Preparations for Installing French Patio Doors

What a great feeling it is to be able to transform your house and to do it all by yourself- to pride on the fact that it is your own sweat and blood that labored for it. Installing French patio doors is not very difficult, in fact if you follow the following guidelines, you would realize it is just a piece of cake.

The most complicated case of installing your new French doors would be if there is no existing door frame yet. In this case, more work has to be done and if you are unsure of your skill, it would be wiser to seek the assistance of an expert.

Nevertheless, here are the guidelines you can follow:

1. Pick a location

- Where do you want to install your new French doors? Given how French doors are designed, it is best to put the doors where the view is nice to look at or near the area where the sun rises so sunlight can peak through the glass, adding a glorifying atmosphere to the room.

2. Encase the opening

- Make sure to do this while supporting the ceiling with posts and a beam to avoid damage to your house.

- Follow the measurements given on the manual to make sure you cut the opening properly to fit the door that you are supposed to install.

3. Cut the siding

- You would want the exterior mold of the door to fit into the sidings.

- Following the markings made by holding the door against the wall, cut the siding with a circular saw while being careful not to cut too deeply.

4. Seal the opening

- With a 10-inch roofing paper, cover all the wood that is exposed.

5. Position and shim the door

- Making sure you do this with a companion. Hold the door by the opening and gently tap in shims every 6 inches without driving it too tightly. Do this from the inside.

6. Anchor the door

- Drive casing nails into the molding from the outside, into the house’s framing. Then drive finishing nails through the jambs from the inside. Install the interior molding to cover the gaps between the door and the wall.

7. Seal the door

- Install the molding against the threshold and seal joints with exterior-grade caulk so that rainwater will have no chance to seep in.