20 Fun Informational Facts About Boarding Up A Door

How to Go About boarding up a doorway boarding up doorway a Door

Protecting vacant investment properties against the elements is possible by emergency boarding up services up a door. It may not prevent all damage however it can help to prevent some of the issues that are associated with severe storms.

Boarding up windows and doors can deter trespassers or vandals from entering your property. However, it can be expensive and time-consuming to set boarding up companies plywood boards over the openings in a home.

Take a measurement of the door

The first thing you'll require is tape measure. It is also advisable to have an extra chair or ladder in case you have to see more clearly at the top of the frame. Wear gloves and goggles when you use these tools.

Start by taking measurements of the length of the door. This can be accomplished by running the tape measure horizontally across the door. Be sure to remove any extra door parts such as the door sweep, from this measurement. Next, measure the height by measuring up from the floor to the sill plate or the lintel. It is important to take measurements in multiple locations, especially when measuring doors that are older as they may not have a perfect rectangular shape. If the measurements differ, use the largest number.

You'll have to determine the dimensions of the frame once you've taken measurements of the length and width. It should be at least 2 inches wider and 1 taller than the door. 2 higher. This will give you enough room to shim both the frame and frame in place.

When you're ready to determine the door frame's size and height measurements, it's recommended to remove any trim or casing from around the door jambs so that you can see the studs behind them. This will enable you to determine the exact distance between the studs of the frame and the edge.

Once you've removed the trim, you'll be able to measure the width of the frame of the door by running the tape over the entire frame in three places and using the smallest measurement to determine your door's width. You should also take a measurement of the height of the frame from the top to the bottom on both sides, and use the most compact measurement to determine the height of your door.

If you're having issues with these measurements, it's a good idea to consult an expert and have them visit your home to take the measurements for you. They'll be able to determine the exact kind of door and size you require and how to prepare the frame for a new door.

Plywood can be cut into pieces

A door frame is generally composed of a series of thin boards or studs that create a hollow space around the door. A typical door is held in place by two hinges that are connected to the studs. If you are looking to finish doors, you'll need to remove it from its hinges overnight. Placing plywood into the door opening is an easy way to board a door and prevent insects from gaining entry into the home. It is easy to do this without the need to nail or screw the plywood to the door's frame.

Plywood is cheap, easy to work with and looks fantastic when finished. This makes it the perfect material to provide a temporary solution to problems that require the removal of an existing door and finishing or installing a new one. It can be used to secure the opening of a room that is being renovated, like a basement or construction site.

Begin by measuring the width of your door opening and its height. Mark the measurements on the plywood with a utility knife and a drywall square or another straight edge of metal. Then, you can snap the chalkline along each line to indicate where you want to cut. Use a circular blade to cut the plywood to size.

It is essential to protect both your ears and eyes while cutting plywood. If you can, wear a pair of protective goggles and earplugs while working. In addition, it's essential to choose a blade with a large number of teeth that will cut quickly and without tear-out. To minimize the chance of breaking pieces of wood from the edges of your cut using a small piece 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 when cutting.

Fastening a pair of short braces on each side is a great method to secure the plywood in place, without screwing it into the studs. Set one brace on the inside of the door and the other on the outside. Position a pair 1-1/2-inch deck screws in each hole and then tighten by using an open-end ratchet.

Fix the Plywood

Once you have a sheet of plywood cut to the proper size and with holes for stiles and rails predrilled and ready to secure the panel to the frame. This is a simple project that does not require extensive carpentry skills, so long as you follow the right procedures and use the right tools.

Begin by putting up a workstation near the doorway with two sawhorses and 2-by-4 framing lumber at each end of the table. Lay the full sheet of plywood flat atop the sawhorses and use the marks made during the measurement process as a guide for cutting. Utilize a utility knife and a straight edge made of metal to score the lines. This will serve as a guide for the saw blade and also prevent splintering of 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 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 coat of wood sealer on the plywood panels, and let dry according to the instructions of the manufacturer.

Install the hinges on the door frame. If you are using a T hinge, drill holes in the outside of the door for the strap parts of the hinges. Then, place the hinge's outside on its mark and attach it onto the frame using a screw gun. Repeat the procedure for every hinge on the inside of your door. Be careful not to overtighten them, or the door may shift.

If you have a single hinged T on your outside door, you can make it easier for the latch to close by fishing a wire through the loops of the outside hinges. Bend a short piece of tie wire in half and put it through the two holes on the outside of the door. You can then twist the wires together to pull them tight and secure the door.

Install the Plywood

With the measurements you made using the measurements you took, put the plywood in the door opening. Shim the frame's header (top) and the sill. Utilize a level to make sure there's no slop in the header or sill. If it's not perfect, place another shim where necessary and continue the process until the header and sill are even.

When the plywood is in the frame, fix it with stainless steel hinge bolts and wings nuts. Use a screwgun equipped with an attachment for hex heads to avoid removing the screws' heads.

While you're at it if your house was built with studs that extend across the width of your doorway make holes for hanger bolts in the plywood and into each framing stud. This is much easier than using a drywall cutter to make the hole.

After installing the plywood, measure the width and the height of the door opening. If necessary, cut the bottom of the plywood to fit the height of your door frame. Cut two pieces of framing lumber for braces to attach across the upper and lower ends of your door. Put on eye protection and cut along the lines drawn on the plywood with a circular saw fitted with a fine-toothed knife. Splinters can be removed from cuts using a sanding tool.

After you have the braces in place, nail each one to the plywood with a pair of finishing nails that measure 2 inches. When you're finished, counter sink the heads of all the nails. Cover the braces and plywood with a high-quality wood sealer, like this wipe-on polyurethane by Minwax.

If the door is still too big for your doorway, you can add a piece of decorative molding to fill in the gap between the jamb and the door or reduce the size of the opening. In many cases, however it is less expensive and easier to simply buy a new door. It also removes any problems you may have had with your door's original model even if it was damaged or no longer fitted the opening.