I have a Stanley insulated steel door that came pre-hung with a couple of side lites. What I would like to know, will the same size door (2′ 6″ x 80″ ) fit the door frame as long as it is the same brand and size. I’m trying to avoid either taking all the casing off the old door to remove it or trying to line up all the hinges, locks etc. Has anyone ever tried to replace the same brand door with another one? The original door is about 18 years old and was neglected and the bottom under the brass kick plate is all rotted out. Thanks.
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Listeners weigh in on Brian’s haunted showerhead and ask questions about covering overhangs with trim coil, sealing air leaks, and how to partially finish a basement.
Featured Video
Related Stories
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
I replaced the jamb only on a Thermatrue door with a Thermatrue jamb. Door/jamb had to be 8-10 yrs old, fiberglass door was fine, jamb was rotten. Even though it was the same company, I took very detailed measurements, forwarded them via my lumber company to Thermatrue and got a new jamb to fit.
It was damn near perfect. I had to remove the brickmold to get the jamb to fit around the siding and remitre the brickmold to reinstall it. I also had to adjust the strike plate locations slightly but in the end, it was perfect.
I'm fairly picky about the quality of the work I put out, and if it makes me happy, it definetly will make the HO happy.
Grunge on. http://grungefm.com
A Stanley door of that age would have been made in their old Detroit-area plant, long since closed down. They now manufacture in the mid-south somewhere. Their specs for size and hardware locations may or may not have changed.
Locate a dealer that sells Stanley doors somehow. Once found, take that dealer some carefully-done measurements from your existing door. Edit: I did some searching, and it looks as if Stanley doesn't make steel doors anymore, but do this anyhow with anybody that is a dealer for steel doors.
Its width and height, to the nearest 1/16", then its hinge and latch locations. Hook your tape on the top edge of the door and measure down to the top of the three hinges, and on the latch side, to the center of the latch and deadbolt.
The dealer should be able to inquire whether the doors they make today match those specs. If they don't, a good dealer should be able to get a door that will match for you.
I spent part of my career at ThermaTru, a competing doormaker, and saw orders all the time for custom-sized and custom-machined slabs.
Edited 5/2/2006 7:23 am ET by Gene_Davis
Masonite bought out the Stanley door line a few years ago. Try Masonite.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
The previous post is correct - Masonite "absorbed" the Stanley door line into their operation and there have been some changes in the product line. As the other folks have stated, find a lumber yard with a good track record for millwork orders - I don't recommend big box stores because their millwork folks are not always the most experienced and special orders can be pushing your luck.
One thing I do suggest - make a template of your door jambs using poster board or similar material and use a sharp marking knife to make the hinge mortise cutouts as well as the latch location. Rulers are not accurate (try holding two 25 ft. tapes side by side - they can vary up to a 1/2 inch or more) and it's surprising how poorly people read rulers (or can't read them). For precision, use a template. Using a good commercial yard, they can forward the template with your order to ensure the correct locations for hinges, etc.
Good luck!