Let's face it. Sometimes you have to use your foot to help push the front door open. As a result, the bottom of the door can get scuffed pretty badly. Since the front door is often the first thing your guests will notice about your house, it 's a good idea to make their first impression a good one. One way of doing that is by installing a brass kickplate, which not only will protect the door but also will add a nice decorative touch.
Materials:
brass kickplate sized to the width of your door
masking tape
measuring tape
pencil
drill, with drill bit
Phillips-head screwdriver
safety glasses
Steps:
- Use a measuring tape to find the center of your door, and mark the spot with a piece of masking tape. By using the masking tape, you can avoid marking your door .
- Locate and mark the center of the kickplate with masking tape.
- Align the two center marks (figure A) and adjust the kickplate so that it lines up with the door panels or with the bottom of the door. Use long strips of masking tape to hold the kickplate in place (figure B). Note: Don't use a level to position your kickplate--if your door isn't level, the kickplate will look askew.
- Drill pilot holes for each of the screw holes in the kickplate. It's a good idea to mark the drill bit with a piece of tape so you'll know how far to drill without going all the way through the door (figure C).
- Secure the kickplate to the door with screws. Start with the screws in the middle of the kickplate, and work your way outward. Don't tighten the screws completely until you have them all in place.
- After you finish tightening the screws, you can remove the plastic cover from the kickplate.
