4 Steps to Evaluate for Door Replacement
Repairing vs. Replacing a door is always a case by case project.
First, you need to identify the problem and whether or not a door replacement is warranted or a simple adjustment would be a better/cheaper/faster solution.
At Home Titan we evaluate if a door replacement is recommended using the following methodology:
Check the Overall Door Condition - Is the door physically separating/coming apart? Is the door very worn/damaged in overall condition and appearance? Is the damage more extensive than what a new layer of paint would cover up?
Check Door Latching - Is the door closing and latching properly? Does the latch stick or are there any issues turning the handle? This might be remedied by adjusting the latch/handle itself, or by adjusting the hinges.
Check for Rubbing - Is the door rubbing around the casing at any point during the sweep while being opened or closed? If the hinges are tight, poor fitment could be a more likely cause of the issues. Remember, the wood in the door can expand or shrink based on the season (humidity) and may need a small adjustment to be able to handle the seasonal changes. Suppose a door is perfectly fine during the winter. If the door was originally installed in the winter, perhaps it was a close fitment and operates correctly…only for the wood to swell up come summer time and suddenly one side is now rubbing against the casing. Wood absorbs moisture when the air is humid, and releases moisture when the air is dry. The cold weather causes it to lose moisture and vice versa. This is called wood movement. This phenomenon could also affect other parts of your house as well.
Check Hinge Operation - Are the hinges operating properly? Is there binding/rust? Are the hinges improperly bent? Is the hinge pin fully inserted into both halves of the hinge? Are all hinge screws tight and holding the hinge fast to the door jam or the door itself?
If several of these factors are present, a door replacement will likely be a better and even more economical solution than the labor involved in fixing a door with multiple issues. Replacing a worn door also has the added benefit of bringing a fresh and modern look to a home and buys the homeowner a decade or more of a properly functioning door! Doors are one of those items in a house that you notice pretty quickly if it is not working as it should.
If the situation warrants a new door, the next step is to determine if it is more appropriate to install a pre hung style door or source a door slab that is cut to fit the existing door frame. Typically this is a factor of door size (custom vs. standard), condition of the existing door casing and trim (can it be re-used) and overall anticipated labor time depending on existing conditions.
In one of our projects, the client had a unique door size (27.5” W x 78” H) and the existing casing and trim were in decent condition. In this case, hanging a new door slab in the existing frame was the better solution. As this size was not quite a standard size (the closest standard size is 28” W x 80” H), trimming down a new door slab to proper fitment was a. more economical solution than ordering a custom sized prehung door.
A slab door installation involves the following steps:
Measure Existing Door - A quick way to get the rough size needed will be to trace the old door size onto the new slab door as a guide for cutting to the right size.
Cut to Size - Use a circular saw with a high quality blade will be used to trim the bottom and the long hinge side of the door for proper fitment. If needed, a planer will be used to remove small amounts of wood per pass along the edge.
Cut Mortises and Door Handle / Latch Holes - A router along with a hinge mortise guide will be used to cut perfect mortises. A door handle/latch guide will be used to cut the handle and latch holes.
Paint the Door - A new door slab is only covered with primer from the factory, so the door will need to be painted after installation as well. This is accomplished after installation by using a high quality roller, high quality brush for any edges/changes of plane, and a high quality enamel based (self leveling) paint. Also, we always do 2 coats of paint to ensure an even and finished look.
