How to Go About Boarding Up a Door Boarding up a door is one way to protect vacant investment properties from the elements. It may not prevent all damage but it can assist to prevent certain problems that come with severe storms. The idea of boarding up doors and windows can deter trespassers and vandals as well as squatters. However it can be costly and time-consuming to install plywood boards over the openings in a home. Take a measurement of the door The first thing you'll require is a tape measure. You may also want to keep a chair or ladder on hand in case you need to gain a better view at the top of the frame. Wear gloves and protective glasses when you use these tools. Start by measuring the door's width. This can be accomplished by running the tape horizontally across the door. Make sure to remove any additional door parts such as the door sweep and door sweep, from the measurement. Then, measure the height by measuring from the floor to the sill or lintel. It is crucial to take measurements in multiple places, particularly when measuring doors that are older as they might not be an exact rectangular shape. If the measurements differ take the largest number. You'll have to determine the dimensions of the frame once you've determined the length and width. Ideally, it should be 2'' greater than the door's width and 1 2'' higher. This will give enough space to shim both the frame and frame into place. It's a great idea take off the trim or casing around the jambs of the door to observe the studs. This will allow you determine the exact dimensions of the space between the studs and the edges of the frame. After removing the trim, measure the width of the door frame using the tape measure. Measure the frame at three different places and use the smallest measurement. Also, you should determine the height of the frame from the top to the bottom on both sides, and use the most compact measurement as the height of your door. If you're having issues with these measurements It's a good idea at this point to consult an expert and have them visit your home to do the measuring for you. They will tell you what dimensions and what kind of door you'll need and how to prepare your frame to accommodate a replacement door. Cut the Plywood A door frame is usually comprised of a set of thin boards or studs which create a hollow space surrounding the door. Two hinges are attached to the studs and hold the door in position. This means that if you need to refinish the door, it's necessary to remove the door from its hinges overnight. Placing plywood into the door opening is a great way to board doors and stop insects from entering the home. This is easy to do without the need to screw or nail the plywood to the frame of the door. Plywood is a breeze to work with, affordable and looks great once it's finished. It is the perfect material to make a temporary solution for a problem where you need to remove an existing door to finish it or build a new one. It can be used to secure the opening of a room being transformed, such as a basement or construction site. Begin by measuring the width of the door opening and its height. Note the measurements using a utility blade and a metal straight edge, such as the drywall or metal square. Then, draw an outline of chalk across each line to mark the area to cut. Finally utilize circular saws to cut the plywood to the desired size. It is important to protect your eyes and ears when cutting plywood. Wear earplugs or protective goggles whenever possible. Additionally, it is important to use a blade with a lot of teeth that cut quickly and with less tear-out. To minimize the chance of tearing out pieces of wood from the edges of your cut, use a small block of wood as template to guide the blade, and hold it at a distance of just a hair's width away from the line while cutting. Attaching a pair or short braces on each side is a good way to hold the plywood in place without screwing it into the studs. Place one of the braces on the inside of the door and the one on the outside. Install https://www.repairmywindowsanddoors.co.uk/salisbury-emergency-boarding-up-near-me/ in each hole and then tighten using an open-end ratchet. Fix the Plywood It's time to join the panel to the frame after you have the wood sheet cut to the proper dimensions and the holes for the rails and stiles of the door frame predrilled. This is a straightforward project that doesn't require advanced carpentry skills as long as you have the right tools and follow the proper steps. Begin by setting up a worktable near the doorway. There are two sawhorses and 2-by-4 framing lumber at each end of the table. Utilize the marks you made during the measurement procedure to guide you in cutting the plywood. Score the lines with a utility knife and a drywall square or any other metal straight edge. This will provide a guideline for the saw blade and prevent splintering when you cut the plywood. Wear eye protection and cut along the lines of scoring using a circular saw or table saw fitted with a fine-tooth blade. Then, sand the edges of the plywood panel with 120-grit sandpaper. This will smooth out the panels and remove any burrs that may have formed from the saw cuts. After sanding, apply a coat of wood sealer to the plywood panels and allow to dry as directed by the manufacturer. Install the hinges onto the door frame. If you are using T hinges, make holes through the exterior of the door to accommodate the strap parts of the hinges. Next, position the hinge's outside on its mark and screw it into the frame using a screw gun. Repeat the process for every hinge on the inside of your door. Be careful not to tighten them too much or the door could move. If you are using an outside hinged door with only one T, you can make it easier to lock and close using a chain latch by fishing a piece of wire through the loops on the outside hinges. Bend a short piece of tie wire in half, and place it through the two holes on the outside of the door. Then twist the wires to pull them tightly and fix the door. Install the Plywood Place the plywood in the door's opening by using the measurements you took. Adjust the header (top) of the frame and the sill (bottom). Use a level and make sure that there is no slop between the sill and header. If it's not perfect you can place a second shim wherever required and repeat the process until the sill and the header are plumb. After the plywood is set, secure it with the stainless-steel hinge bolts and wingnuts. Use a screwgun with an attachment for a hex head to avoid removing the screws' heads. If you live in a house with studs that run along the length of your doorway, you could drill hanger bolts into each framing member. This is much easier than using a drywall cutting tool to make the hole. After installing the plywood determine the width and height of the door opening. If necessary, trim your bottom plywood to fit the height of the door frame. Cut two pieces of framing lumber 1 by 6 to serve as braces for the upper and lower edges. Wear eye protection and cut along the lines marked on the plywood using a circular saw equipped with a fine-tooth blade. Splinters can be removed from the cuts by using a sanding tool. Once you've got the braces in place attach each one to the plywood with a pair of finishing nails that measure 2 inches. When you're finished, counter sink the heads of all nails. Seal the braces using a high-quality wood sealing product, like the wipe-on polyurethane from Minwax. If the door is too large You can either put in decorative molding to fill the gap between your door and jamb or you can resize your opening. However, in many situations, it's more affordable and more convenient to get an alternative door. It also solves any issues you might have encountered with your door's original model even if it was damaged or was not fit for the opening.