How do I Install a Security Door?

No neighborhood can guarantee complete protection from crime, but there are practical ways to guard a home, valuables and loved ones. One way to start is to install a security door on your home. Security doors install just like regular doors do, except they can be heavy enough to make any such installation a two-person job. Once you've decided what kind of security door best fits your needs and you've made the purchase, grab a partner, gather your equipment and get busy.

A few tools are required to install a security door. Every door is different, so it is important to read the manufacturer’s instructions. The basic list of tools needed to install a security door on your home include a level, a hammer, a tape measure, a caulking gun, and a Philips screw driver. Wood shims, finish nails, screws, insulation, and caulk also are needed.

Assuming the door is a pre-hung version, the first step to install a security door is to prep the rough opening. Once the old door is removed, check to make sure that the opening is plumb and the sub sill is level. If it isn’t level, shims can be used to even things up.

Before installing the new door, run caulk along the sub sill and up the sides of the door's rough frame. The next step is to actually install the door in the opening. This is done by placing the bottom on the sub sill and then tilting the rest of the door up through the opening. Use shims to level the door and keep it in place. The finish nails can be tapped lightly in the frame to hold the door in the right spot, but don’t tap them all the way down, because they will be removed during a later step.

Once the door is plumb, it is time to test it to see if it opens and closes with ease. Make sure the door is making contact with the weatherstripping attached to the frame. If satisfied, secure the jams with screws starting where the hinges sit. Continue inserting screws around the door frame, making sure they go through the shims. The final steps are to insulate around the door, install trim on the inside, carefully caulk all the joints and place a weatherstrip at the base of the door.