of the room. You'll then need a small pry-bar to remove the casing. Once the casing is removed, you'll be able to see the framing of the door, along with the nails that held it in place. You can use the pry-bar to break the framing up, or a hacksaw to saw the nails off. When the old frame is off, hammer in any nails so that the new door can go in smoothly.

Most pre-hung doors have what is called a "split jamb." This means that when looking at the 6-inch side of the door, it will come apart so that one part of the jamb goes on the inside of the room and one part goes on the outside of the room. They are then pushed together inside the doorway where they fit together and are secured. Center the door in the opening, and use a level to make sure the door is plumb. Insert shims on the hinge side to hold the door steady. Insert the shims from both sides of the door directly behind each hinge, into the space between the hinge jamb and the stud. You only want the shims to hold the door in place, so don't put so many in that you push the door out of plumb.

You'll then want to use 3-inch finishing nails to nail through the jamb and into the stud framing. Use two nails at each hinge. On the other side of the door jamb without hinges, do the same thing. Now that the door is in and secured, you can nail the casing into the walls, using a finishing nail. Then caulk around the casing, transfer your hold door knob to the new door and be sure to schedule a time to paint the door. Most six-panel doors come primed, but not painted.

Steve Cloninger is the owner of Get It Done Home Repairs & Maintenance. Visit his website at getitdoneinc.com.


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