How to Install and Paint a Patio Door

Are you not all that capable with anything other than a hammer and a screwdriver? Well, if you can widen your scope, just a little, and incorporate a level into the mix, then you're well on your way to installing and painting a pre-hung interior door.

Now that we????????ve peaked your interest, here????????s the fine print. To bring it to life, you'll also need 8d and 16d nails, wooden shims, and some wood filler. Once you have these 6 easy-to-find components, you may embark on an 8-step quest to beautifying your home.

1. The Rough Opening
- Make sure that the rough opening is 1/2" taller and wider than the unit itself.

- Is it going to be a right-handed door or a left-handed door?

3. Confirm that???????
- The threshold is level.
- The hinge side of the rough opening is plumb.
- The head is square to the hinge side of the rough opening.

4. Install Pre-hung unit
- Slide the pre-hung interior door into the rough opening, bottom first.

5. Nail hinge side of frame
- One 8d nail 6" from the bottom, another 6" from the top, and between the two, vertical center.

6. Repeat step 5 to the lock side of the frame

7. Nail the rest of the frame
- Secure the header with shims and nails. Position wooded shims between the opening and the header.
- Nail the frame into position through the shims using 16d nails.

8. Finalizing
- Confirm that the gap between door and frame is equal all throughout. If not, adjustments are needed.

Painting the Door

Now that we've got our door installed, we'll need to apply paint to the door in order to wrap this project up. Don't worry though, if you've made it this far, the painting part of this project will be a breeze.

It 's surprising really, how easy it is to paint a wood panel door; the process usually reduces down to a 30-minute project, requiring nothing more than a bucket of paint and a decent brush. With just a little preparation and patience you can achieve fantastic results.

Follow these easy steps and your newly painted door will be a source of pride and accomplishment.

What you'll need:
- Primer ???????? High quality, oil-based
- Paint ???????? High quality, semi-gloss
- 3-4" Black China brush (for oil-based paint) or a Synthetic Bristle brush (for latex paint)
- 220-grit sandpaper & sanding block
- Tack cloth

1. Prepare the project
- Avoid painting following a rain or in damp weather; the door should be finished right after the wrapping is removed.
- The more care taken in preparing the door 's surface before painting, the better the results. Remove all hardware, and fill any nail holes with wood filler.

2. Prepare the door
- The surface should be clear of any dirt; it should be clean and dry. If there are any handling marks, you can remove them by lightly sanding the surface.
- Finally, wipe down the surface of your wood panel door with tack cloth to ensure a dust-free finish.

3. Apply the primer
- Apply primer in sections.
- When painting stiles and rails, use long strokes to prevent paint from pooling where the horizontal rails and the vertical stiles meet.
- Paint the four edges last (top, bottom, left, and right).

4. Allow the paint to dry
- Allow the women's jackets paint to dry before applying a second coat. Consult the paint manufacturer 's directions for drying times.

5. Ensure the quality of the result
- The entire door (all 6 sides) requires 2 coats minimum to ensure a complete seal; restricting moisture absorption and maintaining your door 's warranty.

6. Reinstall the door

- You're finished! Now get that thing back in its opening, and put it to use.