Why We Do We Love Boarding Up A Door (And You Should Also!)
How to Go About Boarding Up a Door Protecting investment properties that are vacant from the elements is feasible by board up a door. While it won't prevent all damage, it can reduce some of the problems caused by severe storms. Boarding up windows and doors can deter trespassers and vandals as well as squatters. Installing plywood boards over openings can be costly and time-consuming. Take a measurement of the door The first thing you'll require is an accurate tape measure. It is a good idea to keep a chair or ladder close by in case you require to see more clearly the top of the frame. Wear gloves and safety glasses in the event that you need to use these tools. Once you have the measuring tool, begin by taking the door's width measurement. You can do this by running a tape measure horizontally along the door. Be sure to remove all extra parts of the door, for instance the sweep, when measuring. Then, you can determine the height measurement by measuring up from the floor to the sill plate or the lintel. It is essential to take measurements in several places, particularly when measuring older doors as they may not be the perfect rectangular shape. If the measurements are different take the largest number. After you've taken the measurements of height and width, you'll need to determine the size of board you'll need for the frame. It should be at minimum 2 inches wider and 1 inch taller than the door. 2'' higher. This will allow plenty of space to move the frame and door to fit. When you're ready to take the door frame's width and height measurements It's recommended to remove any trim or casing around the door jambs so that you can see the studs that are behind them. This will help you to determine the exact measurement of the space between the studs and the frame. After removing the trim, measure the length of your door frame using the tape measure. Measure the frame at three different locations and then use the smallest measurement. Also, you should take measurements of the frame's height from top to bottom, on both sides. Use the shortest measurement for the width of your door. If you're having difficulty with the measurements, you should seek out a professional who will come to your home and do the measurement. They'll inform you of the size and style of door you'll need and how to prepare your frame for a replacement door. Cut the Plywood A door frame is usually composed of studs or thin boards that create an open space around the door. Two hinges are attached to the studs and hold a typical door in place. If you wish to restore a door, you will have to remove it from its hinges and then leave it for a night. Placing plywood into the door's opening is a great method to enclose a door and prevent insects from entering the home. It is easy to do this without having to nail or screw the plywood onto the frame of the door. Plywood is a breeze to work with, cheap and looks beautiful once completed. This makes it the perfect material to provide an interim solution to problems that require the removal of an existing door and refinishing or installing a new one. It can also be useful for securing the opening in a room that is being renovated, such as an unfinished basement, or a construction site. To install a plywood wall begin by measuring the width and height of the door opening. Note the measurements on the plywood using the help of a utility knife, a drywall square or other metal straight edge. Then, you can snap an outline of chalk across each line to mark the area to cut. Finally utilize a circular saw to cut the plywood into a size. When cutting the plywood, it is essential to protect your ears and eyes. If you can, wear a pair of safety goggles and earplugs when working. It is also important to use a sharp blade with lots of teeth that will allow you to cut quickly and without any tear-out. Make use of a small piece wood to guide the blade. Hold it a hair's breadth away from the line you are cutting. A good way to keep the plywood in place without fixing it to the studs is to fasten two braces at each end. Set one brace inside and the other outside of the door. Install a deck screw in each hole, and then tighten using an open-end ratchet. Fasten the Plywood It's time to join the the frame after you have the plywood sheet cut to the right size and the holes for the rails and stiles of the door frame predrilled. This is a simple task that doesn't require a lot of advanced carpentry skills if you use the correct tools and follow the right procedures. 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. Lay the entire sheet of plywood flat on top of the sawhorses, using the marks from the measurement process to guide you for cutting. Mark the lines using the help of a utility knife, a drywall square or any other metal straight edge. This will serve as a guideline for the saw blade and help keep the wood from splintering when cutting the plywood. Wear eye protection and cut along the lines of scoring using a circular or table saw equipped with a fine-tooth blade. Then sand the edges of the plywood panel with 120-grit sandpaper. This will smooth the panels and remove any burrs from the saw cuts. After sanding the plywood panels, apply a wood sealer and allow it to dry according to the manufacturer's instructions. Install the hinges on the frame of the door. If you're using a hinge with a T-hinge drill holes on the outside edge of your door to allow for the straps of the hinges. Then, put the hinge's outside on its mark and screw it onto the frame using the help of a screw gun. Repeat the same procedure on the inside of the door for all of the hinges remaining, being cautious not to tighten too much on any of them or the panel may shift. If you're using one outside hinged door, 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 small piece of connect wires in half and then fish it through the two holes on the outside of the door. Then, twist the wires to lock the door. Install the Plywood Place the plywood into the door's opening according to the measurements you took. Change the frame's header (top) and the sill. Use a level to make sure there's no slop in either the header or sill. If it's not perfect, place another shim where required and repeat the process until the sill and the header are even. After the plywood is in place, secure it with the stainless steel hinge bolts and wingnuts. It's a good idea to utilize a screw gun that has a hex-head attachment to prevent stripping the head of the screws. While you're at it should your home be constructed with studs running the height of your doorway make holes for hanger bolts in the plywood and into each framing stud. 24 hour emergency boarding up Repair My Windows And Doors is a far easier task than drilling the hole using a drill or drywall saw. After installing the plywood take measurements of the width and 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 framing lumber to form braces that are positioned across the upper and lower ends of your door. Put on eye protection and cut along the lines drawn on the plywood using circular saws fitted with a fine-tooth blade. Splinters can be removed from the cuts by using a sanding tool. Once you have the braces set attach each one to the plywood with a pair of 2-inch finishing nails. When you're finished, counter sink the heads of all nails. Make sure to seal the braces and the plywood with a quality wood sealer, like this wipe on polyurethane from Minwax. If the door is too big it is possible to add decorative molding to fill the space between your door and jamb or you can reduce the size of your opening. However, in most cases, it's cheaper and more convenient to choose an alternative door. This can also alleviate any problems you might have had with the original door if it was damaged and no suitable for the opening.