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Entry Door & Side Light — HELP!!!

YesMaam27577 | Posted in Construction Techniques on September 16, 2002 12:16pm

A friend, who is acting as the GC for his own house, asked me to install his front door, so that the brick masons could continue around and above it. I asked him if it was a prehung unit before saying yes (he assured me it was).

What he actually has is a three piece door — the center unit with the door, plus two side light panels, and a small pile of trim wood. All of them are quite beautiful, hand carved and all. But the boxes had already been opened, and  any manufacturer’s instructions have been lost.

The door frame is made from 7/8″ mahogany, as is the frame on each side light. The door itself is large (42″ X 80) and heavy. The rough opening seems to be sized correctly to accept all three units, assuming that no additional framing is added for support.

Questions:

It seems to me that 7/8 mahogany, shimmed and finish-nailed to another piece of 7/8 mahogany, might not be strong enough to hold the heavy door for the next hundred years. Is my fear founded?

If my fear is founded, then should I glue the two units (door jamb and one of the side lights) together, before installation? This would of course yield a jamb thickness of 1-3/4, hopefully alleviating the strength issue.

The only side-light door installations I’ve done have been on a single prehung unit, which included the door and both lights. They have been just like installing a wider door. This three piece unit is confusing me a bit. My best guess on installation steps is this:

1. Measure and mark carefully where each piece should end up within the rough opening.

2.  Install the hinge-side sidelight, being absolutely certain that the vertical member next to the door unit is plumb, and square to the opening. Do all of the shimming at the floor and rough frame side. Caulk/weatherstrip the vertical member, for attachment of the door unit.

3.  Install the door unit, even though there is nothing to attach the lock-side jamb to. If necessary, shim at the floor for level. Attach directly (no shims) to the sidelight which has already been shimmed plumb. Caulk/weatherstrip the lock-side jamb, for attachment of the other sidelight.

4. Install the other sidelight. Shim at the floor and on the frame side. to assure level, plumb, and even with the other units. Attach the door jamb directly to this unit, without shims.

5. Add the exterior trim. Caulk all around, and flash above. Tell the brickmasons to continue.

6. Leave the small pile of trim wood with the owner, who has not yet hired a finish carpenter.

7.  Cover the door somehow (builder’s paper maybe) to help protect it against the inevitable minor accident.

Thanks in advance for your help. The contributors to this forum have always been friendly, knowledgable, and quite helpful. I have learned a great deal here.

Dave Thompson

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  1. Piffin | Sep 16, 2002 01:47pm | #1

    I can't see it from here so this advice may not be worth any more than listeneing to a blind man tell you that his sister is beautiful.

    I'm thinking that I would glue the three units together first, possibly adding a few countersunk wood screws to stitch the jambs together at that mull joint. Leave the door out to keep it light enough to handle, and install it later.

    Make sure that the rough sill is level as you set it and it is good to use a flashing pan or bituthene under the unit. This is a very common point of entry for water to start rot and a very expensive place to repair. At least use plenty of good caulk. I use Geocel. Sashco or a silicone is good too.

    Mohagany is stronger than pine jambs but it might still seem weak for that heavy door. Gary katz just did an article about ways to deal with this very thing in the latest issue of FHB or JLC for extreme circumstances.

    Go slow, think each step ahead, measure twice, relax, and enjoy!

    We want pictures when you're done.

    Excellence is its own reward!

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