Okay, folks, gather ’round. Let me tell you about my little project with the front door, swapping it out for one of those 3/4 light ones.
Getting Started
So, the old door. It was solid, yeah, but kind of plain and seriously blocked out any light. The entryway felt like a cave sometimes. I kept seeing these doors with the glass panel that goes down about three-quarters of the way, and thought, “That’s it. Need more light in here.” Decided it was time for a change.
First step was figuring out what I actually needed. Grabbed my trusty tape measure. Measured the old door – height, width, thickness. Then measured the opening where the door sits, the frame itself. You really gotta double-check these numbers, trust me. Wrote everything down so I wouldn’t forget.
Finding the Right Door & Prep
Went looking for the door. Found a few options, finally settled on a nice fiberglass one. They hold up pretty well and don’t need as much fuss as wood sometimes. It had that 3/4 glass panel I wanted, simple design. Ordered it. While waiting, I gathered my tools and supplies.
- New lockset and deadbolt (might as well upgrade)
- Wood shims (lots of ’em)
- Good exterior caulk
- Long screws for securing the frame
- My drill, screwdrivers, level, hammer, pry bar… the usual suspects.
Checked the existing door frame too. Looked pretty square and solid, which was a relief. Didn’t fancy rebuilding the whole thing.
Out with the Old, In with the New
Door arrived. Heavy sucker. Okay, time to get the old one out. Used the pry bar gently to remove the trim molding around the inside of the door first. Then, supported the door and popped out the hinge pins. Pulled the old door away. Felt good to see it gone.
Now the main event. Lifting the new door into the opening. Definitely easier with two people, but I managed solo, just took it slow. Set it in place, propped it up temporarily. This is where the shims come in. Started stuffing shims around the frame, mostly near the hinges and the lock side. Used my level constantly. Checking top to bottom (plumb) and side to side (level). This part takes patience. You shim it, check it, adjust, check again. Gotta make sure the gap between the door and the frame is even all the way around.
Getting it Secured
Once I was happy with the position, I started securing it. Drilled pilot holes through the frame and shims into the wall studs. Used those long screws to really anchor it in place, especially on the hinge side. Didn’t tighten everything down completely at first. Opened and closed the door a few times to make sure it swung smoothly, didn’t stick anywhere. Made some final tiny shim adjustments. Then tightened all the screws.
Finishing Touches
Next up: hardware. Drilled the holes for the new doorknob and deadbolt. Followed the instructions that came with the lockset. Tested the lock, made sure the bolt went smoothly into the strike plate on the frame. Had to adjust the strike plate slightly, chiseling out a tiny bit more wood for a perfect fit.
Then, the weatherproofing. Grabbed the exterior caulk gun. Ran a nice bead of sealant all around the outside edge where the door frame meets the house siding. This stops drafts and water getting in. Also put the interior trim molding back on.
The Result
Stepped back to look. Wow. What a difference. The amount of light flooding into the entryway now is just fantastic. It feels so much more open and welcoming. The 3/4 glass looks great from both inside and out. It wasn’t the easiest job I’ve ever done, took most of a Saturday, but totally worth it. Makes the whole front of the house look better, and walking inside is a much brighter experience now. Really happy I went through with it.