How to Go About Boarding Up a Door
A door can be boarded up as one method of protecting vacant investment properties from the elements. Although it isn't able to prevent all damage, it can avoid some of the issues that can arise from severe storms.
The boarding of doors and windows will also deter trespassers and vandals. Placing plywood boards over doors and windows can be costly and time-consuming.
Measure the Door
First, you'll require a tape measure. You might also want to have an extra chair or ladder in case you have to see more clearly at the top of the frame. If you need to make use of these tools, be sure to wear gloves and safety glasses.
Start by measuring the length of the door. This can be done by running an x-ray measure horizontally across the door. Be sure to take out all extra parts of the door, like a sweep, before measuring. Then, measure the height by measuring from the floor to the sill or lintel. It is important to measure multiple locations especially for older doors, since they are not always an exact rectangle. If the measurements vary, use the largest figure.
After you've recorded the width and height measurements and you'll need to determine the size of board you'll need for the frame. Ideally it should be 2 inches wider than the door and 1 inch thicker than the door. 2'' higher. This will give you enough room to shim both the door and frame to fit.
When you're ready to measure the door frame's width and height measurements It's a good idea to remove any trim or casing around the door jambs so that you can see the studs behind them. This will help you to determine the exact measurement of the gap between the studs and the frame.
After you have removed the trim, measure the width of the door frame using the tape measure. The frame should be measured at three different places and then use the most compact measurement. You should also take measurements of the frame's height from top to bottom on both sides. Make use of the shortest measurement for your door's width.
If you're having trouble with these measurements, it's a good idea to consult an expert and have them visit your home to do the measuring for you. They'll be able tell you exactly what type and size of door you need and how to prepare the frame for the new door.
Cut the Plywood
A door frame is typically composed of a series of thin boards or studs which create a hollow space surrounding the door. Two hinges are attached to the studs and keep a typical door in place. If you are looking to refinish doors, you'll have to take it off its hinges and then leave it for a night. To stop insects from entering your home and to secure the door's opening, a quick and easy method of boarding doors is to place plywood inside the opening. It is simple to do without having to nail or screw the plywood to the frame of the door.
Plywood is easy to work with, cheap and looks stunning when finished. It is the ideal material to use as a temporary fix for a problem where you're required to remove an existing door to refinish it or put in the new one. It can be used to secure the opening of a room that is being renovated, such as a basement or construction site.
To install a plywood wall begin by measuring the width and height of the door opening. Make notes using an utility knife and a straight edge made of metal such as the drywall or metal square. Next, snap the chalk lines across each of the marked lines to indicate where you need to cut. Finally you can use circular saws to cut the plywood into a size.
When cutting the plywood it is important to protect your ears and eyes. If you can, wear a pair of eye protection and earplugs as you are working. It is also important to use a sharp blade with a lot of teeth, that will allow you to cut quickly and with minimal tear-out. To minimize the chance of tearing out pieces of wood from the edges of your cut using a small piece of wood as an example to guide the blade and keep it just a hair's width away from the line while cutting.
Fastening a pair of short braces on each side is a great method to hold the plywood in place without screwing it into studs. Set one brace on the inside and the other on the outside of the door. Then, position a pair of 1-1/2-inch deck screws into each of the holes, and tighten them using an open-end wrench.
Secure the Plywood
When you have a piece of plywood cut to the proper dimensions and with the holes for rails and stiles already drilled, it is time to secure the panel to the door frame. This is a straightforward project that doesn't require advanced carpentry skills as long as you have the right tools and follow the proper procedure.
Start by setting up a worktable near the doorway with two sawhorses and a 2-by-4 frame lumber at each end of the table. Utilize the marks you made during the measurement procedure to guide you in cutting the plywood. Mark the lines using an utility knife and a drywall square or another metal straight edge. This will provide a guide for the saw blade and help to prevent splintering during cutting the plywood.
Put on eye protection and cut along the scored lines using a circular or table saw with a fine-tooth blade. Sand the edges of the panel using 120-grit paper to smooth it out and remove any burrs. After the 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're using a T hinge, you need to drill holes through the outer face of the door for the strap parts of the hinges. Then, put the hinge's outside on its mark and screw it into the frame using the help of a screw gun. Repeat the process for every hinge on the inside of your door. Be careful not to tighten them too much, or the door could move.
If you have a single T-hinged outside door, you can make it easier to close by putting a wire through the loops on the outside hinges. Fold boarding up windows chichester of tie wire in half, and then thread it through the two holes on the exterior of the door. Then, you can twist the wires together and secure the door.
Install the Plywood
Using the measurements you took and place the plywood into the door opening. Shim the frame's header (top) and the sill. Use a level to ensure that there is no slop between the sill and header. If it isn't perfect then place another shim if necessary and continue the process until the header and sill are even.
Once the plywood is in the frame, secure it with the stainless steel hinge bolts and wings nuts. It's a good idea to make use of a screw gun with an hex-head attachment so that you keep the head from being stripped of the screws.
While you're there, should your home be constructed with studs that run across the width of your doorway make holes for hanger bolts in the plywood and into the framing studs. This is a lot easier than using a drywall saw to make the hole.
After installing the plywood measure the width and the height of the door opening. If necessary, trim the bottom of the plywood to fit the dimensions of your door frame and cut two pieces of 1-by-6 framing lumber as braces that are positioned across the upper and lower edges of your door. Wear eye protection and cut along the lines marked on the plywood using a circular saw fitted with a fine-tooth blade. Splinters can be removed from the cuts using a sanding tool.
Once you have the two braces in place attach each one to the plywood with pairs of finishing nails that measure 2 inches. Counter-sink all nail heads after you've finished. Seal the braces with a good wood sealing product, such as the wipe-on polyurethane by Minwax.
If the door is still too large for your doorway, you could add some decorative molding to fill in the gap between the door and jamb or you can resize the opening. In many instances, it's cheaper and easier to simply get an alternative door. This can also alleviate any problems that you might have faced with the door you originally purchased if it was damaged and could no fit for the opening.