Exterior door replacement trim question
 

Hi everyone, I'm about to replace an exterior door with a pre-hung Therma
Tru door. One thing I'm not quite sure about is the trim on the outside of
the new door. The old (current) door has thin ~ 2 inch outside trim that the
painted clap board siding buts up against. The new door has much wider
outside trim.

What's the best way to deal with the clap-board siding? I was thinking I
might be able to nail back the siding, then use a circular saw to cut away
the couple of inches of siding needed to fit the new door & trim. Trouble
is, I won't know the exact placment of the door until it's in place, leveled
& shimmed.

Now that I think about it, I might be able to remove the trim from the new
door for the install, the replace after I cut back the siding? I hope the
trim comes off. Sometimes this stuff is glued and staped so much that both
sides get wreaked trying to remove just the outside trim.

Any advice would be appreciated. I've never replaced a hung door before.

-John

Most therma tru doors have 2 1/4" brick mold same as most other doors. Yours
must be special ordered with the larger trim? Any way a few solutions:
You can just remove the trim, install the door, and cut down the new trim or
reuse the old trim.
You could also remove the trim, install door, and then cut back siding and
reinstall new wider trim.
You can leave the new door intact and cut back siding first. Just lay out
level lines, the size of the complete door unit, from the RO center and cut.
New door will fit into this new opening and be level. This is the best way
IMHO.
The problem I always have with therma tru is they are 1/2" taller then most
other doors.


"John" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone, I'm about to replace an exterior door with a pre-hung Therma
Tru door. One thing I'm not quite sure about is the trim on the outside of
the new door. The old (current) door has thin ~ 2 inch outside trim that
the
painted clap board siding buts up against. The new door has much wider
outside trim.

What's the best way to deal with the clap-board siding? I was thinking I
might be able to nail back the siding, then use a circular saw to cut away
the couple of inches of siding needed to fit the new door & trim. Trouble
is, I won't know the exact placment of the door until it's in place,
leveled
& shimmed.

Now that I think about it, I might be able to remove the trim from the new
door for the install, the replace after I cut back the siding? I hope the
trim comes off. Sometimes this stuff is glued and staped so much that both
sides get wreaked trying to remove just the outside trim.

Any advice would be appreciated. I've never replaced a hung door before.

-John

"calhoun" wrote in message
...



You can leave the new door intact and cut back siding first. Just lay out
level lines, the size of the complete door unit, from the RO center and
cut.
New door will fit into this new opening and be level. This is the best way
IMHO.

Won't this limit any adjustments if needed? The door will sit tight within
the cutback siding.

The problem I always have with therma tru is they are 1/2" taller then
most
other doors.


Yes, I've noticed that. I just removed the inside trim on the old door and
the drywall is tight to the top of the door casing so I've got no idea how
much room I have in there. I'll cut back the drywall an inch tomorrow and
find out. Would it be unusual for the door opening be framed so that it
would not fit the 1/2 inch difference??

-John





"John" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone, I'm about to replace an exterior door with a pre-hung
Therma
Tru door. One thing I'm not quite sure about is the trim on the outside
of
the new door. The old (current) door has thin ~ 2 inch outside trim that
the
painted clap board siding buts up against. The new door has much wider
outside trim.

What's the best way to deal with the clap-board siding? I was thinking I
might be able to nail back the siding, then use a circular saw to cut
away
the couple of inches of siding needed to fit the new door & trim.
Trouble
is, I won't know the exact placment of the door until it's in place,
leveled
& shimmed.

Now that I think about it, I might be able to remove the trim from the
new
door for the install, the replace after I cut back the siding? I hope
the
trim comes off. Sometimes this stuff is glued and staped so much that
both
sides get wreaked trying to remove just the outside trim.

Any advice would be appreciated. I've never replaced a hung door before.

-John

Won't this limit any adjustments if needed? The door will sit tight within
the cutback siding.

That is what you want a tight fit between the finished siding and the trim.
You are going to set your door plumb and level. So if you cut the siding
opening plumb and level (and the correct size) the only way the door will
fit in it is plumb and level. The only "adjustments" need will be to shim
the door jamb/sill so it fits into the newly cut siding opening.

Would it be unusual for the door opening be framed so that it
would not fit the 1/2 inch difference??

Unfortunately no, I have run into this situation many times with Therma tru
doors. I have had to cheat and cut a 1/2" off the header. (Shame on me).

"John" wrote in message
...

"calhoun" wrote in message
...



You can leave the new door intact and cut back siding first. Just lay out
level lines, the size of the complete door unit, from the RO center and
cut.
New door will fit into this new opening and be level. This is the best
way
IMHO.




The problem I always have with therma tru is they are 1/2" taller then
most
other doors.


Yes, I've noticed that. I just removed the inside trim on the old door
and
the drywall is tight to the top of the door casing so I've got no idea how
much room I have in there. I'll cut back the drywall an inch tomorrow and
find out.

-John





"John" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone, I'm about to replace an exterior door with a pre-hung
Therma
Tru door. One thing I'm not quite sure about is the trim on the outside
of
the new door. The old (current) door has thin ~ 2 inch outside trim
that
the
painted clap board siding buts up against. The new door has much wider
outside trim.

What's the best way to deal with the clap-board siding? I was thinking
I
might be able to nail back the siding, then use a circular saw to cut
away
the couple of inches of siding needed to fit the new door & trim.
Trouble
is, I won't know the exact placment of the door until it's in place,
leveled
& shimmed.

Now that I think about it, I might be able to remove the trim from the
new
door for the install, the replace after I cut back the siding? I hope
the
trim comes off. Sometimes this stuff is glued and staped so much that
both
sides get wreaked trying to remove just the outside trim.

Any advice would be appreciated. I've never replaced a hung door
before.

-John

Any advice on the best tool to cut back clapboards? I was going to get one
of those little 18v battery circular saws. I'll snap a line, then nail
behind my line, then have at it.

I'm not even a weekend warrier at this stuff so any advice would be
appreciated.

-John




"calhoun" wrote in message
...
Won't this limit any adjustments if needed? The door will sit tight
within
the cutback siding.

That is what you want a tight fit between the finished siding and the
trim.
You are going to set your door plumb and level. So if you cut the siding
opening plumb and level (and the correct size) the only way the door will
fit in it is plumb and level. The only "adjustments" need will be to shim
the door jamb/sill so it fits into the newly cut siding opening.

Would it be unusual for the door opening be framed so that it
would not fit the 1/2 inch difference??

Unfortunately no, I have run into this situation many times with Therma
tru
doors. I have had to cheat and cut a 1/2" off the header. (Shame on me).

"John" wrote in message
...

"calhoun" wrote in message
...



You can leave the new door intact and cut back siding first. Just lay
out
level lines, the size of the complete door unit, from the RO center and
cut.
New door will fit into this new opening and be level. This is the best
way
IMHO.




The problem I always have with therma tru is they are 1/2" taller then
most
other doors.


Yes, I've noticed that. I just removed the inside trim on the old door
and
the drywall is tight to the top of the door casing so I've got no idea
how
much room I have in there. I'll cut back the drywall an inch tomorrow
and
find out.

-John





"John" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone, I'm about to replace an exterior door with a pre-hung
Therma
Tru door. One thing I'm not quite sure about is the trim on the
outside
of
the new door. The old (current) door has thin ~ 2 inch outside trim
that
the
painted clap board siding buts up against. The new door has much
wider
outside trim.

What's the best way to deal with the clap-board siding? I was
thinking
I
might be able to nail back the siding, then use a circular saw to cut
away
the couple of inches of siding needed to fit the new door & trim.
Trouble
is, I won't know the exact placment of the door until it's in place,
leveled
& shimmed.

Now that I think about it, I might be able to remove the trim from
the
new
door for the install, the replace after I cut back the siding? I hope
the
trim comes off. Sometimes this stuff is glued and staped so much that
both
sides get wreaked trying to remove just the outside trim.

Any advice would be appreciated. I've never replaced a hung door
before.

-John