5 Tools That Everyone Working Is In The Boarding Up A Door Industry Should Be Utilizing

How to Go About Boarding Up a Door

The protection of vacant investment properties from the elements is attainable by board up a door. It's not guaranteed to stop every damage, but it can help to avoid certain problems that come with severe storms.

The idea of boarding up doors and windows can also deter burglars and vandals as well as squatters. However, it can be expensive and time-consuming to install plywood boards over the openings of a property.

Take a measurement of the door

The first thing you'll require is an accurate tape measure. You may also want to have a chair or ladder on hand in case you need to see more clearly at the top of the frame. If you have to use these tools, make sure to wear gloves and goggles.

Once you have the measuring tool, start by taking the door width measurement. This can be accomplished by running the tape horizontally across the door. Make sure to remove any additional parts of the door, for instance a sweep, before measuring. Next, take the height measurement by measuring up from the floor to the existing sill plate or lintel. It is crucial to take measurements in several places, particularly when measuring older doors as they might not be a perfect rectangular shape. If the measurements vary, use the largest figure.

After you've recorded the width and height measurements then you'll have to figure out what size board you'll need for the frame. Ideally it should be 2'' wider than the door and 1 2'' higher. This will allow plenty of room to put the door and frame into place.

It's a great idea take off the trim or casing around the jambs of the door in order to see the studs. This will help you determine the exact dimensions of the gap between studs and the edge of the frame.

Once you've removed the trim, you can then determine the size of the door frame by running the tape across the entire frame in three places and using the smallest measurement to determine your door's width. Also, you should take measurements of the frame's height from top to bottom, on both sides. Use the shortest measurement to determine the width of your door.

If you're having difficulty with the measurements, consult a professional to come to your home and do the measurement. They will be able to give you the exact kind of door and size you require and how to prepare the frame for the door you want to buy.

Plywood can be cut into pieces

A door frame is typically made up of a series thin boards or studs which create a hollow space surrounding the door. Two hinges are connected to the studs and hold a typical door in its place. If you wish to finish a door, you will need to remove it from its hinges over night. Placing plywood in the door's opening is a great method to board doors and stop insects from getting into your home. This is a simple process without the need to screw or nail the plywood to the door frame.

Plywood is easy to work with, cheap and looks great once it's completed. This makes it the ideal material to provide a temporary solution to an issue that requires the removal of the door that is in use and finishing or installing a new one. It can also be used to secure the opening of a room that is being renovated, like the construction site or basement.

Start by taking measurements of the width of the door opening and its height. Draw the dimensions on the plywood with a utility knife and a drywall square or other straight edge made of metal. Then, draw the chalk lines across the lines marked to indicate where you need to cut. Use a circular blade to cut the plywood into the required size.

When cutting the plywood it is crucial to shield your ears and eyes. Wear earplugs or goggles that are protective when you can. Additionally, it is essential to choose a blade with a lot of teeth that cut quickly and with minimal tear-out. Utilize a small piece of wood to guide the blade. Keep it a hair's breadth away from the marked line when cutting.

Attaching a pair of shorter braces at each end is a good way to secure the plywood in place, without screwing it into studs. Put one of the braces on the side of the door, and the one on the outside. Then, place a pair of 1-1/2-inch deck screws in each of the holes and tighten them using an open-end wrench.

Fix the Plywood

When you have a piece of plywood cut to the appropriate size and with holes for rails and stiles predrilled, it is time to fasten the panel to the frame. This is a simple project that doesn't require a lot of advanced carpentry skills, as long as you use the correct tools and follow the right steps.

Begin by putting up a worktable near the doorway, with two sawhorses and a 2-by-4 frame lumber at each end of the table. Lay the entire sheet of plywood flat atop the sawhorses and use the marks made during the measurement process as a guide for cutting. Score the lines with a utility knife and a drywall square or any other metal straight edge. This will serve as an outline for the saw blade and help keep the wood from splintering when cutting the plywood.

Wear eye protection and use a circular or table saw with a blade that has a fine-toothed edge to cut along the score line. 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 the plywood panels then apply a wood sealer and let it dry in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines.

Install the hinges on the frame of the door. If you're using a hinge with a T-hinge make holes in the exterior edge of your door to allow for the straps portion of the hinges. Then, you can screw the outside hinge to the frame using a screwdriver. Repeat the process on the inside of the door for each of the hinges remaining, being careful not to overtighten one of them or the hinge could shift.

If you have an outside hinged door with only one T you can make it easier to lock and close with a chain lock by fishing a piece of wire through the loops on the hinges on the outside. Fold a piece of tie wire in half, and then put it through the two holes on the exterior of the door. Then, you can twist the wires to secure the door.

Install the Plywood

With the measurements you made and place the plywood into the door opening. Shim the header (top) of the frame and the sill (bottom). Utilize  boarding up companies  to make sure there's no slop in the header or sill. If it isn't perfect you can place a second shim wherever it is needed and continue the process until the sill and header are even.

Once the plywood is inside the frame, fix it using stainless steel hinge bolts and wing nuts. Use a screwgun equipped with an attachment for hex heads to avoid stripping off the heads of the screws.

While you're at it if your house was built 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 much easier task than cutting the hole using the drill or drywall saw.

After installing the plywood take measurements of the width and the height of your door opening. If needed, trim the bottom of the plywood to be a little higher than the height of the door frame. Cut two pieces of framing lumber 1-by-6 to form braces for the upper and lower ends. Wear eye protection and cut along the lines marked on the plywood with a circular saw equipped with a fine-toothed blade. Splinters can be removed from cuts using a sanding tool.

Once you have the braces set attach each one to the plywood with a pair of 2-inch finishing nails. Counter sink all nail heads after you've finished. Seal the braces and the plywood with a quality wood sealer, such as this wipe-on polyurethane from Minwax.

If the door is too big You can either put in decorative molding to fill the space between your door and jamb or you can alter the size of your opening. In most cases it is less expensive and simpler to purchase a new door. This also eliminates any headaches you might have had with the original door, if it was damaged and didn't longer fit the opening.