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Correctly insert the iron entrance door. Installation of metal entrance doors: do it yourself how to install it in an apartment video, how to insert a safe correctly. How to attach extensions to a metal entrance door

When purchasing new doors, a person has a choice: entrust the installation to specialists (and pay a certain amount for it) or install metal entrance doors yourself (receiving a bonus for your work in the form of that very certain amount in your pocket).

Can you handle it? Of course, there is nothing super complicated about this. You just need to have the necessary tools and clear instructions. And of course, no one can cancel a common mind and a pair of hands that are not afraid to work hard.

Preparatory work

Let's take a simple example of installing a metal entrance door.

A situation often occurs when the available doorway differs in size from the purchased standard door. At the same time, making an opening is always much easier than expanding it. Therefore, it makes sense to select doors taking this point into account.

What is the standard door width? Door leaves differ in width in increments of 100 mm in the range from 600 to 1000 mm. In this case, canvases measuring 600 - 800 mm are used for interior doors, and entrance doors have a width of 900 or 1000 mm. This is due to the fact that any standard-sized furniture, as well as household appliances, should easily pass through them.

So, our opening needs to be adjusted as accurately as possible to the size of the doors with the door frame attached to them.

You can reduce the opening using white sand-lime brick or cinder block. You can use aerated concrete. And in order to increase it, you will need either a hammer drill or an angle grinder with a diamond blade. Of course, there is equipment specialized for these purposes, but it is used only by experienced craftsmen.

With a door width of 900 mm, the opening for it should be 2080 mm in height and 980 in width. This is enough to place the frame and provide a technological gap that allows you to align the door during installation. Later it will be filled with polyurethane foam.

Installation of a metal entrance door

It is more convenient to install doors with an assistant. Because the door itself has a lot of weight. And it will be much easier to install it when someone can support something if necessary.

So, using a level, the correct position of the doors is determined. While the assistant holds them in the desired position, the master marks the location of the anchor screws. The strength and reliability of the door will depend on the quality of their installation. Experienced professionals omit the markings and immediately begin drilling holes into which the anchors are inserted. With this approach to business, the help of an assistant is practically not needed.

You need to start the process from the hinge side. They are clamped tightly with a socket wrench. You can then repeat the process on the opposite side of the loot. This operation must be taken with full responsibility, because it is the most difficult and basic part of the installation.

Shimo- and thermal insulation of the entrance door

After the door is hung, you need to ensure that the room is insulated from drafts and unwanted noise. To do this, the space between the box and the opening is filled with polyurethane foam. There are cylinders on sale that are equipped with a special tube. However, the material consumption in this packaging is very high. A simple foam gun will significantly reduce the overconsumption of polyurethane foam. Specialized packaging is produced for it.

It is advisable to carry out work behind closed doors. Because the foam, when expanding, creates some pressure, which can deform the new door frame. Even if it is made of metal.

There are often recommendations to heat foam cylinders in hot water. However, you need to remember that as the temperature rises, the foam in the cylinder expands. And if the temperature indicated on the packaging is exceeded, it can create enough pressure to cause everything around to be filled with foam after a small but loud “eruption of Vesuvius.” If you do not want to have about 50 or more liters of foaming sealant in the hallway, flying in all four directions, then follow the instructions for use specified by the manufacturer.

It is enough to shake the can well at room temperature before use.

You need to blow out all the cracks that are on the side and top of the door. At the bottom, the foam risks being destroyed by the load on the threshold due to constant walking. Therefore, the gaps between the floor and the threshold are covered with cement mortar.

The foam needs about 6 hours to dry completely. Therefore, it is advisable to leave the doors in the closed position during this time and not use it. The family can go on a visit during this time, go to the cinema or take a walk in the park.

Adjusting entrance doors

After the 6 hours have elapsed, the doors can be opened and adjusted. If your door is installed by invited craftsmen, then, as a rule, they do not perform post-installation adjustments. You will need to place a separate call. Even when the door seems to work well at first glance, adjustment still won't hurt. This little detail will significantly extend the service life of new entrance doors.

Even subtle distortions of the door leaf in relation to the frame can negatively affect the condition of the awnings and locking mechanisms. Therefore, if you want to extend their service life, you need to make sure that the gap around the entire perimeter of the door is the same. As a rule, manufacturers provide hinges on doors that have an adjustment function.

Each of the three hinges that hold the door in place has three screws arranged in a triangle. They have holes for a hex key. On the middle canopy you need to loosen all the screws, and on the top and bottom two, which are located one below the other.

You will see where the gap is larger. With an upper gap, you need to loosen the third screw of the upper hinge, and with a lower gap, accordingly, at the bottom.

In this case, you need to adjust the gap, which is located on the side of the hinges. When it is adjusted correctly, the rest will fit as they should.

When the gap is set to the desired value, the loose screw is tightened, after which the remaining screws on the top and bottom hinge are tightened. The middle loop is secured last.

That's probably all. Now your doors will serve you faithfully for quite a long time.

How to install a metal entrance door? Video

The front door is an important detail of any apartment, as well as a house. It protects the room from prying eyes. The main aspect that it must meet is reliability. We will consider the rules for installing entrance doors in this article.

Peculiarities

Doors come in a variety of varieties, interior and exterior, wooden and metal, standard and unusual. Therefore, the installation of doors must be carried out according to the type of product.

A properly installed entrance model ensures, in addition to the safety of the owners’ property, heat preservation and has a good level of sound insulation.

As a rule, the installation of entrance structures is carried out by specialists, but it is possible to install them yourself, observing the technique, diagrams and all the nuances.

Initially, it is necessary to carry out the procedure for dismantling the old structure:

  • If there is an old door leaf installed in the room, it must be dismantled.
  • After this, the slopes are dismantled, the old wallpaper is removed and the plaster is beaten off.
  • Now you need to determine the place where and how the box was attached. For metal doors, these are most often anchors.
  • Use a tool to remove the attachment points.
  • When all connections are cut, the old door frame is removed.

When removing it, you need to act carefully so as not to destroy it.

Entrance products are classified into types according to the type of material and method of opening.

The main types include the following:

  • plastic;
  • metal;
  • aluminum;
  • wooden.

Aluminum doors are installed in most cases for warehouses and garages. They are not particularly common in apartments and private houses.

Wooden doors are also less popular among apartment owners. Despite the fact that they look incredibly expensive and solid, such structures do not comply with fire safety rules for entrance products.

The cost of high-quality solid wood structures is an order of magnitude higher than the cost of steel doors.

Entrance doors made of metal-plastic are less popular among consumers. PVC products are more often used as interior doors.

How to measure correctly?

Measuring a doorway is not a difficult procedure, the main thing is to ensure that the measurements are correct.

All data must be recorded, here are the main ones:

  • Height – the distance from the flooring to the highest point of the surface;
  • Width – the gap between the side passage points;
  • Depth is the thickness of the wall where the product will be mounted;
  • Slope is the presence of distortions.

All dimensions must be measured separately. If you follow all the rules, there will be no difficulties.

Basically, doorways in residential premises have standard parameters, and manufacturers produce products according to these parameters. Therefore, the price for such models is lower than for individual ones. Today, the dimensions of standard single-leaf door structures are as follows: 86 × 205 cm or 96 × 205 cm. They are suitable for openings with parameters of at least 88 × 210 cm or 98 × 210 cm. For double-leaf entrance structures 160 × 205 cm.

Let's take a closer look at the measurement parameters:

  1. First measure the width. The width of the standard leaf is 80 or 90 cm. With a door frame, these figures will be 86 cm and 96 cm, respectively, and the width of the opening will be at least 88 and 98 cm. For accurate indicators of the width of the passage, it is necessary to take measurements with a tape measure at the top, bottom and center.
  2. Measuring the height is also easy. The height is measured at three points - at the edges and in the middle. According to standards, the door is 200 cm high, with a frame - 205 cm. Thus, the opening height is at least 207 cm. When installing the door, the remaining gaps are masked with foam and plastered.
  3. Measuring the depth is extremely important. The width of the wall is greater than the door, so it is extremely important to choose a box that is suitable in width. Typical designs are suitable for walls with a thickness of 300-400 mm. If the box does not cover the entire passage, then it is expanded with the help of extensions. To determine the depth of the passage, the above measurements are taken.

There are cases when the door passage has unevenness horizontally or vertically. These can be unevenness, or maybe a slope of one of the parts. If unevenness is quite easy to correct by filling it with putty, then with a slope it becomes more and more difficult. To determine it, you will need a special level; calculations are made with its help.

There is another way to determine the slope - this is by measuring the diagonals, they must be equal, in some cases minimal deviations are acceptable.

If after measurements the parameters are significantly larger than usual, then it is worth covering part of the opening with brick or other building material. If it is not much more, then it is enough to plaster the resulting gap. There are situations when the size of the opening is smaller than necessary, then it is worth removing part of the wall.

How to install?

Before installation begins, as described above, the old door is dismantled. Then you need to take the necessary measurements and remove unnecessary elements from the opening.

In a private house

Wooden house

When installing in a wooden house, it is important to pay attention to some points:

  • Strength. Wooden structures visually look very durable. But when a metal structure is installed in the doorway, the area next to the door frame weakens and there is a risk of a gap through which dust and wind will penetrate;
  • Shrinkage. After a house is built from wood, its foundation is subjected to severe pressure. For several years, the structure shrinks and therefore window and door openings change in size;
  • Correct installation. If the installation of metal doors in apartments and brick houses eliminates the destruction of openings, then the passages in wooden houses weaken and can even crack. Therefore, the process of installing the front door requires care and painstaking work;
  • Exploitation. It must be remembered that during use the tree can change under the influence of temperature changes and high humidity.

Doors to wooden structures should be chosen that are more massive than doors to panel and brick houses.

For installation in a log house, one of two installation techniques is used:

  • The first technique is installation using bars. The timber is inserted into the grooves at the ends of the passage. They put a lock on it.
  • The second technique is to install a door in a log house using a casing. Doors made of wood and metal are installed in the casing. It is recommended to install a passage in a house made of timber no earlier than a year after completion of construction. During this period of time, the main part of the wood will dry and shrinkage will be completed.

Foam block house

Now let's look at the installation of entrance doors in houses made of foam blocks. This material belongs to lightweight concrete; it is quite soft. When installing a structure in a foam block, it is important to remember that it stands on the foundation and not on the block.

Doors to houses made of aerated concrete are installed in one of three ways:

  • on anchors;
  • on a metal frame;
  • on a wooden frame.

Entry products can be installed both indoors and outdoors. The external door is matched to the external facade of the room. They must have special reliability and thermal protection. Internal entrance doors are installed inside the house. The quality of an internal door depends on the material and fittings.

The positive side of frame houses compared to timber houses and other wooden structures is that they do not require shrinkage. Therefore, after laying the walls and completing repair work, you can install the entrance door to the frame house.

If the installation of the entrance structure is planned before the completion of the facade work, then it is necessary to make a reserve of a couple of millimeters for the thickness of the finish.

In "Khrushchev"

Choosing entrance structures for a Khrushchev building is not an easy task. There are two ways to install door products in such apartments:

  • Expansion of the opening. In this case, it is necessary to make competent measurements so that the new entrance doors do not disturb the neighbors, since in “Khrushchev” buildings the entrances to the living space are located close to each other;
  • Making doors to order. This method is preferable since the passage does not have to be enlarged.

Metal entrance doors installed in apartments differ from doors in a cottage or country house. The differences lie in operating conditions. After all, the doors in apartments are installed on landings indoors and are not in contact with the street, while the doors in cottages are street doors and are exposed to external factors.

Outdoor doors with a thermal break are suitable for cottages and other private houses. They have increased resistance to moisture, temperature changes and bad weather.

Plastic entrance doors deserve close attention. They began to be used in private households relatively recently. Previously, such doors were installed in shops and office buildings. They can also be installed at the entrance to a garage or utility room.

Metal-plastic products have quite a large number of positive qualities. They are environmentally friendly, not exposed to chemicals, easy to maintain, have relatively low flammability and an affordable price.

To produce such input products, metal-plastic profiles are used, consisting of several air chambers and stiffeners. Profiles are found entirely in plastic or using metal reinforcement. Metal mortgages connect parts of the door frame to each other. Frames come in any geometric shape.

PVC doors, like others, consist of a frame, a leaf, a threshold and fittings.

There are two types of plastic entrance door covering:

  • Deaf- made using steel sheets and sandwich panels.
  • Transparent. This filling is most often mixed. The upper part is filled with double-glazed glass, and the lower part is blank. Glass comes in a variety of varieties, both transparent and frosted, colored or even stained glass. Doors can also be of different colors.

How to insert a door frame

Initially, you need to pay attention to the methods of fastening the door. This will depend on the location of the fastening holes on the structure.

Often the holes are located directly on the box - on one of the strips, but this design option is not very reliable. Anchors installed in holes that are very close to the wall surface if the front door is mounted flush with the front side. As a result, cracks may form on the wall.

It is unacceptable to install a sheet with this type of fastening if there are gaps of more than 300 mm.

There is a better way - these are mounting plates welded on each rack. Placed in the same direction as the wall. There are cases where the box is sold without holes. Then you need to drill them yourself and weld the mounting plates.

Installation of an entrance product, regardless of whether it is done by specialists or by the owner of an apartment or house, begins with the installation of a box in the passage. It is placed on wedges without slopes. They help fix the frame and level the iron door. A laser level will help you do this effortlessly. After leveling, wedges are removed or added.

Let's determine how to properly install the front door step by step:

  • Channels must be drilled through the holes in the racks. Their length must correspond to the parameters of the anchor.
  • Anchors are screwed in or clogged.
  • The canvas must be hung on pre-lubricated hinges. If a metal door is installed, then initially you need to place handles, locks and other components on it.
  • Now they check how the door closes. As a rule, it should slide smoothly on its hinges, the lock should close without the use of force, and the key in the lock should turn without difficulty.
  • The gaps between the wall and the door are filled with foam or a special solution.

After the foam has dried, they move on to removing excess. Next the slopes are plastered. Next, the platbands are attached to the front side.

The following video will tell you more about how to install the front door yourself.

At what stage of repair?

If you install the door before repair, it will get dirty or scratched. If you install it after the repair is completed, then the finishing of the slopes will deteriorate. Therefore, it is recommended to install door structures after finishing rough work, after laying communications and pouring screed.

A special polyethylene film will protect the metal door from construction dust and damage.

In all cases, a new entrance door can be installed at different stages, but in a new building it is better to replace it immediately. The developer installs economical door structures with unreliable locks. Therefore, owners of new housing risk their property.

Fastenings

To perform the installation work efficiently, you will need a tape measure, a building level, a plumb bob, a hammer drill, a screwdriver and a hammer. Before you start installing an iron door, you need to carefully study what is included in the product package. Initially, inspect the fabric, insulation and decorative cladding.

Additionally, the kit should include anchor bolts, nuts, sealant and mounting plates.

The door frame is secured with anchors. Usually, mounting lugs for them are provided by the design; if not, then you need to drill several holes for fastenings at the same distance. Using a hammer drill, holes are drilled through the holes for fastenings to the depth of the anchors. Next, the anchors are deepened into the holes using a hammer. It is important to start from the side where the loops are attached.

Before final tightening, you need to check the opening and closing of the steel door. A properly installed plastic door should also open and close easily, not rub against the frame, and the connection should be absolutely uniform. It must be stable in the open position.

To check the quality of the box rebate to the canvas, you can use the following method. You need to place a sheet of paper between the door and the frame and pull it. The sheet must be pulled out with a certain force. If it is easily removed, then it is necessary to adjust the structure. Thus, the sheet must be applied to all areas of the clamp.

Important aspects

When choosing a door leaf, you need to pay attention to the following points:

  • The production of metal doors is regulated by one of the provisions of GOST. These standards apply to the production of steel products, which are recommended to be installed in residential or non-residential premises. Also, according to the provisions of GOST, the installation of metal doors should be carried out only by special teams.
  • An important factor when choosing an entrance door is safety from the entry of unauthorized persons. It happens that high-quality canvas with a reliable lock is opened and penetrated into the home. To avoid this, it is recommended to strengthen it from the outside around the perimeter with a steel angle. It is mounted on the outside of the door close to the frame, but so as not to complicate the movement of the door itself.
  • Another important aspect is fire safety. According to the SNiP instructions, it is prohibited to install doors, as well as change the direction of opening doors from apartments to a common area in the entrance, when this complicates the possible evacuation of residents. Therefore, it is best to install doors with the opening direction inward.

Finishing

Covering doors with MDF panels is an excellent solution for upgrading. The advantage of this finishing material is that it is possible to quickly cover an outdated product. These panels are overlays installed on the canvas.

In this way, the interior is transformed and the door receives protective properties.

There are several types of MDF panels:

  • Veneered. Their advantage is that they are environmentally friendly, imitate wood, and are resistant to cracks. This type of cladding is ideal for apartment buildings;
  • Laminated. The difference between such panels is their inexpensive cost, good sound insulation and long service life;
  • Anti-vandal. This material is obtained by covering a wood fiber sheet with plastic. The positive aspects of such cladding are good strength, absence of damage and resistance to temperature changes. This type of finish is ideal for the outside of the door. The only drawback is the very high price.

Successful examples

The outer door in this case is made of metal for strength, and the inner door is made of absolutely any material.

If the hallway is narrow or poorly lit, then it makes sense to purchase a white door. It is desirable that the walls are also a light shade. In a small corridor, it is also a convenient and fashionable technique to use the same color scheme for the entrance model and the rest of the space - walls, flooring and furniture.

When there is a question about buying an entrance door for a cottage, then it is recommended to choose a wooden door with a glass insert. It will decorate the dark interior of the hallway, letting the sun's rays pass through it.

An original way to design an apartment or house is to choose an entrance structure that is contrasting in color.

Competent and high-quality arrangement of the entrance to the apartment means an increased level of security and minimal heat loss through the opening. It is believed that only a professional can install a metal door correctly. This is not entirely true; you just need to know some nuances. And the article is proof of this.

Preparatory activities

Removing the old door

Many question the feasibility of this. But practice shows that taking measurements of the opening parameters without removing the old structure means obtaining results with large errors. This will result in the fact that installing a metal entrance door with your own hands will be very complicated. The box will either not fit in, and you will have to “cut off” part of the wall, or the structure will begin to “walk.” In this case, it will be necessary to provide additional fastening of the block and seal the gaps between it and the end of the base.

Taking measurements

This stage has several features.

  • After dismantling the old block, it is necessary to carry out a small cleaning of the end parts of the opening. This will allow you to take all its dimensions as accurately as possible.
  • It is not a fact that the opening in the wall has the correct geometric shape. Therefore, it is not worth measuring its length and width along only one line (from the edge, in the center). In order for the result to be without large errors, it is advisable to determine the parameter values ​​using three “points”.
  • In addition to length and width, the thickness of the wall is also important. Regulatory documents prohibit the installation of metal entrance doors if it is less than 15 cm. And if this is the case, then you will have to decide whether to opt for a different design or thicken the base. For example, using cement mortar.

  • Another nuance concerns brick and wooden buildings. The openings of such buildings have a support beam. It is also measured, and the length of this structural element is used as a guide when choosing a model. If the frame is shorter by more than 40 mm, then the installation of an iron door is accompanied by additional reinforcement of the opening. Otherwise, reliable fixation of the block will not be ensured.

There is no point in buying a door by eye. This should be done only after measuring the parameters of the opening. Knowing its characteristics, you can choose a model according to size so (and there is a choice) that the installation of entrance doors will be significantly simplified.

Preparing the opening

What has been done before is just the beginning. Knowing the exact dimensions of the purchased door, it is easy to determine the scope of further work.

Main stages:

  • Cleaning the opening. Before installing the front door, it is necessary to remove the remaining fragments of plaster, old insulation, wooden elements that were previously used as spacers, and so on.
  • Inspection of the installation site. It is necessary to assess the condition of the walls and floor. If areas with staining concrete, bricks, or rotten wood are visible, it is necessary to eliminate the identified defects. Without preliminary preparation of the opening, installing the front door yourself loses its meaning - after a short time you will have to do repairs, since the structure in such a wall, given its massiveness, will not hold securely.
  • The method of strengthening the opening is determined based on the inspection results: the voids are filled with mortar and broken bricks; significant protrusions are cut off, and so on. Another option is to install a metal frame.

  • When installing an iron door in a wooden building, a frame must be placed in the opening. Its purpose is the same as for window blocks - to ensure the integrity of the structure and its performance, regardless of the degree of further shrinkage of the lumber.
  • The fully prepared opening should be slightly wider than the purchased door block. The recommended technological gap is about 25 mm (but not less than 20). It is necessary not only for precise alignment of the structure, but also to ensure its high-quality insulation around the perimeter.

Door installation procedure

  • Correct installation of the front door requires that the leaf should swing outward. This is stipulated, among other things, in the Fire Safety Rules.
  • Level control is mandatory at all technological stages. The slightest misalignment will bring all the work to naught.

When installing yourself, two methods are practiced.

Installation of the block

This is possible if the opening is prepared with high quality, has the correct geometry, and its linear parameters (taking into account the recommended gap) are identical to the dimensions of the door.

What should be done:

  • Insert the product into the opening.
  • Fix the frame.

Option 1 – on anchor bolts. There should be at least 3 of them on each side. At the top and at floor level, two fasteners are sufficient. If “sockets” for them are not initially provided in the door design, it is necessary to first drill at the designated points.

Option 2 – on pins. Holes are pre-drilled at the ends of the wall. After installing the steel door, pieces of reinforcing bar are driven into them. They are also preparing; one end is sharpened, and the other, on the contrary, is slightly flattened to make it more convenient to work with a sledgehammer. Once installed, they are welded to the frame.

This must be done from the inside, otherwise the canvas will not fit tightly due to sagging. To adjust, you will have to use a grinder. After processing the frame with an abrasive disc, its appearance will be appropriate, and no decor can correct the situation if we are talking about a purchased metal door rather than a homemade one.

Separate installation

This method is implemented if the gap between the block and the ends of the wall is greater than recommended, or its condition or material characteristics make it impractical to install fixing pins.

What should be done:

  • Prepare sharpened wooden wedges. Their sizes are chosen so that, after driving into the gap, they ensure a reliable “fit” of the frame.
  • Installation of a metal door using this method involves its partial disassembly; the canvas is removed.
  • The frame is installed in the opening, leveled and “wedged”. Wooden fastening elements on different sides are located opposite each other. This avoids significant distortion of the structure.

  • Holes are made in the wall through the eyelets.
  • Installation of anchor bolts is carried out on one side, with uniform tightening and constant level monitoring. After this, the rest of the fasteners are installed around the perimeter.
  • The door leaf is put in place and its position, tightness to the jamb, opening angle, and ease of movement are checked. Existing defects can be eliminated using anchors (by screwing/unscrewing them) or by adjusting the canopies.

The final stage

  • Gap processing. If it is small, then you can seal it with foam. This is the easiest way. For large cracks in depth, it is advisable to lay insulation and apply cement mortar on top. After hardening, it will further strengthen the structure.
  • Installation of platbands. The decorative strips are attached according to the method specified in the product instructions.

  • Installation of fittings. Handles, door peephole, lock - this work is also not difficult. Everything you need is included and is initially adjusted.

Sometimes you have to put the slopes in order. But this is an extreme case, and, as a rule, if the preliminary measures are carried out correctly, they are completely hidden by the door trim.

When purchasing a product, not everyone pays attention to the warranty terms. The nuance is that some manufacturers completely cancel it if the installation of metal doors was carried out independently and not by a licensed specialist. Consequently, repairs (if necessary) during this period are possible only at your own expense.

When inspecting models in a furniture showroom, you need to pay attention to the following points:

  • number of locks. If there is only one, then the reliability of the steel entrance door is very doubtful;
  • type of insulation. Optimally - polystyrene foam or mineral wool. Bookmarks made of cardboard, chipboards and the like will not only not provide high-quality thermal insulation, but will also not muffle street noise. It's very easy to check; tap on the canvas. A booming sound clearly indicates its poor insulation;
  • metal thickness. 1.5 mm is the acceptable minimum. First of all, this applies to entrance doors;
  • loop type. Awnings must have support hinges. In the absence of such, the distortion of the canvas, given its massiveness, is guaranteed very soon;
  • metal door kit. High-quality products are always supplied with platbands. The reliability of the installed structure and the safety of the house largely depend on them, since these planks perform not only a decorative function. Without platbands, direct access to the hinges is easier - it’s easy to cut them off and pull out the fabric; or the entire frame of the front door, doing the same with the elements of its fastening in the wall;
  • manufacturer. In the middle price range, domestic, Polish and Belarusian models are considered one of the best. Products “made in China” play more of a decorative role; in terms of durability and reliability, they do not meet the requirements for doors installed at the entrance to a building. In addition, the metal is thin and easily susceptible to impacts; as a result, dents.

Knowing the rules for installing entrance doors and following all recommendations will not only allow you to perform technological operations quickly and efficiently, but also save significant money. Installation of a metal structure costs about ¼ of its cost, and this money is not so small.

Doors can be different, interior or entrance, wooden or metal, simple and equipped with various additional automatic systems. And in each case, doors of appropriate complexity must be installed.

Door manufacturers usually install doors themselves, providing a guarantee for the work performed, and, of course, they charge a certain fee for this.

Naturally, installing doors requires the involvement of a team of professionals, but at the same time, the work can be done independently. Knowing the rules for installing interior doors and the nuances of installing a metal door, the entire procedure can be completed by two people in 3-4 hours.

For those who choose the latter option, let's look at how to install a metal entrance door with your own hands.

Nuance. As a rule, the manufacturer does not provide a warranty for a door that is installed by third parties, nor does it adjust it.

Installation of metal entrance doors - instructions

1. Preparatory stage

Door Installation Tool

The set of tools required for the job is shown in the photo.

As we can see, there is no need for a particularly highly specialized professional tool.

Preparing doors for installation

Preparing the purchased door will also not take much time. It needs to be unpacked and checked for completeness. Check how the lock works and make sure that the hinges can be adjusted. Today, only home-made hinged welded hinges are unregulated.

Advice. If the door does not have a protective film, it is recommended to protect it with plastic film and apply masking tape to the door frame.

Preparing the site for installing doors

Preparation of the installation site involves removing furniture from the work site, removing or protecting the floor covering, removing baseboards, and protecting design elements from dust. In addition, you should immediately decide in which direction the door should open and take into account the required gap size. So that in the future the floor covering does not interfere with the operation of the door.

2. Dismantling the old entrance door

For a new building, this stage is not relevant, but when replacing iron entrance doors in an apartment or private house, it should be taken seriously.

Dismantling a metal door takes no more than an hour and is divided into two components:

  • dismantling the door leaf. If the door is installed on non-removable hinges, then it can be removed by opening it and lifting it up. The door will easily slide off its hinges. Given the weight of the metal door, a crowbar may be needed. If the hinges are collapsible, then they need to be disassembled using a screwdriver;
  • dismantling the door frame (metal or wood). It happens that the door frame for a metal door is made of wood, then you need to unscrew all the anchors and remove individual parts from the doorway. You may have to cut the wood into pieces and remove them using a crowbar. Most often, the front door is installed in a metal frame. Then you need to cut off the fastening rods and remove the box. And then eliminate all surface irregularities, remove unnecessary plaster and remove dust.

3. Preparing the doorway for the front door

This stage also differs from the installation of interior doors. And it has several features:

  • The metal entrance door cannot be cut. Typically, door leaves are sold in standard sizes in increments of 100 mm. Naturally, it cannot be trimmed without compromising its integrity and appearance. Therefore, to install a door you need to change the parameters of the opening. The standard width of the doorway of the entrance door (metal) is 86-96 cm (according to fire safety standards). It is convenient to bring furniture, household appliances, etc. into the house through such an opening. As a rule, most manufactured entrance doors have this width, so you can simply select the door.

To reduce the opening, you can install a metal frame made of a channel or square. The diagram for installing a metal entrance door in a wide opening is shown in the figure.

The disadvantage of this method is the appearance of cold bridges. They can be eliminated by arranging and insulating the slopes.

To widen the opening you need to cut down part of the wall. To do this, use a grinder. In a house cast from concrete, it is much more difficult to perform such work. Therefore, it is better to calculate the required width before purchasing the door leaf.

Advice. Do not use impact methods to widen the opening, as this may lead to cracking of the building's supporting structure.

  • The entrance metal door is heavier. The optimal metal thickness for an entrance door is considered to be 2-3 mm. A thinner sheet can be cut using improvised means. This means that it cannot be installed in any opening. For example, the wall of a brick house or a house built from hollow blocks is not strong enough to support the weight of a metal door. In this case, a monolithic concrete portal is cast for the entrance door, which is connected to the wall with reinforcement. And the door frame is already installed in it.
  • The thickness of the door frame exceeds the thickness of the wall. According to GOST 31173-2003 “Steel door blocks”, the frame cannot be installed in a wall whose thickness is less than 150 mm. In this case, you need to think about thickening the wall.
  • The load on the floor increases. To do this, the strength of the floor covering in the doorway is checked. If wooden beams or bricks were previously used during installation, it is better to remove them, and clean the area and fill it with concrete. For a lighter door, you can lay new brick or antiseptic-treated timber made of durable wood.

At the same stage, communications are arranged. For example, lighting, doorbell, etc.

4. Installation of the door block in the opening

There are several ways to install a door block with your own hands.

Door block installation technology - diagrams are shown in the figure.

The choice of a specific option depends on the features and weight of the front door. For understanding, we will briefly describe each method.

Method 1 - installing the door block using mounting plates (eyelets)

Schemes 1-3 in the figure. The most popular installation method, because... many manufacturers and shrubs make door frames with protruding lugs. There are usually three of them on each side post. The box is installed so that the plates are adjacent to the outer part of the wall. And the technological gap between the door frame and the wall was 10-20 mm.

A hole is drilled in the wall. Its depth depends on the thickness of the wall and should be 2/3, but not less than 100 mm. Next, anchor or plumbing bolts are inserted through the hole in the eye and tightened with wrenches. Quite often, fittings are inserted into the eyes. A rod thickness of 12-15 mm is sufficient.

Advice. For hollow walls, anchor bolts are not used, and the length of the pin must be increased to 500 mm.

For reliable fastening, the pin is spread out (to form a cap) or welded to the eye.

Advice. To make it easier to insert the reinforcing pin, you can sharpen one end of it.

The installation diagram through the eyes is shown in the photo.

Advice. When installing the door, it is better to orient the eyes towards the inside of the room. This will protect you from cutting the door.

Method 2 - installing the door block through the door frame (frame)

Scheme 4 in the figure above or drawing in the figure below.

It is used if the door is installed in an opening with internal and external slopes. In this case, the wall thickness must be at least 150 mm to avoid internal damage.

To install the door block using this method, holes 100-150 mm deep are drilled through the mounting holes in the metal of the door frame. An anchor bolt is inserted into them and tightened with a wrench, or the fittings are wound in. If holes are not provided in the door, they are drilled with a drill. The size of the technological gap between the wall and the door frame is 5-10 mm.

Advice. When installing the door in this way, take care to protect the door covering. Powder coating can be painted over, but polymer coating cannot be restored.

The installation diagram of the door block through the frame (door frame) is shown in the photo.

Method 3 - installing a door block by concreting the door frame

The newest of the existing ones, but it has already found its supporters. Provides for concreting the door frame, as shown in the diagram.

The essence of the method is that a hollow door frame is used, into which a concrete solution is placed.

The installed box is leveled using a level, anchored (fixed) in the wall using anchors and left until the solution has completely hardened.

Installation of a metal entrance door - rules

Choosing one method or another does not mean that the metal entrance door will be installed correctly. When performing installation, you must adhere to the following sequence of work with the obligatory use of a building level or plumb line.

  • measure the width of the door in three places (top, bottom, middle);
  • install the door frame strictly level. This will avoid any distortions in the future. Initially fix the door against the wall using wedges. This will help you to easily and timely correct its position. In this case, it is recommended to place the wedges as close to the corners as possible so as not to damage the covering of the box;

Advice. Vertical alignment must be checked from the outside and inside of the box.

  • drill holes in the wall. The dimensions of the holes must correspond to the dimensions of the fasteners;
  • insert pins or bolts into the holes and securely fasten them;
  • ensure that the threshold is tightly connected to the floor. After all, it will bear the greatest load;
  • install door hinges, lubricate them, remove unnecessary (extra) grease.

5. Hanging the entrance metal door

The door must be installed with the required clearances. The size of the door gaps in the door frame is constant along the entire perimeter. This will ensure the normal functioning of all locking mechanisms and hinges.

After the door is installed, the ease of opening is checked and the hinges are adjusted. We'll tell you how to do it right.

How to adjust the hinges on the front door

To adjust the door hinges, you need to loosen all the fasteners on the middle hinge, and leave one on the bottom and top hinge tightened.

If the gap exceeds the norm at the top, then you need to loosen the fasteners on the bottom hinge. Once the door leaf is installed correctly, you need to fasten the loose screw on the top hinge, and then the remaining screws on the bottom hinge. After this, the screws are fastened to the top hinge and lastly to the middle one.

Advice. You can check the quality of installation of the front door as follows. Place a sheet of paper on the threshold or counter and close the door. Pull the sheet. It should pull out with some effort.

6. Filling technological gaps with foam

Before starting to fill the gaps between the door frame and the wall with foam, many professionals advise removing the door leaf to prevent foam from getting on it. However, craftsmen advise covering it with film and blowing out the openings with the door closed. This will allow you not to overdo it with foam, which can inflate even a metal box.

Advice. If there are significant gaps between the wall and the box, it is better to seal them with foam plastic, and only then foam them.

Within 24 hours the foam will harden completely and it will be possible to cut it off. If the wooden wedges protrude, it is recommended to cut them off and never hammer them in. This can lead to deformation of the door frame, which can only be eliminated by performing the work again.

Advice. The threshold should not be blown with foam. It will collapse under constant loads. It is better to seal the base and cracks with concrete.

Installation of metal entrance doors - video instructions

7. Decorative design of the entrance metal door and opening

Includes design (finishing) of slopes, fastening of platbands, installation of a door closer, etc.

8. Caring for the metal entrance door

A properly installed metal door does not require maintenance or lubrication. Therefore, all maintenance comes down to careful operation and care of the door leaf from the inside:

  • When powder painting, you can use aggressive detergents;
  • when finishing with vinyl leather and MDF panels, it is better to use a damp cloth without chemicals;
  • when decorating with laminate, you can use any type of care, the main thing is to wipe the door dry;
  • when using veneer in door decoration, it is better to use special wood polishes for cleaning;
  • To clean the handle and locks, use a soft cloth, and the moving part of the lock is periodically lubricated with technical petroleum jelly.

Conclusion

This instruction contains all the details for installing a metal entrance door. By adhering to the recommendations outlined, everyone will be able to perform the correct installation of an iron door with their own hands.


When replacing an old door, you can contact the manufacturer’s installers or do the steps yourself. In any case, it is necessary to know how to properly install a metal entrance door. This will allow you to either control the work of other people or do the installation yourself.

Dismantling and preparatory work

When dismantling an old door, especially in a private house, you may encounter a number of difficulties

Preparing the doorway is an important stage that falls on the owner’s shoulders, even if the front door is installed by specialists. First you need to remove the door leaf. If it is mounted on hinged hinges, then this is very easy to do. You need to open the sash, place a crowbar, crowbar or other strong lever under it. By pressing it, lift the canvas and remove it from the hinges. Usually, it is inconvenient to carry out dismantling and installation alone; it is better to have an assistant. If the hinges are one-piece, you just need to unscrew all the fasteners connecting the door to the opening.
The box must also be dismantled. First you need to get all the anchors, screws, nails, and then knock out the box itself. If it is installed firmly and it is not possible to remove it manually, you need to saw it on one of the sides and break out the component parts with a crowbar. The top and bottom parts will come off easier after removing the side parts.
The empty opening needs to be prepared by removing all unnecessary elements: polyurethane foam, thermal insulation, old mortar.

Metal door fastening options

The box must be secured only after it has been aligned relative to the vertical and horizontal

To figure out how to properly install a metal entrance door, you first need to consider the options for its fastening. It depends on how the mounting holes are located on the purchased door.
In particular, there are holes on the box itself: on the bottom, top and side bars. This method of execution is not always reliable. The anchors inserted into the holes may be too close to the wall surface if the metal door is installed flush with the face. As a result, cracks may appear on the wall and even the door may break out. You cannot install a metal door with this fastening option if there are gaps over 30 cm. If the opening is too wide, it is better to fill the extra distance with brick or cinder block.

If the entrance door is installed in an apartment, you may come across reinforcement located in the concrete wall. In this case, you will need to change the location relative to the opening if there is a gap or drill new holes in the box.

If the door is heavy or massive, you can weld plates for additional fixation

You may also encounter this design option: welded mounting plates on each rack. They are located in the same plane with the wall - usually three on each side. This method is considered more reliable.
There are situations when there are no holes in the box at all. You will need to drill them yourself; the mounting plates can also be welded. The owner can use both mounting options in combination or any one of his choice.

A good solution would be to order an entrance door. In this case, you can take into account the dimensions of your opening and order a box similar to them with gaps on each side of no more than 5 cm. This will save on mortar and foam, since their consumption will be several times less.

Installation of a metal entrance door: work order

Using a pry bar and level, you need to change the position of the box, achieving maximum accuracy. Otherwise, the skewed door may get stuck, the lock may not close, etc.


Installing an entrance door, regardless of whether it is done by professionals or you undertake to do this work yourself, begins with installation of the frame in the opening. It needs to be placed on wooden wedges, and this must be done accurately, without distortions. Wedges will allow you to fix the frame and make it possible to align the metal door in both planes. It's easy to achieve accuracy using a level. When leveling, having achieved the desired location, you need to add or remove wedges.
Let's look at how to properly install a metal entrance door step by step:

When the solution (foam) dries, you can begin finishing work. They include stripping off excess foam and cleaning off remaining mortar. After this, the slopes need to be plastered. Attach platbands to them on the front side.

Before filling any gaps, cover the box with masking tape to prevent any solution or foam from entering. It won't be easy to clean them off later.

Installation of metal entrance doors: video

If you still have questions about how to properly install a metal entrance door, a video on the topic will help you figure it out completely: