Installing French Doors to Patio

Before: Standard sliding doors were plain and boring.

Tools:

air compressor with hoses
brad gun
cordless drill with battery and magnetic screw tip
level
measuring tape
painting supplies
pencil
power miter box
safety glasses

Steps:

1. Open the door, locate the screws and the nails, and remove them from the frame.

2. You may need to use a reciprocating saw to cut through old construction adhesive to free the door. Once it's free on all sides, carefully remove it from the opening to avoid breaking the glass.

3. Check the door frame for level, pull out old insulation and clean up the area.

3. Set new pre-hung door unit into place. Center in the opening and check to make sure it's level and plumb in the opening. If necessary, install construction shims to get it square.

4. Stuff the fiberglass insulation around perimeter of door for weather-proofing. Don’t stuff it too tight.
Fiberglass insulation relies on the airspace between the fibers to hold heat and cool.

5. Cut the interior casing and exterior brick molding to fit using a miter saw. Nail it up using a brad gun.

6. Prime and paint the surround trim.