DIYbanter - View Single Post - Removing steel door frame from concrete block wall?

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aemeijers wrote:
On 9/11/2010 8:56 AM, wrote:
aemeijers wrote:
On 9/10/2010 10:01 PM, wrote:
A small add-on to garage is concrete block with one door. The old door
is hollow core and falling apart. The frame is steel with no apparent
screws or fasteners showing. The frame has coats of old paint and a
little rust and I can't imagine how one would remove the steel frame.
Rather than replacing just the door, it is looking like it would be
easier, if we can remove the whole thing and replace with a pre-hung
door. Door is 32x80, 1 5/8".

Got an air chisel? Those frames are installed as the wall is built,
and have ears on the back that are mudded into the block. Hope you
have a lintel above it, otherwise the door frame is part of the wall
structure.

If the frame is sound, I'd take the old door slab to a commercial door
and window house, and have them see if they can find a matching
insulated steel door with same thickness, hinge spacing, etc. Might be
hard in a thin door like that.

Otherwise, time to call a mason in, unless you want to be brave and
try it yourself. Should not be too expensive. A good one can piece it
in with chunks of 4" block, or chunks of split block, so it looks like
it was always there. Run off any that say that they will just mud it in.

I was afraid of that ... built-in ) There is a lintel, but what
difference does it make? My daughter's home, so decision is hers and her
husband. I'd make a door with cross braces before I'd go for masonry
work....checked HFH and another reseller for used door.

If garage is not heated, a Z-buck door would be an entirely appropriate
solution, if it fits with the style of the house. If you can find nice
dry 5/4 T&G car siding for the part that shows to outside, you could
even make it reasonably pretty. Build it oversize an inch or so, and cut
to fit before you make the mortises for the hinges and such. Make sure
to check opening and door slab for square before you cut. Glue and screw
the Z boards, and the thickeners for the hinge edge and lockset, Pick a
wood and finish that is suitable for the local weather conditions. It'll
hold up better than a hollow-core door. Big thing with a plank door like
that is to make sure the bottom can't wick moisture from the threshold-
that is where the rot starts.

Appreciate your advice, but what is "car siding"? Thickeners? I can
muddle through cutting wood and fitting the hinges...just bought a wood
chisel to get rid of old globby caulk where the block meets the garage
wall. The door faces the front of the property, but blocked from view
from the street by the house. The garage is in good shape (brick) and
we are also preparing to paint the block section dark red matched to the
red brick of the garage. Any nicely painted door should be okay in the
location. Garage is recovering from a tree branch through it's
roof...got another huge oak to take down.

)