How to Go About Boarding Up https://www.repairmywindowsanddoors.co.uk/cheltenham-emergency-boarding-up-near-me/ Protecting investment properties that are vacant from the elements is attainable by putting up a door with a board. It may not prevent every damage, but it can help to prevent certain problems that come with severe storms. Boarding up windows and doors can deter trespassers, vandals, and squatters. However it can be costly and time-consuming to put plywood boards over the openings of a property. Take a measurement of the door You'll first need a tape measure. You might also want to keep a chair or ladder on hand in case you have to gain a better view at the top of the frame. If you must use these tools, make sure to wear gloves and goggles. Start by taking measurements of the door's width. You can do this by running a tape measure horizontally along the door. Be sure to remove all other parts of the door, like the sweep, when measuring. Then, determine the height by measuring from the floor to the sill or the lintel. It is essential to take measurements in several places, particularly when measuring doors older than they may not be an exact rectangular shape. If the measurements vary, use the largest figure. You'll have to determine the dimensions of the frame after you've determined the length and width. Ideally, it should be 2'' larger than the door and 1 2'' higher. This will give you enough space to shim the door and frame into place. When you're ready to measure the door frame's width and height measurements, it's recommended to remove any trim or casing around the door jambs so you can see the studs behind them. This will let you determine the exact distance between the studs of the frame and the edge. After taking off the trim, take a measurement of the width of your door frame using the tape measure. The frame should be measured at three different locations and use the smallest measurement. You should also measure the height of the frame from the top to the bottom on both sides, and use the shortest measurement as your door's height. If you're having difficulty with the measurements, you should seek out a professional who will come to your house and conduct the measurements. They'll be able to give you the exact kind of door and size you need and how to prepare the frame to accommodate a new door. Plywood can be cut into pieces A door frame is typically comprised of a set of thin boards or studs which create a hollow space around the door. The typical door is held in place by two hinges attached to these studs. If you wish to restore a door, you will have to remove it from its hinges and then leave it for a night. To keep insects out of your home and to secure the door's opening, a quick and easy method to board doors is to place plywood inside the opening. It is easy to do this without having to nail or screw the plywood onto the door's frame. Plywood is affordable, simple to work with, and looks great when it is finished. This makes it the perfect material for a temporary solution to problems that require the removal of an existing door and renovating or installing a brand new one. It is also a great option to secure the opening in the room being renovated, like an unfinished basement or a construction site. Begin by measuring the width of the door opening as well as its height. Mark the measurements with a utility blade and a straight edge of metal such as a drywall or a metal square. Then, snap a chalkline across each line to indicate where you want to cut. Finally utilize circular saws to cut the plywood into a size. It is crucial to protect both your ears and eyes when cutting plywood. Wear earplugs or goggles that are protective when you can. It is also essential to use a sharp blade with a lot of teeth, which will allow you to cut quickly and with minimal tear-out. To minimize the chance of cutting pieces of wood from the edges of your cut, use a small block of wood as template to guide the blade and hold it just a hair's width away from the mark while cutting. Attaching a pair of shorter braces on each side is a great method to secure the plywood in place, without screwing it into studs. Place one brace inside and the other on the outside of the door. Place a 1-1/2-inch deck screw in each hole, and then tighten using an open-end ratchet. Fasten the Plywood It's now time to connect the panel to the frame after you have the plywood sheet cut to the correct dimensions and the holes for the rails and stiles of the door frame are predrilled. This is a relatively simple project that does not require any extensive carpentry skills provided you follow the right procedures and use the proper tools. Begin by setting up a worktable near the doorway. There are two sawhorses as well as 2-by-4 framing lumber at each end of the table. Use the marks made during the measurement procedure to guide you in cutting the plywood. Use a utility blade and a straight edge of metal to score the lines. This will create a guideline for the saw blade and help to prevent splintering during cutting the plywood. Wear eye protection and use a circular table saw with a fine-toothed blade to cut along the scored line. Then sand the edges of the plywood panel using 120-grit sandpaper. This will smooth the panels and remove any burrs from the saw cuts. After sanding process, apply a coat of wood sealer on the plywood panels and allow to dry according to the instructions of the manufacturer. Install the hinges on the door frame. If you're using a T-hinge drill holes on the outside side of your door to accommodate the straps of the hinges. Next, position the hinge's outside face on its mark and attach it to the frame with a screw gun. Repeat the procedure on the inside of the door for the remaining hinges, being careful not to overtighten any of them, or the hinge could shift. If you have only a single hinged outside door, you can make it easier for the latch to close by putting wire through the loops on the outside hinges. Bend a small piece of tie wire in half, and place it through the two holes on the exterior of the door. You can then connect the wires to tighten them and fix the door. Install the Plywood Using the measurements you took and place the plywood into the door opening. Shim the header of the frame (top) and the sill. Use a level to ensure that there is no slop between the sill and the header. If it's not perfect, place another shim where it is needed and continue the process until the header and sill are level. After the plywood is in place, secure it with the stainless-steel hinge bolts and wingscrews. It's a good idea make use of a screw gun with an attachment for a hex-head to avoid stripping the head of the screws. While you're there, if your house was built with studs running through the doorway's height make holes for hanger bolts in the plywood and into the framing studs. This is a much easier task than drilling the hole with the aid of a drywall saw. After putting the plywood in place, measure the width and the height of the door opening. If necessary, cut your bottom of the plywood to be a little higher than the height of the door frame. Cut two pieces of framing lumber 1-by-6 to form braces for the upper and lower ends. Put on eye protection and cut along the lines that are marked on the plywood using circular saws fitted with a fine-toothed blade. Get rid of any splinters that may have formed in the cuts with an sanding block. After you have the braces in place attach each one to the plywood with pairs of 2-inch finishing nails. Counter sink all the nail heads after you've finished. The braces should be sealed with a good wood sealing product, like the wipe-on polyurethane from Minwax. If the door is still too big for your doorway, you can put in a piece of decorative molding to fill in the space between the jamb and the door or reduce the size of the opening. In most cases, however it is less expensive and easier to simply buy an entirely new door. This will also take away any issues that you might have faced with the original door if it was damaged and no longer fit the opening.