Rules for dismantling and installing new interior doors

For those who have never done this before, it seems that there are no difficulties in such work; It’s not for nothing that they say that breaking is not building. However, hasty, careless dismantling of doors will cause a lot of trouble in the future. Not to mention the impossibility of reusing a sash or jamb with severe damage, you will have to deal with arranging the opening, restoring its geometry, strengthening and finishing. Especially when it comes to an interior partition (from gypsum plasterboard, plywood, cellular blocks).

Preparing for work

Before dismantling, the condition of the interior door is assessed and it is determined whether it can be reinstalled. In any case, the work will have to be carried out carefully so as not to damage the walls.

Dismantling is a dusty and dirty job, so all fragile objects, such as mirrors, are removed from the room, and the floor and remaining furniture are covered with thick plastic film.

The distance near the opening is cleared of furniture. Dismantling involves the use of power tools, and additional pieces of furniture will simply get in the way. It is better to carry out the work not alone, but with an assistant: the box or canvas can be heavy, and removing it alone will be problematic.

List of tools

If it is necessary to change the door block without carrying out repairs, then dismantling is carried out while maintaining the integrity of the wall finishing. The set of tools for the job depends on the method of removing the box and canvas. If you only need to replace the box, but plan to leave the panel with fittings and trim, then select devices that will allow you to perform all the actions without destruction.

To remove the box without damage, you must follow a certain technology. The first step is to prepare the following tools:

• axe;
• nail puller;
• hammer;
• screwdriver;
• screwdriver;
• hacksaw

How to dismantle - step by step instructions

There are universal step-by-step instructions for dismantling an interior door:

1. The door is opened and removed from its hinges. The canvas is placed on the floor, having previously spread rags. This will prevent damage to the floor covering and make it easier to transport the product itself.
2. The principle of removal depends on the type of loops. If they are open, just lift the canvas. If the product itself is heavy, place a crowbar under it and use it instead of a lever. If the hinges are closed, they will have to be twisted off the door frame first.
3. Next they move on to dismantling the door frame. The performance of the work depends on the method of its fastening. If the box was fastened with anchors, you can simply unscrew them from the wall. The mounting plates are usually hidden behind the slopes, so to dismantle them you will have to break the layer of plaster.

Much less often, the box is welded to pins embedded in the wall. In this case, you will have to knock down a large layer of plaster and cut off the pins with a grinder.

Features of door frame dismantling work

There are several ways to dismantle door structures. In order to decide how to saddle correctly in this particular case, it is necessary to take into account the design of the door system itself, the material from which it is made, and what the walls are made of. If the old door frame has retained its integrity, then it can be used to install a new door.

In addition, you need to take into account the condition of the finishing material of the walls near the door frame and the importance of preserving it. If the door structure is in fairly good condition, then it is advisable to dismantle it with minimal damage, since the old doors may be useful in the future.

When carrying out major repairs, old doors are the easiest to dismantle. In such a situation, there is no need to worry about the condition of the flooring and wall finishing material, since during the overhaul process all these materials will also be dismantled. Although even with such work it is very important not to damage the walls if they are fragile, as, for example, in Khrushchev-era buildings.

If we talk about how the price for door dismantling work is determined, then it is important to determine the complexity of performing various operations. The complexity of the work increases significantly if the dismantling of the metal entrance door must be carried out while preserving the floor covering and finishing materials on the walls. In addition, the process is slower if there are continuous hinges and anchor bolts that are secured in the opening.

Differences in working with different types of structures

Certain differences in dismantling exist for a specific type of door:

• Sliding . Such doors operate on the principle of a compartment system. First, additional equipment is removed: automatic drive, closer or synchronizer. Then the stoppers located at the edges of the rail are removed. To do this, simply unscrew the bolts holding it. After removing the retaining elements, the canvas can be freely removed. All that remains is to remove the fasteners to remove the rail and dismantle the wooden beam, if it was installed.
• Swing . These are standard interior doors that can be dismantled in the usual way. First, the canvas is removed from the hinges, then the fittings or other elements holding the box are unscrewed. In some cases, you will have to knock down the plaster or use a grinder.
• Folding . A folding door is also called an accordion door or a book door. Dismantling such a structure is similar to working with a sliding structure. Therefore, first remove the fittings holding the canvas, and only after that remove the box.

If the door begins to sway, it means that the hardware holding the door leaf has become loose. Both dismantling and replacement must be carried out as soon as possible. During dismantling work, care must be taken to ensure that the swinging door does not accidentally fall on a worker.

Door frame assembly

To install interior doors yourself, you must first assemble the door frame. As a rule, two types of frames are used for interior doors. The first option is made in a rectangular shape and is used, as a rule, in plumbing units. There are also U-shaped door frames. They are used in all other rooms of the apartment or house.

The box assembly process consists of several successive steps. The first step is to place the canvas on some flat surface. Using the door as a template, you need to cut and assemble the door frame elements. The tools you will need at this stage are an electric jigsaw or a wood saw with fine teeth.

To fix the horizontal and vertical parts of the door frame, self-tapping screws with a length of at least 60 mm are used. In this case, for each connection point, three fasteners are taken. To assemble a door frame with your own hands more efficiently and efficiently, you should follow some recommendations. Firstly, it is necessary to ensure that there is a gap between the door leaf and the door. Its recommended size is 3-5mm on each side. Secondly, it is important not to forget that a gap of 10 mm must be provided between the lower end of the door leaf and the finished floor. This rule applies to those structures whose door frame is made in a U-shaped design.

Differences between dismantling without a box and with a box

The difficulty of dismantling an old door directly depends on whether the frame will also be removed.
If you only need to remove the canvas, there will be no serious difficulties: you just need to lift it and remove it from its hinges. If they are closed, you will first have to unscrew the screws securing the hinges to the box.

If you plan to dismantle not only the door leaf itself, but also the frame, the procedure will be more complicated. The canvas itself will first have to be removed from its hinges. Then they unscrew the screws or other fittings holding the box. In some cases, you will have to remove a layer of plaster or use a grinder to cut off the pin holding the box.

Balcony door and interior door made of PVC

Plastic structures are installed on the balconies. This is due to the fact that PVC best withstands exposure to moisture, direct sunlight, and temperature changes. For dismantling a PVC model, the method used when disassembling a wooden structure is not suitable. Procedure:

1. It is necessary to remove the protective caps from the hinges.
2. It is necessary to close the door without lowering the handle.
3. Using a hammer and screwdriver, carefully knock out the pin located in the top hinge. You need to knock it down. When the tip appears from below, you need to squeeze it with pliers and slowly pull it out of the loop.
4. Tilt the door leaf towards you. At this moment it must be held firmly to prevent it from falling.
5. Slowly lift the door up. The lower pin will pop out and the blade can be set aside.

If you need to perform reverse installation, you need to carry out the same sequence of actions, only in reverse order.

With a lock

Round handles with a lock are usually installed on interior doors.
They can be dismantled quite easily, and after dismantling, the fittings can be installed on a new canvas. Before starting work, you need to prepare the tools: a Phillips and slotted screwdriver, an awl, a knife and a screwdriver with a set of bits.

Step-by-step instructions for dismantling a door handle with a lock:

1. Use a screwdriver to pry up and remove the cover.
2. Press on the opened stopper with an awl or knife to remove the knob.
3. From the side where the handle was removed, unscrew the screws holding the fittings.
4. After this, the remaining parts of the structure are dismantled. These include the lock and the reverse side of the mechanism.

At the end of dismantling, unscrew the working latch and remove its contents from the canvas.

Removing a metal door

Unfortunately, in new buildings, developers install metal doors that are not of the highest quality. The design is unreliable and cannot provide an adequate level of safety. Often, the owners of such apartments independently change the door to a more advanced option. But before you start dismantling the metal door frame, you need to remove the door leaf.

The process is simple, just do the following:

• remove the plaster layer around the slope - this will help open access to the fastening ears;
• modern door designs, in most cases, are attached to anchor bolts, which can be easily removed with a screwdriver or wrench;
• then you should take a long knife and cut the mounting foam that is located between the doorway and the frame;
• the door leaf can be removed by simply lifting it up;
• pull the door frame out of the opening.

At this point, dismantling can be considered complete, and a more durable and reliable structure can be installed.

Without lock

Dismantling a simple locking handle without a lock is not particularly difficult, because there is no locking mechanism inside the blade.
As a rule, all handles without a lock for interior doors have a similar design, so dismantling them is not particularly difficult. However, the installation diagram may differ depending on the type of structure.

The easiest way to remove standard round handles is to simply unscrew the two screws that secure the handle to the blade, after which the handle can be removed. Handles of other shapes are also unscrewed in a similar way.

Some designs include decorative overlays. In this case, first remove the decorative element, and then unscrew the screws holding the handle.

Do-it-yourself door analysis

Entrance doors serve as the main protection of our home, in addition to providing sound insulation and thermal insulation of the room.
Situations arise when we need to replace, repair or upgrade some door parts. After all, technology does not stand still, and you always want to protect yourself with modern solutions. In most cases, to perform manipulations with the canvas, you have to disassemble the entire structure along with dismantling the fittings. Before disassembling the door, we recommend that you read this article and use the tips, instructions and useful tips described in it.

Installing new doors - instructions

Interior doors are dismantled for the subsequent installation of new ones.
You can do this yourself if you have the necessary tools and work skills. If dismantling was carried out for the purpose of subsequently installing a new product in the same place, all work is carried out extremely carefully. The platbands are removed with a sharp chisel and pliers. The chisel is inserted into the gap between the platband and the wall in the place where the nail holds the structure. It is carefully pushed out and removed with pliers. A similar procedure is carried out with all the nails that hold the box.

Next, the box is removed from the opening and the walls are cleaned of foam residues. After this, the opening will be ready for installing a new interior door.

After this, they proceed to the direct installation of the new door:

1. Assemble a wooden box. After this, they try it on the opening, determine the places of its attachment and mark them with a pencil or marker.
2. The most reliable way to secure the box is with anchors. To do this, drill holes in the wall, insert anchors into them, and attach the box to them. It is better to drill holes with a screwdriver, and they should be located not only on the sides, but also on top of the opening.
3. The box is attached to the fittings. After this, try on the canvas and mark the location of the loops.
4. After attaching the hinges, the door leaf is hung on them. It is first tried on: it is possible that the length of the canvas does not fit the height of the floor, and it will have to be slightly filed from below.

At the final stage of installation, a handle is attached to the installed door. If you do not have practical skills for carrying out such work, it is better to attach the simplest round handle without a lock or latch.

If you do not have practical skills in dismantling and installing new doors, it is better to entrust this work to professionals. Otherwise, there is a high risk of damage to the wall, which will significantly complicate further installation.

Removing trim and sash

After removing the canvas, it is necessary to begin dismantling the trim and sash. To do this you will need a sharp ax and milk. You need to place the tip of the ax on the door frame so that the blade goes under the casing. You need to hammer the ax with a hammer and pull the handle towards you. The casing should come off the box.

You don't have to worry about old parts. Most often, they are in poor condition and are not suitable for reuse. Such actions must be done with all platbands.

Sliding

Sliding doors save a lot of interior space. This door is convenient, functional, it looks impressive and fits organically into any interior. These doors have varieties that differ in their opening system. HS portal are doors that, when opened, first rise and then can be moved to the side. The FS portal is a so-called “accordion” - a very interesting look.

Based on the type of doors, structures are divided into single-leaf and double-leaf. You can often find a parallel or radial type. Such doors can open in one or both directions.

The following materials are used in the production of sliding doors:

• plastic;
• tree;
• glass.

This type of door is often decorated by applying photo printing on it, covering it with PVC film, stained glass or natural materials such as veneer, bamboo and others. The frame is most often made of aluminum. This door can be used not only in a private house or apartment, but also in a country house, country house or cottage.

Removing the door leaf

Dismantling the fabric of the entrance structure is quite complicated, since we are talking about a product with a solid base in the form of a rectangular frame made of a profile pipe, a reinforcement frame, filler and metal sheets, on top of which MDF or other decor of the selected color and texture is glued.

To work you will need the following tools:

• mount;
• wooden block for backing;
• screwdrivers (for removing accessories if necessary);
• a knife or other flat object (if you need to remove decorative MDF panels);
• hammer;
• pliers.

The first stage of disassembly is to remove the iron entrance door from its hinges. This will require some physical effort, so it is better to invite a friend or neighbor to help. A closed door cannot be dismantled; it must be opened wide.

There are two types of hinge designs: detachable and permanent. The methods for removing them vary.

Detachable hinges consist of two thrust sliding bearings, on top of which there is a blind hole. The guide pin is clogged at the bottom. To remove an entrance door with such hinges, you need a pry bar and a wooden block. It is necessary to pry the canvas from below with the bend of the pry bar. The emphasis is on the wooden block to protect the flooring from damage. With force, the entire structure is removed from both hinges (do not forget to hold the canvas).

To work with permanent hinges, stock up on a flat-head screwdriver and several wooden wedges. Place them on both sides under the canvas in the open position (this will balance the load and level the structure). There are pins at the inner ends that need to be unscrewed in order to disconnect the one-piece hinges from the canvas. This technology is used on modern armored structures that cannot be dismantled without access to the end pins.

Summarizing

Now you know how to change interior doors in an apartment or private house, with or without replacing the frame, with your own hands or with the help of builders. The service does not cost much compared to the effort that can be spent if there is no experience. And it will take a lot of time. Therefore, before carrying out repair work yourself, it is better to think again and imagine that everything can be done much faster if you turn to professionals for help. ]Good Repair[/anchor] operates in many regions of Russia. To find out if there is a representative office in your city, follow this link.