I was lucky enough to score an Andersen patio door at a builder’s auction recently. ARe these doors difficult to install? One thing complicating the issue is the rough opening for the old door is 2 inches oversized. Dont have any clue why the previous builder would put in a non standard size door. Does the vinyl siding have to be removed to put in the new door?
I’m hoping that my local Home Depot has Andersen door accessories, as this door doesnt have handle hardware nor a screen door.
Tom
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Replies
thomas, I had the same replacement situation where I removed the oversized Thermatru hinged patio door and replaced with an Andersen. Get the install instructions for your door, a must if the frame is knocked down. Remove old, check for and repair rot in old opening, make r.o. correct with more framing. Install a pan flashing at bottom of opening, taking pains to install proper flashing and sealants at bottom corners. I cut back the aluminum siding in place to allow a wider exterior casing than the brickmold on the old door. I used Koma pvc material to make the ext. casing. Don't forget the head flashing nor the peal and stick flashing over the fins. For the interior, I used a wider but similar casing and just made it to the wall paper line.
The oversized door I replaced was the first time I had run into Thermatru's old method and sizing. They took two of their stock doors and applied them to make a patio door, thus making a unit oversized to more common patio door sizing.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Calvin,
Thanks for the reply and pics. I guess I'll have to get the install instructions, as I'm not sure I follow everything you said. I'm a novice at building, but will get a hand from a friend. The door should have had peel & stick flashing? I assume you install the door as one piece, meaning the glass is all in when you install it? I'm not even sure what a pan flashing is. If I look for the Koma PVC mat'l at the HD, will I find it there? sorry for my ignorance.
The peel and stick flashing is separate from the door. Its used to weatherstrip the door and seal it.
IMO, don't bother with HD. Go to a real lumber yard, preferably one that deals in Anderson products.Someone there will be able to help you with a lot less aggrevation tahn the "salespeople" at HD.
The recommended way to install the unit is to set the jamb, and then install the doors after.
From one who knows about patio door sizes, there ain't no size standard, for height nor width. Period.
Andersen's "standard" height of 80" R.O. was arrived at by them to address the opening size of all the crummy old aluminum framed units their doors go into as replacements. Making the decision to buy a new door is greatly enabled, when you realize your opening is bigger than the door, rather than smaller.
Go to your lumberyard, grab every manufacturer's size chart you can find, and see if you can see anything that remotely looks like a size standard.
In the biz, the height that comes close to 80" R.O. is called "replacement height," whereas 6'-10" to 6'-11" R.O. is called "new construction height." The higher R.O. more closely matches window and exterior door head height.
You are lucky your unit is smaller than your R.O. Framing in and trimming out, both inside and outside, should not be a problem.
If the RO is two inches too large, you may want to discard the exterior trim that comes with the door and cut new, wider trim to fit, after the door is installed. Probably you can carefully cut back the siding on the top to raise it about an inch and keep the trim even all around.
If the existing RO is wrapped with buider's felt, housewrap, or a self-stick membrane you may be able to peel that back and shim out the RO without having to loosen the ends of the siding. On top, though, you need to be sure you get flashing behind the siding (preferably behind any housewrap or felt up there) and lapping over the top of the trim.