How to install an entrance door in a house made of brick, wood or aerated concrete

The front door usually lasts for decades, so it is not customary to save on its purchase and installation. Houses and apartments are equipped with durable, reliable models made of thick sheets of steel, equipped with various security elements, which are a tough nut to crack for burglars of any rank. Installation is also usually carried out by professionals who comply with all the standards and wishes of the manufacturer. But is it really possible to install the front door yourself and not run into many problems during its operation? In this article, we will tell you step by step how to install an iron entrance door yourself, what mistakes are important to avoid, and what installation features must be observed.

Dismantling operations

Installation of the front door begins with dismantling work. During the work, you don’t have to worry too much about the integrity of the canvas (when its further use is not planned). But it is important to take care of the safety of the opening. The less it suffers during the process of removing the frame, the easier it will be to install a new door.

Dismantling work is carried out in the following sequence:

Removing the door leaf . To remove it from its hinges, you need to lift it a little using a crowbar. The collapsible hinges are untwisted, after which the canvas is removed from the opening.
Removing a threshold . For ease of removal, it is cut into two parts, after which it is knocked out with a heavy hammer.
Removing the box . This process starts from the side. To make the box easier to dismantle, several horizontal cuts are made. If the side elements of the box have been removed, the upper part will be removed very easily.

Dismantling the old box Source prom.st

Cleaning the opening . In order for the subsequent installation of a metal door to be successful, the old opening is cleared of plaster and foam. Fasteners are removed.

Dismantling work becomes more complicated if the door frame is metal. First, determine the location of the fasteners. They are removed, after which the box is removed from the installation site without significant effort.

Dismantling a metal door frame Source tildacdn.com

Good preparation is the key to a quality installation

Correct installation of an iron door directly depends on proper preparation:

First, you need to choose the right entrance door according to the size of your doorway. There is another option - to make an iron entrance door with your own hands according to individual sizes. Video and step-by-step instructions on how to do this are “here”.
Then you need to dismantle the old doors to your apartment or house.
Next you will have to prepare the opening for the front door with your own hands.
Only after this does the actual installation of a steel door for your cozy apartment or house begin, although there are several stages here too, but more on that a little later.

Briefly about choosing doors

Detailed recommendations on how to choose the right entrance door, with justification of the reasons and a description of the actions, you can find “here”, but now we will briefly outline the theses and go through the main parameters of such structures.

Methods of installing metal doors largely depend on the type and quality of the structure.

The metal door must be welded from metal with a thickness of 1.2 mm. By the way, Chinese models come with a sheet thickness of 0.6–1 mm, which is why they are opened with a can opener.
The gap between the door leaf and the frame should be 2–4 mm, otherwise the slightest shrinkage of the door may jam in the frame.
Any model, even a budget one, should have anti-vandal pins in the lock on the hinge side, but it is better to choose a crab lock with spreaders in all directions.

Standard metal construction with a minimum set of required options.

To avoid corrosion, metal everywhere must be well painted. It is desirable that it be powder coated. There are several finishing options for homemade and used doors; step-by-step instructions for arranging all these options are “here”.
The sore spot of any metal entrance door is the threshold. It would be better if it were made of stainless steel. If you choose from the budget sector, then make sure that there is some kind of anti-corrosion lining on the threshold, because paint alone is not enough.
Extensions to the front door are installed when the thickness of the load-bearing wall is from 250 mm. Not all models are supplied with such fittings, so take cash and add-ons for a metal door right away, otherwise you may not have the right shade later.
Easy and correct installation of a metal door with your own hands depends on the matching of the door frame and the opening. Ideally, the gap between the opening and the box should be 10–25 mm. In order not to block or, conversely, expand the opening later, select the box immediately, the parameters of the boxes are in the table below.

The box is inserted with a gap of 10–25 mm from the edge of the doorway.

The lock plays an important role in choosing metal doors. Choosing a castle is a rather extensive topic, and we will not dwell on it now. If you are interested, the rules for choosing and the main types of locks are described “here”.
Don’t also forget about a reliable and beautiful handle for a metal door. It is often sold separately from the lock; information about different types of handles and the rules for choosing them is “here”.

Proper installation of the front door depends on the correct measurement of the opening.

Removing old doors

Installing metal entrance doors with your own hands is impossible without dismantling the old doors. We start by removing the door leaf; to do this, open the doors, place a crowbar underneath and remove the door leaf from the hinges. If the hinges are hidden, then take a screwdriver with keys and unscrew them; in extreme cases, cut them off with a grinder.

To dismantle an old iron box, you must first find the places where it is attached. To do this, examine the box itself from the inside: if there are plastic plugs on it, then you need to open them; most likely, under them you will find mounting anchors or reinforcing pins.

With anchors everything is simple: they are unscrewed with a screwdriver or socket wrench. But to free the frame from the reinforcement spikes, you will need to break part of the doorway and cut the spikes from the outside with a grinder.

To dismantle the metal box, you need to cut off all the fasteners with a grinder.

Previously, it was customary to install iron doors on mounting ears (see diagram above). Such “ears” were then plastered or additional panels with removable casing could be installed on top of them. You will need to get to these ears and cut off the fastenings with a grinder, and it is advisable to cut off not the ears themselves, but the iron crutches that secure these ears. When all the fasteners are cut, the box can be easily pulled out using a pry bar or hammer.

The wooden box is pulled out a little differently. It is usually nailed to the embeds inside the wall, so it cannot be removed entirely. Here you will need to slightly cut the posts in the center and, using a crowbar or pry bar, try to break them at the cut points.

It is almost impossible to dismantle an old wooden loot entirely.

Keep in mind: under no circumstances should wood be cut with a grinder: with a high degree of probability, the circle may get stuck in the wood and burst, with all the ensuing consequences. You can only cut with a hacksaw or chainsaw; you can make notches with an axe.

A separate story with the threshold. Previously, a strong wooden beam was installed in the area of the threshold of the front door; it was recessed into the floor. Some craftsmen advise “poking” it with an awl, and if it has not rotted, leave it in its place. We do not recommend doing this: it is advisable to remove the beam and dismantle it completely.

Preparing the doorway

After dismantling the old structures, it is unlikely that your opening will be perfectly smooth, so first you need to determine the volume of destruction. To do this, take measurements after the fact: this way you will know where you need to remove and where to add.

Scheme for measuring a doorway after dismantling old structures.

After the measurement, you will need to use a hammer drill to knock down everything unnecessary: the box should fit freely into the opening.

You need to cut off and knock down everything unnecessary from the doorway.

Next, mix the cement-sand mortar (1:3 cement/sand) and carefully seal all the cracks. Large potholes are filled with pieces of broken brick. If a wooden beam was laid in the threshold, then it is advisable to fill this groove with bricks or build a small reinforcement frame and pour a concrete screed.

Installing a metal door will be much easier if the doorway is well aligned.

Preparing the opening

When studying the recommendations of experts on how to properly install a metal entrance door in a private house, you should not neglect the stage of preparing the opening. If there are pieces of plaster that may fall off, it is better to get rid of them. If large voids are identified, it is recommended to fill them with bricks set on sand-cement mortar. Small potholes can be skipped as they will later be filled with polyurethane foam.

The condition of the floor must be assessed. If necessary, a wooden block treated with impregnation is placed in the opening. Brick can also be used to level the base; minor defects are filled with mortar.

Preparing the opening for subsequent installation of the box Source ytimg.com

What tools are required to install doors?

It is better to purchase a branded tool for installing an interior door, because the quality of the work performed depends on it.
Before installing the door, select tools and supplies:

anchor bolts Ø 12 mm * 130 mm for a 15 mm nut;
drill Ø 2.5 mm;
socket wrench to fit the size of the anchor bolts;
hammer drill or drill;
nail puller;
screwdriver;
screwdrivers;
hammer.

You will also need:

professional or household polyurethane foam (1-2 cylinders depending on the width of the construction seam);
mounting pads and spacer wedges;
bubble building level;
yardstick;
household spray bottle;
segmented construction knife;
pencil.

With this set you can install entrance doors of any complexity.

Installation

To figure out how to install a metal entrance door, start by leveling the frame. The prepared structure is installed in the opening. The lower part of the box is installed on special pads. By adjusting their thickness, they ensure that the structure stands level. When the loot is aligned horizontally, it is aligned vertically. This process is also controlled using a building level.

The position of the door frame is checked in all planes Source goodoors.ru

Once the box is in the optimal position, it is wedged. Use plastic or wooden wedges. Three fixing elements are installed vertically, and two horizontally. The wedges are placed close to the fastening points.

When the box is exposed, they proceed to fixing it. There are several methods for installing a metal door:

For the eyes . The simplest and most popular method. A hole is made through the eyelet. An anchor is inserted into it, which is subsequently tightened.
Through the canvas . The structure can be fixed through special holes that are provided in its design. The wall is drilled through them with a hammer drill, after which anchors are installed.

Fastening through the canvas Source rabotai-sam.ru
See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in doors, windows and related work

Grips . The method is used when performing installation in a house with reinforced concrete walls. The structure is held inside by special hooks.

After securing the box, install the canvas. If there is a non-separable mechanism, it is simply hung on the hinges. It may also be necessary to adjust the door so that the process of closing and opening it occurs as smoothly as possible.

We install Factor series doors

Guardian doors from the Factor series are in demand among consumers who want to buy entrance doors inexpensively with installation by specialists or who plan to do it themselves. The procedure should be as follows. After unpacking the product, you need to separate the door leaf from the frame (it needs to be removed from the hinges).

The door frame has vertical posts into which mounting eyes are installed. They are secured with self-tapping screws. Eyelets with a bend are placed in the middle part of the racks.

After this, the box is placed in the opening. Please note that its flange should fit well against the wall. The box is checked for level and plumb, and secured with wedges.

After drilling holes with a diameter of 12 mm through the eyes to a depth of at least 150 mm, the anchor bolts are inserted into them. To prevent the platband from moving away (from turning out), the end of the bent shelf of the eye should rest against the opening or wedge.

Handles are installed as for doors of the DS series. The canvas is hung on the frame and the doors are closed, checking the uniformity of the gaps around the perimeter. Fasten the lock post so that it fits evenly. On the side of the lock post, you need to drill holes with a diameter of 12 mm to a depth of at least 150 mm in order to install anchor bolts and bend the nuts. The bent flange of the eyelet must be supported against the wedge.

Next, close the locks and check how tightly the blade adheres to the seal, and whether the keys turn freely in the locks. If necessary, press part of the stand towards the canvas or away from the canvas. Then a hole with a diameter of 12 mm (depth - 150 mm) is drilled in the supporting structure of the opening through the middle fastening plate with the bend of the rack. Insert the anchor bolt from the kit included. A wedge (gap plate) is installed under the end of the bent shelf of the eyelet. The bolt nut is tightened through the wedges to ensure uniform gaps between the leaf and the door frame. At this stage, you need to check that the platband fits well to the wall along its entire height.

After this, a peephole is installed and the gaps are filled with foam or cement-sand mortar M-70. If a door from the Factor series with a laminated coating was installed, the film is removed.

Finishing work

If after installation of the main structural elements no problems are identified, proceed to finishing work:

Polyurethane foam . All remaining space between the box and the enclosing structure is filled. Polyurethane foam acts as filler and insulation, preventing the penetration of cold air and extraneous sounds from the street into the room. To ensure that the material fills all the voids, the opening is cleared of dirt and moistened with water. The remaining foam is cut off after it hardens.

The entire contour of the doorway is filled with polyurethane foam Source krovati-i-divany.ru

Finishing . The gap between the box and the wall is carefully leveled. Putty is used, which is applied in several layers.
Installation of platbands . Such decorative overlays significantly improve the appearance of the opening. The trims are attached to the outside of the door structure.
Slope finishing . Plastic strips and drywall are used. The slopes can also be puttied and painted.

Opening before and after finishing Source rabotai-sam.ru

Handle and lock . After installation, functionality is checked. If necessary, the opening mechanism is lubricated with special oil.

Do-it-yourself metal entrance door installation

In most cases, a metal one is used as an entrance door. We wrote about what you need to consider when choosing a metal door in a previous article - it doesn’t hurt to read the information before purchasing. Due to the great popularity of metal doors, we will consider the installation process using their example.

Door frame installation

Depending on the wall material and the thickness of the doorway, one of the following methods of installing the frame is used:

anchor bolts, for which technological holes are provided in the box;
welding of lugs and pieces of reinforcement driven into the wall.

If you have the opportunity to choose, it is better to give preference to anchor fastening . Firstly, it is done easier and faster. Secondly, doors mounted on lugs are easier to break into.

Installation of a door frame with anchor bolts

This is the most popular option, so with a high degree of probability you will have to deal with it. There is nothing complicated in installation, you just need to follow the instructions:

handles and locks are installed on the door leaf . The locks can already be cut in (in 98% of cases). It is necessary to check how smoothly the canvas opens and closes, and whether the crossbars fit into the holes cut in the box. If it is difficult to enter, then it is better to contact the seller/manufacturer, since it is easier to carry out a warranty replacement even before installation. Read below about the nuances of installing handles;
the canvas is removed from the hinges , and the door frame is placed in the opening , placing pads 1-2 cm thick under it. It is important to find a strictly vertical position using a plumb line and a level. If everything is correct, fixation is carried out using wedges made of wood or plastic, after which the verticality is checked again. A deviation of just 1-2 mm can already significantly affect performance, and not for the better. It is better to take the wedges in a cone shape so that they are easier to knock out after the installation work is completed, but some craftsmen advise leaving them as additional fixation;
one more check that the box is installed vertically. Some people neglect this point, but it’s still better not to be lazy. They hang the canvas on the hinges and open it 450, and if the box is positioned correctly, then the canvas will remain in this position - it will not open or close;
carefully read the door installation instructions, especially if the door leaf is equipped with hidden hinges . In this case, it is usually recommended to tilt towards the corridor by several degrees, but the specific number varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and should be indicated in the instructions or on the manufacturer’s website;
the door is removed from its hinges and work begins holes for anchors. It is better to remove the insulation first so that it does not wrap around the drill. The holes are made of the same diameter as the anchors, length up to 15 cm. If the door comes with eyes, but you still want to install it with anchor bolts, then you will have to make holes in the frame with a metal drill. It is advisable to make them 4-5 mm larger in diameter than the bolts themselves;
The anchor bolts begin to be placed from the hinge side into the prepared holes; you can use a hammer and a metal insert. Next, the bolt is tightened with the socket head of the wrench. After installing each bolt, it is better to check the verticality of the box, and if it is broken, then loosen the fastening and correct the position of the box. The last to be installed are the anchor bolts on the lock side.

Some manufacturers remove the warranty if you install the door yourself. Pay attention to this condition and weigh all the risks, evaluate your own skills. In principle, it’s not difficult to do everything yourself - the main thing is to constantly control the verticality.

Features of installation in a wooden house

When installing a door in a building with wooden enclosing structures, it is unacceptable to attach the frame directly to the wall. Be sure to use a frame in the form of a beam. It is attached movably, which leaves the possibility of moving the log house as a result of drying out. In this case, the tongue-and-groove connection type is used. The pigtail is held in a given position due to elastic force.

Rigid fastening of a door in a wooden house is unacceptable. At first, the openings in such a building are not filled at all due to too much deformation. To install the door, a groove is cut out in the selected location. Perform a T-shape. The width of the groove is slightly less than the thickness of the tenon. This ensures reliable fixation without the use of additional fasteners. During installation, the casing is inserted into the tenon and driven in with a sledgehammer until it stops.

Casing in the opening Source dvervdome.ru

Made of metal

Sheet metal, the thickness of which is not less than 2 mm and complies with the parameters established by law, if applicable. Components that ensure the operation of the door: a lock and internal hinges, which are installed as hidden.
Iron corners 30x30 mm. The size varies depending on the characteristics of the safe as a whole. The number of corners required for welding the frame is determined by the dimensions of the cache.

If items of safety fall into the list of items whose storage is described by law (for example, weapons, medicines), the safe is equipped with two locks of different types.

Features of work in a building made of aerated concrete

Aerated concrete blocks are not as strong as brick. Therefore, when installing a door structure in such a building, it is necessary to additionally strengthen the opening with a corner.

Strengthening the doorway with corners Source roomester.ru

The fastening of two corners installed at the edges of the opening occurs with vertical jumpers. They should be located in the places where the door frame fasteners will be placed.

When installation is prohibited

The climatic conditions of different regions of Russia influence the use of building materials. Temperature fluctuations should also be taken into account when choosing entrance doors with a thermal break for a country house or apartment doors. The instructions for installing the front door strictly prohibit:

Installation of doors with decorative panels that have not undergone appropriate treatment in rooms where the temperature rises above 60º degrees and falls below 10º degrees, and humidity exceeds 60%.
Installation of insulated metal street doors and other types of doors in places where there is exposure to direct sunlight, as well as near heat sources. If this prohibition is violated, the plastic may dry out, peel off, the film will swell, and the original color may be distorted.

Increasing door sound insulation

Failure to comply with installation technology leads to the fact that the sound insulation of the front door is very low. This problem occurs if gaps occur while filling the gap with polyurethane foam. Noise insulation is reduced if the seal is placed incorrectly (different degrees of tension). Also, the ability of a door to transmit sounds is influenced by the material from which they are made - the type and thickness of the filler, the type of cladding.

To solve the problem, you can choose several options:

Replace the seal or install it along two contours, which will improve the fit of the door to the frame.
Install special threshold slats.
Take care of slope insulation. This will prevent sound waves from penetrating through microcracks in the wall or gaps in the foam.

Door slope insulation Source stroy-podskazka.ru

Design Features

All safe-type designs have 2 important features:

These products have a certain class of burglary resistance, which means that when opened, your door will cause him a lot of inconvenience and will not allow him to get into your home. The burglary resistance class is assigned to each lock separately, as for this a series of tests are carried out, which are carried out using hand and electric tools.
Taking into account the manufacturing technology, safe doors can be divided into solid bent-welded doors and into profile specimens.

Interestingly, a characteristic feature of the second type of door blocks is the use of rolled metal profiles (thanks to arc welding, all elements can be reliably welded). But bent-welded specimens are made from a certain bent-stamped profile (and spot welding is used).

Note that safe-type entrance doors last much longer than conventional outdoor profile blocks (according to experts). This feature is easily explained by the fact that during the production of bent-welded doors it has a lesser thermal effect on the material of manufacture.

And even more, the production and installation of safe doors on bending equipment guarantees the high quality of the products. It should be noted that the city of Berezovsky was distinguished by the production of precisely these high-quality products.

Soundproofing process

The door is soundproofed after it is removed from the frame. It is necessary to remove the external fittings and lay the canvas on a vertical surface. The subsequent technology for performing the work depends on the design of the door - collapsible or not. In the first case, all decorative elements of the product attached with nails, rivets, and screws are carefully removed. The metal panel from the room side is removed. The internal space of the canvas is first filled with vibration-damping materials based on bitumen (Guerlen), after which sound insulators are laid.

Laying insulation Source aviarydecor.com

To soundproof a non-removable structure, a frame is installed on the surface of the door for subsequent fixation of soundproofing materials. Subsequently, the product is covered with decorative panels. Soundproofing of interior doors is carried out using a similar algorithm.

To perform these works, the following types of fillers are used:

Minvata . The material is affordable and durable. The filler is fireproof, but when wet it loses its insulating properties.
Foam sheets . Easy to install, do not absorb moisture, and insulate well. Polyfoam is inexpensive and has a long service life. Disadvantage: flammability.
Polyurethane . It is not afraid of moisture and is lightweight. Effectively absorbs noise and safe. The disadvantages include the relatively high cost of the material.
Foampropylene . It is lightweight and works effectively as a sound insulator. The material is resistant to various chemicals, but is classified as flammable.

The variety of insulating materials on the market is encouraging Source krovlyaikrysha.ru

Tips: how to choose a safe door for an apartment

Safe doors can very well become a reliable protector of your home if you choose them correctly. There are quite a few varieties of such products on the market, and the main thing here is not to make a mistake.

When choosing a safe door for an apartment, you must take into account its quality, strength and practicality

So, what should you consider when buying a safe door for your apartment:

Material thickness – a good quality safe door should consist of steel with a thickness of at least 1.8 mm.
Weight in accordance with the number of hinges - for a door weighing up to 70 kg, 2 hinges will be enough, up to 100 kg - 3 hinges, more than 100 kg - specially reinforced hinges with a bearing.
Its burglary resistance class is class 2 or 3 for European models, for domestic models the range expands to 4, letter designations are B and C.
The presence of heat and sound insulation - it will be great if the door filler is basalt wool with a thickness of at least 5 cm.
Its appearance - on a high-quality product you can rarely see any bright, decorative elements or too conspicuous shine (if the price of such a model is low, then you can draw conclusions about its quality).

When choosing doors for an apartment, its weight of 70 kg and two hinges will be quite enough. A more massive structure is not needed. But in this case, everyone is free to decide for themselves.

Briefly about the main thing

Door installation begins after the opening is cleared. The installation of the box is carried out strictly according to the level. The structure is fixed in the design position through special holes, behind linings or grips. After installing the canvas, the resulting gap is filled with special foam, finishing and fittings are installed.

In a wooden building, doors are installed after preliminary installation of the frame. In an opening made of aerated concrete, it is necessary to carry out additional reinforcement of the structure. When installing doors, it is also important how well they cope with sound insulation. If necessary, the canvas can be additionally insulated using polystyrene foam, polyurethane and other materials.

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Opening safe doors

It is necessary to be careful when carrying out such a procedure, since if done incorrectly, you can achieve a state of the device where only a specialist can help.

The main thing is not to despair and find the right information on how to open a safe without a key.

It is advisable to open safe doors using special-purpose tools.

Otherwise, you can cause significant mechanical damage, which in turn will entail significant financial resources.

However, emergency opening of safes involves the use of various methods, even those that cause visible damage. Assistance in breaking safes is required in cases where:

it is necessary to open electronic safes;
it is necessary to open mechanical safes;
you need to open the code safe;
you need to open the key lock in the safe.

How to open a safe without a key and code

However, there are situations when the key is not at hand. And if the safe still doesn’t open, you should try entering a zero combination, that is, enter zeros as all six digits

It is important to remember that this method does not always work.

How to open a safe with a code without entering it, you can find out from the consultants of the store where such a purchase was made.

Moreover, opening mechanical safe locks will only be possible if the owner registered on the manufacturer’s website at the time of purchase. The code will be indicated there in the user's personal account.

If the login information for the site was conveniently forgotten by the owner, it is not possible to open the safe lock without the help of specialists.

Safe Hacking

These include:

Reduced battery charge, which should only be replaced with original versions, since they hold a charge almost twice as long. The bolt is jammed in the lock, which prevents the lock opening mechanism from operating. Sometimes it is enough to push the device with your back a few times to solve the problem of how to open a safe lock. The lock is blocked due to repeated entry of the wrong code

It is important to wait a while, about 10-20 minutes, and re-enter the combination. If it takes more time to reboot the device, you should wait until you enter the combination again, rather than looking for a way to open the code safe. Disconnected or damaged wires

It is necessary to remove the keypad on the safe, then remove the batteries and check whether the wires are in good condition. If they are damaged, an emergency opening will have to be performed.

Taking into account all the above points, if it is necessary to open the doors in an emergency, it is enough to call a specialized specialist.

Recommendations and selection

Criteria

Yes, as it turns out, installing a safe door in your home is not the most difficult thing; choosing the right model for you is much more difficult. Here you should pay attention to the following important points:

The security system that all doors have is thought out to the smallest detail. It has several levels: there is the internal structure of the structure, elements that are hidden from human eyes, and there are also installation rules. For example, the locking mechanism that is installed on the safe panel must be more than just reliable.

Experts' assessments boil down to the fact that for the proper level of protection there must be at least 3 bolts from 1.5 cm. The locks that will be used can be lever and cylinder. In this case, the first mechanisms must also have a special armor plate, and the lever mechanisms must also have a second steel plate. This is the only way to prevent the lock from being opened.

But as for the dimensions of the structure, the products come in both standard and very non-standard sizes. For example, in the same Berezovsky they produce non-standard safe doors (they are made to order).

Please note that although appearance plays an important role when choosing a product, you should not make this the main factor when choosing. It usually happens in life that what looks discreet and simple is the most reliable, and ostentatious glitter and many labels do not guarantee high quality. For this reason, it is better to choose entrance doors that will have a modest design, but will be reliable and durable.