How to assemble a door frame: DIY assembly and installation

Assembling a door frame is a responsible task, the quality of which determines the strength of the entire structure and the maximum load that the doors can withstand. Many people wonder: how to assemble a door frame: do-it-yourself assembly and installation, is it possible without experience and without contacting specialists. The answer is simple: yes, it is possible if you consistently apply the tips and steps to properly assemble and install the box.

Initially, it may mistakenly seem that assembling the box is a fairly simple task, but this is a mistaken opinion. Of course, some errors in calculations when assembling the box can be hidden with platbands, but this will have a detrimental effect on the service life of the entire structure. It should be remembered that the slightest miscalculations, small gaps and cracks can negatively affect the service life of the entire structure, while correcting the error after all the work has been completed is no longer acceptable and you will have to re-dismantle it and purchase new materials. Before you begin installing the box, you should study all the steps in detail and follow the advice of experts. With this article, installing the box yourself will become easier and better.

Preparatory stage

In order for the assembly of the door frame of the wall to be carried out with high quality, it is necessary to carry out all the preparatory work correctly. This stage includes taking correct and complete measurements, choosing the type of door, taking into account the characteristics of the room (kitchen, bathroom or bedroom). Also, you should think in advance about the required type of box; it can be a U-shaped box (without a threshold) or a closed rectangle (with a threshold). In this article we will look at the most common type and installation option for a swing door frame. A sliding door will require a radically different design, the same applies to installing an accordion door, which may not require a frame at all.

Measuring the opening

Measuring the doorway to install the frame and door may initially seem standard and easy. But even in this matter, it should be clearly understood that the installation of the door frame of the opening will be problem-free, provided that all measurements are taken correctly. Before you start measuring, you should know that measurements of all quantities (depth, height, width) are carried out at several points. This is due to the fact that perfectly symmetrical and even doorways are extremely rare; differences can reach several centimeters. For correct measurements, you should adhere to the following rules:

1. The opening height is measured at three points, the smallest value being taken as the basis;
2. The opening width must be measured at 3-4 points, recording the smallest value;
3. The depth of the opening should be measured at six points (three on each side), recording the largest value.

Of course, all measurements should be made only after the old door frame has been dismantled and the opening has been completely cleaned. You should approach the issue of measuring the opening responsibly, because it may be difficult to install the door frame in the future. All elements of the box will fit each other perfectly only if the correct measurements are taken.

Choosing the right box size

Before you figure out how to assemble the door frame, you should write down all the measurements of the opening. With this data, you can already contact construction stores to purchase a box. Of course, before ordering the frame itself, you should already know what type of door will be installed: classic swing, sliding compartment or accordion. For a swing door you will need a reinforced classic frame, which should be selected precisely according to the recorded measurements of the opening. Now manufacturers of door frames for swing doors use several standard sizes, the main differences are in the width of the wood (the height and width of the opening is adjusted by cutting) and in the type of material (wood, PVC or MDF). Also, if there is a workshop in the city, you can order a frame with the exact dimensions of the opening - this will greatly facilitate the process of preparing for direct installation, because you will not have to adjust the height and length of the frame to fit the door leaf of the structure and the dimensions of the wall, as well as cut the joints.

How to take measurements

To assemble a high-quality structure, it is important to take the dimensions correctly, otherwise the door will not fit in the frame. There are several rules for taking measurements at home:

1. First of all, the doorway is measured; the external parameters of the frame should exceed it by 70 mm. As for the internal parameters, a gap of 3 mm around the perimeter should be maintained between the door leaf and the edge of the frame.
2. There is a separate rule for the gap located below; its height can be from 10 to 15 mm. This is necessary to ensure air circulation in the room, which is especially important for closed rooms, such as a bathroom or storage room. When installing sliding doors, it is necessary to take into account that profiles will be installed.
3. Often, when building bathhouses, owners do not make a large gap at the bottom of the door, this is acceptable, but in this case, it is necessary to carefully measure the door threshold with a level in the corners.

These parameters are mandatory; if a discrepancy is found, the doorway must be expanded or reduced. It is easier to work with artificial openings made of plasterboard.

Door frame assembly

To install the door frame, you will need to initially assemble it correctly. Having all the necessary tools and material for the box, you should start with the correct drawing and marks for cutting. In advance, you will need to not only cut and assemble the entire structure of the box, but also accurately mark and calculate the locations for the hinges. Door hinges can be either mortise (you need to make indentations with a chisel) or overhead. To calculate and install the hinges, it is necessary to measure 20 cm from the top and bottom of the side where the door will be attached. It is necessary to carefully select the stand for mounting the hinges, keeping in mind the side of the door opening.

Assembling an MDF or wood box involves several types, depending on the presence of a threshold, the angle of the joints (45 or 90) and the availability of ready-made tenons for more practical assembly.

90 degree angle

You can easily assemble a door frame with your own hands, step by step instructions, using assembly at an angle of 90 degrees. It becomes obvious that this type of box assembly involves cutting the racks separately to suit the height and width of the opening. This assembly option is extremely easy for a beginner to do with his own hands, because all cutting is carried out without the use of a miter box and does not require special skills. It is important to remember that even with the elementary assembly of a 90-degree frame, you should not rush; it is better to double-check the calculations and pencil marks on the posts several times before starting cutting, be sure to remember the 3 mm gap between the frame and the door. After the racks have been cut, they should be joined into a single structure. Self-tapping screws tighten the entire box, forming a box ready for installation. For this type of assembly, it will be quite enough to use two self-tapping screws at each mounting point of the racks. It should be noted that before screwing in the screws (you should step back 1 cm from the edges), you should carefully drill holes in the intended places so that the screws go in smoothly and without deviations. In general, it is the assembly of the door frame at 90 degrees that is the simplest, but its main drawback is the final appearance, which may not appeal to everyone. If everything is done correctly, installing the door leaf will be as simple as possible, just by hanging it on the hinges.

At an angle of 45 degrees

Considering all the methods for assembling the door frame of interior doors, the most popular is assembly at an angle of 45 degrees. This assembly of the box is a little more complicated compared to the 90-degree option: here you will have to use a miter box to adjust all the joints at an angle of 45 degrees. Assembling the box at 45 degree angles is the most common, because it creates the best appearance of the box, while at the same time being a strong option for assembling the structure. The difference from the 90-degree assembly is that the two upper corners and two lower ones (if the assembly is a rectangular box) are filed at 45 degrees, all elements are clearly connected with self-tapping screws. When calculating and drawing cutting lines, you should definitely remember about the gap between the frame and the door leaf - it should be equal to 1 cm. Assembling the frame at 45 degrees also differs in that the screws will tighten the frame not in a straight line, but at an angle.

Tenon assembly

There is another device for the door frame of an interior door, which involves assembly according to the tongue-and-groove principle. It will be extremely difficult for an inexperienced craftsman to create a reliable and correctly sized tenon fastening from the bars. Therefore, this method of assembling a box is suitable for experienced craftsmen or those who have received a ready-made box with a tongue-and-groove fastening to order. Thanks to the complex fastening, this type of tenon door frame assembly is the most durable and reliable.

Assembling a box with a threshold

Those who have planned a wall doorway with a threshold need to immediately assemble a rectangular solid box. It differs from the U-shaped one in that the bottom will also have to be adjusted and tightened with self-tapping screws. With modern renovations, most people are gradually abandoning boxes with thresholds, but they cannot be avoided when installing a door in a bathroom or toilet.

Choosing models

Interior doors

The market offers models of canvases made in various styles: classic, high-tech, modern. They differ from each other in the type of assembly:

1. Shield ones. Consists of a durable wooden frame. The outer planes of the sections are decorated with laminate, veneer, and other finishing materials. If provided by the project, cut out a hole for decoration or glazing.
2. Paneled. The basis of the frame is massive bars. Finishing - from straight or shaped boards, combined with decorative materials.
3. Tsargovye. The wooden frame is filled with horizontal bars. Very durable and massive construction. The bars look harmonious with glass and decorative finishes.
4. Molded. Lightweight, simple design with a frame made of metal or slats. For reliability, it has an additional vertical stand. The free space is filled with unbreakable glass or transparent plastic. Decorative elements made of metal or wood are used for weighting

All designs for zoning space are equally convenient, but differ in the way they open.

Swing

Swing doors

The type of construction that occurs more often than others, it is familiar to everyone from childhood. When installing doors of this type, take into account the location of the future passage, as well as the size of the room. When opened, the doors should not occupy most of the room. They are opened by swinging forward or backward; models are single-leaf or double-leaf.

For a narrow opening, install a single-leaf swing door. Such sections are usually built in the bathroom, kitchen, balcony and other small rooms with high humidity, so the material selected for them is moisture- and steam-resistant. Since the doors of such rooms are constantly in use, the design and fittings must be durable to withstand the loads.

For large rooms with wide passages, a double-leaf swing door is suitable. The main canvas can be solid or with glass inserts.

During installation, it is determined which side the structure will open to - the location of the canopies depends on this.

Sliding

Sliding doors

To save room space, install interior sliding doors with your own hands. By type of opening they are:

1. Bivalve. Two doors, opening, move apart in different directions. The design of the roller mechanism determines whether the doors will open simultaneously or each separately, regardless of the position of the other.
2. Recoil. Suitable for small openings. They are a single-leaf section that moves along guides in a one-way manner.
3. Cassette. When opened, the sections hide into the wall rather than moving along it. To install such a structure, it is necessary to widen the opening and make an additional niche in the wall. The finished structure, opening the opening, takes up minimal space

A type of sliding structure includes sliding doors. They are installed along guides of varying lengths. They can consist of several doors, which, when moving, act as a transformer - they can become a solid wall or create a single space between rooms.

If you need to repair the cassette door, you will need to dismantle the wall.

Folding

Folding doors

The design features of the mechanism allow the interconnected sections to fold like a fan. Accordion doors are compact and convenient, but when folded, the sections block part of the doorway. Installing them is not difficult at all; it can even be done from two blinds.

Exclusive

Exclusive doors

For lovers of the exotic, there are a lot of thematic options for making door panels. Ordinary sliding doors made in Japanese style are increasingly gaining popularity. A wooden lattice made of thin slats is installed on the frame, and the thinnest transparent rice paper is attached to them. The paper perfectly transmits natural light, and the structure itself gives an oriental flavor to the room.

Removing the old interior door frame

Direct work on replacing the door frame and door begins with dismantling work. There are two ways to dismantle a door frame - dismantling while preserving the integrity of the old frame (for example, if it is needed for installation in a country house) and without preservation. In general, the process of dismantling one box, with the correct distribution of forces and skills, will take no more than half an hour.

No saving

The easiest option for dismantling the old box is the option without saving it. In this case, you do not need to carefully pull out all the nails; you just need to make a few cuts in the box and use an ax and hammer to break the load-bearing side parts. Of course, dismantling will begin with the platbands; in order to remove them carefully and quickly, you will need to carefully drive an ax between the platband and the frame using a hammer. The resulting doorway should be cleaned and it will be completely ready for installation. The main thing to remember is that when dismantling the box without saving it, you should not use too much effort, because you can damage the brick and plaster, which will increase the installation time for a new one.

Saving

sometimes it is necessary to very carefully dismantle the old box while maintaining its structure. This may be due to the need to further use the finished frame and door in other openings, or to the presence of a fragile wall (old brick and plaster can crumble during hard dismantling). The dismantling and preservation option, of course, requires much more effort. You will also need to carefully remove the platbands using an ax and hammer. Then, you should study the method of installing the old door frame: it can be attached with nails directly to the wall or through bars (often found in old houses where there were too large gaps). Using a nail puller, you should pick up and remove all the nails (and sometimes these can be anchors, screws), and then just carefully remove the box. In general, dismantling with preservation is a rather delicate job that can be done either with your own hands or by contacting specialists.

Choosing a manufacturer

Belarusian doors

Considering the economic situation in the world, in order to maintain the purchasing power of the population, manufacturers are trying to combine quality and low cost of door leaves. In this segment of commercial products, producers from the following countries are characterized positively:

• Israel - the product is of high quality, sophistication, durability
• Finland - simplicity and lack of decoration distinguish the craftsmen of this country, who give preference to the natural light color of the product
• Belarus - gained popularity with inexpensive, reliable products with a wide variety of design implementations
• Russia - using its centuries-old experience and the latest foreign technologies, they have made their products the most popular in the region. The craftsmen have combined excellent quality, European design, and the lowest price to achieve such popularity.

You need to choose products with proven quality so that the doors can serve for a long time, withstanding mechanical loads.

Door frame installation

Before proceeding with the actual installation of the box, you will need to check the correctness of the assembled box. To do this, you will need to check the correct geometry of the assembled box; the diagonals must be the same. The surface of the opening must also be smooth, all irregularities must be eliminated. Only then can you begin installing the interior door frame with your own hands, according to the chosen method.

Step-by-step instructions for installing an interior door frame with your own hands

Depending on the chosen installation option, there is a ready-made procedure for installing the box. First, the box is placed against the opening, then wooden wedges are used to secure it (or mounting plates). Secondly, using a level, the evenness of the installed box is checked and, if necessary, correction is made. Then the box is fixed to the wall using anchor bolts, self-tapping screws or a special mounting kit with plates. The hole between the wall and the frame will only need to be filled with mounting foam on the open parts and decorated with platbands. That's all there is to it, after which all that remains is to hang the door, which should already have holes for the hinges and door lock. Interior doors are installed in exactly this order, but it is necessary to examine in more detail some installation options using self-tapping screws and mounting plates.

Fastening the box with mounting plates

A fairly simple method of fastening a door frame is used using a special fastening kit. This option for installing the box can be done even without the use of polyurethane foam: it is enough to correctly install the box in a level and securely fasten it to special plates. Before installing the box in the opening, special plates are installed, which must initially be attached to the wall. In most cases, these mounting plates will require small new holes in the wall to which the plate is attached. The holes themselves with the plates can then be easily hidden using putty and finishing material. In general, this method requires certain skills, but at the same time it is the most modern.

Fastening with self-tapping screws and dowels

A more classic option for fastening the box is to use anchors or self-tapping screws with dowels. The procedure for this installation is as follows: the box is applied to the opening and fixed (bars or wedges will help). Then, through holes are drilled in the box, into which dowels are driven and a self-tapping screw or anchor screw is screwed. These holes, for aesthetics, should be made in several places; some can be hidden where the hinges and one self-tapping screw will be attached to the recess where the door lock tongue will go. These holes are enough for the box to fit into the opening as firmly as possible and be as reliable as possible. This method is notable for the fact that now there is no need to repaint or hide the box fastenings themselves with plugs, because they will be hidden under the fittings. To complete this installation and give greater strength, the hole between the box and the wall should be sealed with polyurethane foam by hand. At the final stage, you will need to install the trim and the finished door leaf of the structure.

Features of installing a box with a threshold

There is a significant difference between installing framed interior doors for bathrooms: here frames must be installed together with thresholds. This type of box is different in that errors made during assembly cannot be eliminated during installation, so before installing the box with the threshold, be sure to check that the diagonal dimensions match. The installation of this box follows the same principle and procedure as described above. The only clarification: you will have to fix the threshold. It is on the threshold of the box that there will be constant pressure both from the box and from the residents of the house. It can be secured to the floor using self-tapping screws and dowels, and the attachment point can be hidden using a plug.

Tools and materials

In addition to purchasing an interior door with frame and trim, you will need the following:

• a hand saw with a miter box for cutting at a precise angle;
• screwdriver or drill with attachments;
• for concrete walls you need a hammer drill;
• chisel;
• construction level;
• square, protractor, ruler;
• fasteners: screws and dowels;
• small nails;
• hammer;
• polyurethane foam;
• door fittings (handles, latches, hinges).

Expert advice

1. It is important to know that the main load of the frame comes from the side of the hinges, where the massive door is attached. That is why the planks, threshold, and other parts of the frame do not need to be drilled and secured with anchor screws; just three fastening points are enough: two under the hinges and one under the door tongue.
2. Immediately after installing the box, you should check its strength and stability; it must stand firmly on the mounting plates or screws. In this case, the mounting foam will provide not so much durability as noise and waterproofing of the room; it will definitely not be able to eliminate the backlash of the box after installation.
3. Any defects from the aesthetic side can always be eliminated with the help of platbands, flexible thresholds or applying additional paint to the box. When installing and assembling, the most important thing is durability and precision, while chips and scratches can be easily repaired.
4. When installing a box in a concrete wall or brick, you will need a hammer drill or impact drill; a conventional drill will not be able to achieve the proper result when installing the box on screws or plates.
5. In new buildings, it is recommended to use special kits for installing door frames. They consist of several metal plates and screws with dowels that are ideal for flush mounting and simple, lightweight installation.
6. At the stage of cutting the box before assembly, it is recommended to use a hacksaw for metal, because it will protect against scratches and misfires, compared to a hacksaw for wood.
7. When miscalculating, if the box turns out to be much smaller than the size of the opening, you should use a wooden extension.
8. For greater adhesion of the polyurethane foam, it is recommended to wet the wall a little before applying it.
9. We should not forget about small gaps in the size of the frame and door in the lower part, up to 1 cm. This is necessary so that the ventilation between rooms and spaces functions well, special attention to the kitchen.

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Helpful information

1. It will be useful to those who, for whatever reason, do not want to purchase a door in a furniture showroom, but would prefer to make it themselves, according to their own drawings. This often happens with non-standard openings; It is much easier to assemble a box of the required dimensions than to deal with the expansion/narrowing of the passage. The nuance is in choosing the width of the beam. It must correspond to the thickness of the wall, and the latter (for buildings built according to a standard design) depends on its material.

Dimensions – in mm. Deviations within ±5 are allowed.

• Brickwork 75 – box 108.
• Log house (log, timber) 100 – jamb 120.

1. If you purchase an imported model, its box will be slightly different in size due to non-compliance with standards. Its width varies from 80 to 205. Therefore, you will need to choose a suitable block, focusing on the thickness of the wall at the location of the opening.

What is this connected with? With a significant difference in size, problems with installing platbands are guaranteed. There are several solution options - using extras, making a “rough” box; but all of them only complicate installation and increase the final cost of the work.