Installation of entrance doors with your own hands step by step. Self-installation of metal doors on brick, foam concrete and wood. Installation of platbands and fittings

The love of compatriots for metal entrance doors is justified by the reliability of the structures. Sometimes it is not so much the door itself that protects against unauthorized entry, but rather the reluctance of representatives of the criminal world to voice their actions by grinding and ringing. That is why our fellow citizens equip them, both private country buildings and city apartments, wisely buying not the cheapest options. When it comes to safety, there is no point in saving. But installing metal doors with your own hands will reduce costs, since the cost of installation is often equal to a quarter of the price of “iron protection”.

Nuances of installing steel doors

A metal door block, like its counterparts made of wood or plastic, consists of a door frame and a leaf hung on it. It is distinguished by the obligatory presence of a lower crossbar - a threshold, as well as often pre-embedded locks and attached hinges. Pre-installed fittings undoubtedly facilitate installation, but require frequent and careful alignment of horizontal and vertical lines, and repeated hanging of the door leaf to check the door movement. You cannot neglect control actions, because you will need to stock up not only with a building level, but also with a muscular assistant.

They equip buildings made of brick, wood, gas silicate blocks, foam concrete, etc. with metal doors. It is important to take into account the technological features of the building material, on the basis of which to decide how to install a metal entrance door and how to pre-prepare the opening.

Depending on the technical specifics of the load-bearing wall, the contractor will need:

• strip the plaster down to the brick or artificial stone so that there is a technological gap of 2.0 - 2.5 cm between the door block and the wall;
• build a door frame in a timber or log structure, and then attach a door frame to it with a gap along the ceiling of at least 10 cm.

Owners of brick and foam concrete property will need a hammer drill or electric drill and a chisel with a hammer; the owner of a wooden building will need a chainsaw and a hacksaw instead of a hammer drill, and a chisel instead of a chisel.

Important. Since the entrance is equipped with steel door blocks, the door leaf should open outward. According to fire regulations, the entrance door should not create obstacles for forced evacuation.

It is not advisable to remove the steel door leaf from the packaging material until the installation procedure is completed. However, it is impossible to check the quality of the product this way. Please note that by deciding to install an iron door with your own hands, the owner automatically waives the supplier’s warranty obligations. No claims for scratches or dents after installation will be entertained. It is better to remove the polyethylene, inspect the purchased product, and then attach the packaging back with mounting tape so as not to spoil the decor with a tool or foam.

Preparatory stage

Slightly different from the standard procedure for installing any door, it includes three traditional steps:

• preparation of the opening with adjustment of its dimensions in case of incorrect measurements;
• fastening the box in the opening using anchor plates, steel rods or self-tapping screws, depending on the building material of the wall and the location of the door frame in the opening;
• checking the work, adjusting if necessary, foaming the technological gaps and hanging the canvas.

Basically, the entrance steel block is placed flush with the outer plane of the wall, but it can also be “recessed” into the opening. The first option involves fastening using anchor plates. The second method predetermines the fixation of the door frame-frame by means of anchor bolts passing through it, which are included with the unit, or steel pins replacing factory anchors. Experienced installers recognize the most reliable method as a combined method, when the installation of an iron door, done by hand, is carried out both on anchor plates bent along the surface of the opening and on bolts or pins.

Note. If the budget door block does not come with anchor bolts, you need to buy hardware products yourself, 10-15 cm long. The diameter of the bolts depends on the size of the mounting holes, usually 12-15 mm are used. As an alternative, pieces of steel rod with similar dimensions are suitable.

Standard installation sequence

We will assume that the old structure has been dismantled and the opening has been prepared for the upcoming work. That is, its size allows you to leave a technological gap around the perimeter of the door frame, which is necessary to fill the space with polyurethane foam or cement mortar. This means that you can install an iron entrance door in the prepared opening without enlarging or reducing it:

• The two of us place the frame of a steel door without a leaf in the opening, placing wooden wedges around the perimeter. They are necessary to adjust the position and fixation of the box, as well as to ensure technological indentation.
• By checking the horizontal and vertical lines with a building level, we shift the wedges in the required direction. That is, we drive them deeper or, on the contrary, slightly pull them out. We make sure that the distances from the wall along both jambs are approximately the same.
• We adjusted and found the correct position, firmly secured the frame with wedges so that when drilling holes in the wall it would not move.
• Through the mounting holes, first of the hinge jamb, we drill holes in the wall for anchors with the appropriate dimensions.

Note. If the manufacturer of a cheap entrance block does not make holes for bolts on the door frame, you need to drill them yourself before starting work. 3 each on the false and hinged jambs, 2 each on the threshold and lintel.

• Insert the bolts and tighten the nuts.
• We temporarily hang the canvas to check its progress. It should not open spontaneously and require effort to close/open.
• We remove the canvas, install fasteners on the false side, fix the threshold and lintel. We hang it again to check. If necessary, change the position of the box by loosening or tightening the nuts.
• Again, we leave only the door frame in the opening and cover it with construction tape to protect it from the foam.
• We blow out the technological indentations from the wall with polyurethane foam according to the recommendations of its manufacturer, and cut off the excess.

After polymerization of the mounting foam material, we cover all unattractive areas with casing.

The nuances of installing an iron door in a log house

Regardless of the material from which the doors are made, a frame will be required to arrange the entrance to a wooden building. The need to construct an additional frame for the door frame is dictated by the property of wooden buildings to settle after construction. In the first year, the crowns will settle most intensively by 7-10 cm. Even a bathhouse made of laminated timber will decrease in height, although not so significantly. Therefore, in the first year, it is generally not customary to equip wooden log houses with doors, windows or finish them.

The amount of shrinkage is difficult to calculate in advance; it depends on the period of timber harvesting, the quality of drying of the wood, and climatic conditions. But it is necessary to leave a reserve for the movement characteristic of wood, otherwise the door will jam at the wrong moment or the crown located above it, together with the roof, will hang on the door, and a significant gap will appear between it and the previous crown.

According to the characteristics of wood, we have developed a special technology for installing metal doors in log houses:

• Unlike the method of installing a wooden door, the top strip is not installed, since the lintel of the metal frame will itself serve as a support.
• To prevent the “unshakable” steel door from distorting the structure during shrinkage, it is attached to carriages inserted into a groove formed in the wall.

Due to the groove fastening, the carriages will maintain their position during shrinkage movements of the crowns and protect the door frame from turning the bolts upward, which is inevitable if the fasteners “move” down along with the log.

What should be done:

If the opening is formed during the construction period, we select the door structure so that at least 10 cm remains between the lintel and the plane of the opening, and 6 cm remains on each side. For the pigtail we buy 100×150 timber.

• We will measure and saw off the carriages according to the height of the door. We cut a groove with a depth of 5 cm along the central axis of one of the sides of the beam.
• Using a chainsaw, carefully cut 5 cm on both sides of the log house, approximately a quarter of the width of the wall. We finally form the ridge with a chisel, slowly chipping away the wood. There is no need to rush and forget that if you make a mistake, you will have to buy a door with a larger width and increase the opening.
• Using a stapler, we fix the tape tow on the ridges.
• We attach the gun carriages to the wall on top of the tow.
• We install the steel door according to standard rules, departing one centimeter from both carriages and 10 cm from the top of the door clearance. We attach the frame only to the carriages and the wooden threshold with self-tapping screws.
• Technological gaps must be filled with tow and cashed out on both sides.

After three years, instead of tow, the gaps of the settled opening can be filled with foam, but it is not recommended to do this with a new log house. Indeed, as a result of shrinkage, the foam may crack and its tightness may be lost.

There is also a non-labor-intensive installation option involving fastening the frame of an iron door with self-tapping screws to a wooden wall. The builders who used this scheme claim that the owners will simply have to periodically unscrew and screw in the bolts again when they begin to turn out of the wall due to shrinkage. However, a lot of holes will be made in the building material, which does not contribute to its strengthening. It’s better to suffer, find out how to properly install a metal door in a wooden building, and act in accordance with technological requirements.

Video example of remodeling an opening

This is not to say that a home handyman will not have to suffer with the installation of a steel door. It’s a labor-intensive and difficult task, but the tangible savings will make your pocket happy, and your heart and bath will be warmed by the quality result of your own efforts. No one can do better than the caring owner of your favorite country property.

Installing entrance doors is not at all difficult, and, nevertheless, the cost of such services is quite high. In order not to overpay, read this article: in it we will describe in detail the process of installing metal entrance doors and share some professional secrets.

Almost all modern doors, including cheap Chinese ones with tin leaf, have a standard door frame fastening scheme. Therefore, the complexity of installation depends rather on the material of the walls and the quality of the doorway. If you were able to carefully remove the old door and clear the opening down to sound concrete or masonry, there should be no unexpected problems with the installation.

What tool do you need?

To install the front door using the most current technology, you will need a hammer drill with a 12x350 mm drill, a set of heads with a ratcheting mechanism, a building level with a magnetic edge, a screwdriver and masking tape. In most cases, fastening is performed with 12x130 mm frame anchors. Select the head form factor (for a screwdriver or wrench) depending on the size of the mounting holes in the door frame.

An alternative method of installing the door involves attaching it to rebar driven into pre-drilled holes in the concrete and welded either directly to the door frame or to support plates. Practice shows that it is better to install doors with a high level of burglary protection on reinforcing bars that, in addition to the fastening strength, can withstand a significant weight of the door. Additional tools will require an angle grinder and a welding inverter; a wrench and a screwdriver are not needed.

Preparing the opening and checking the door before installation

Before installing the door, it is necessary to clean the opening from traces of finishing materials and old joint filler. Metal entrance doors are always directly attached to the load-bearing layer of the wall. If you plan to fill the technological seam with cement mortar, the surface needs to be primed, and when filling with polyurethane foam, simply clean it of dust.

The dimensions of the doorway should be 4-5 cm larger than the dimensions of the door frame. If necessary, the opening can be expanded by using a puncher to knock down a layer of the required thickness on only one side. If the opening is 12 cm or more larger than the door frame, between the door and the opening it is necessary to insert a section of a square-section profile pipe with pre-prepared through holes that coincide with the standard mounting points.

Before installing the door, make sure that the sealed bag with the keys is not damaged, open it and check the functionality of all locks and bolts. To simplify the installation of heavy steel doors, the leaf must be removed from the hinges. Due to their low weight, Chinese tin doors can be installed assembled. Before installation, cover the outer surface of the door frame with masking tape.

Installing a door frame by level, fastening methods

Place the door frame on the floor and level the threshold horizontally, placing the required number of spacer plates or mounting wedges under the door. Check the verticality of the installation by applying a level to the place where the trim is attached. The door frame must be installed flush with the outer wall. Firmly fix the door in the opening using mounting or homemade wooden wedges of different sizes installed on the inside.

If the door is attached to the opening directly through the frame wall, drill a through hole, insert an anchor bolt into it and pull out the thread free play to secure the frame. First of all, the bottom point of the side of the box on which the hinges are located is fastened. Next, you need to check the installation level and secure first the top and then the middle of the hinge side. This is followed by hanging the canvas, checking the correct installation and fastening the mating part of the box with three anchors.

If you use auxiliary plates for fastening, weld them to the frame profile from the outside before installing the door in the opening. The length of the welding seam should not be less than 6 cm. Drill the wall through the holes in the plates and fix the box with anchors in the same order.

When using reinforcing bars to secure them, drive them through the plate into the hole in the wall using a sledgehammer or hammer drill in chiseling mode. Recess the rod to such a depth that it protrudes 1-2 mm above the plate, then weld the seam in a circle. The procedure for attaching the box in the opening remains the same.

Door leaf hanging and adjustment

There are several types of door hinges and hinges, but in general they can be divided into hidden and open. Hidden hinges are attached to the frame of the door leaf and the frame profile with massive bolts. For hanging, such a door should be set at the desired height and held while an assistant makes the fastening.

It is a little more difficult to hang doors with open hinges. Here you will need not only to raise the canvas to the desired level, but also to ensure slight mobility. If the hinges have a permanent pin, install a ball or thrust bearing on it and add Litol-24 lubricant. Lifting the door and aligning the holes in the barrels with the pins, lower it, closing the hinge.

The hinge pin can be removable, with the hinges on both sides looking like rings inserted between each other. To install such a door, you need to accurately align it so that the holes in all the hinges match, then generously lubricate the pin and hammer it in from the top side.

After hanging the door leaf, a check is made: the door should not move spontaneously when it is open at 5, 45 and 90° in the absence of air flow. If the box is installed unevenly, it is adjusted by releasing the anchors or applying light side blows to the welded cap of the reinforcing bars. If the box is installed strictly level, the movement of the canvas is eliminated by adjusting the canopies. The door should also close quietly, without encountering resistance from the lock tongue; to do this, you need to adjust the strike plate.

Sealing and caulking

After installing the door, a technological gap remains between the frame and the opening, which must be filled with cement mortar or polyurethane foam. Boxes with a T-profile are filled with cement mortar, and the mortar is placed in the cavity of the T-bar even before the door is installed in the opening.

The mixture is prepared from three parts sand and one part M400 cement. After mixing, the solution should remain slightly dry; alabaster is added to it in the amount of 1/4 of the cement mass. Fill the profile space with the resulting composition, wait 15-20 minutes until it dries completely and install the door. The technological seam is filled with the same composition from the bottom up from the inside, and a wooden plank is temporarily applied to the outside.

The gap is filled with polyurethane foam to the full thickness of the seam and left for a day to dry. Only after the foam has hardened are the spacer wedges removed and the resulting cavities blown out. Excess hard foam is cut off flush with the box with a knife, the trim is installed and the masking tape is removed.

Metal doors are a symbol of reliability and safety of property. But no matter how good the door is, if the installation is done incorrectly, intruders can easily overcome this obstacle. And hacking isn't the worst thing. It often happens that residents themselves cannot get inside the apartment due to the fact that the door does not open: the lock fails, the door leaf does not open, etc. Upon closer examination, it is discovered that the main reason is hidden in errors during installation of the door , violation of the rules for installing the door block.

Rules for installing a metal entrance door to an apartment

Gone are the days when, to install a metal door, it was enough to invite a familiar welder and build a free-style iron structure at the entrance to the apartment. Since the fashion for iron doors has taken root among the urban population, standards and rules have been developed and approved, the violation of which is punishable by law.

The metal door installed in the apartment must comply with regulatory documents

On the territory of the Russian Federation there are several regulatory documents regulating the procedure for the manufacture and installation of metal doors in residential buildings.

• GOST 31173–2003 regulates the technical conditions for the installation and operation of steel door blocks;
• FPB (fire safety rules) describe the procedure for installing a metal door in residential and commercial buildings;
• SNiP 01.21.97 and SP 1.13130.2009 determine the dimensions of the door block, the direction of opening of the door leaf, the height of the threshold and other technical indicators.

It is also necessary to keep in mind that the arrangement and relocation of a doorway in apartment buildings that does not correspond to the original design is equivalent to redevelopment, which must be agreed upon with architectural services.

Doors can have standard sizes or be made according to a special project. There are the following standard sizes of metal door blocks (height x width according to the size of the door leaf):

The size of the door frame, in accordance with GOST and the intended purpose of the product, is tied to the dimensions of the door leaf.

Installation should be carried out by a specialized organization; preference is best given to a team of assemblers from a metal door manufacturer. Only personnel who have completed a training course and are equipped with the necessary tools and materials are allowed to carry out installation work.

The main requirements, according to the documents, are the use of reliable fastening material. Thus, anchor dowels and threaded connections with a diameter of at least 10 mm are used. The distance between them should not exceed 0.7 m. Anchor plates and steel pins are used as additional fasteners. The gaps are filled with materials that have a low shrinkage coefficient and high thermal insulation properties:

• sealing compression (pre-compressed) PSUL tapes;
• mineral or basalt wool;
• silicone or acrylic sealant;
• polyurethane foam;
• polyurethane cords.

Painting and impregnation of seams with primers or other binding materials is not recommended.

The rules require that the door have a vertical orientation in all planes, regardless of the position of the adjacent walls.

If after installation it seems to you that the door is not quite level, you need to check not only the position of the door block, but also the wall. It often happens that the walls are not aligned in height, and this creates the impression of a “cluttered” door frame. The door works properly only in a strictly vertical state, so installers cannot change its position for the sake of visual perception.

In residential premises, the minimum permissible size of a steel door is 1.9 m in height and 0.8 m in width. In commercial buildings, a minimum width of 1.2 m is established, which is explained by the increased flow of people (with the likelihood of evacuation in an extreme situation).

In administrative and commercial buildings, the entrance door must have a width of at least 1.2 m in order to accommodate a large flow of people during evacuation

The installation gaps between the door frame and the leaf, established by SNiP, are 25–40 mm. The distance between the border of the doorway and the metal frame should be from 2 to 3 cm, and upon completion of assembly, they are carefully filled with cement mortar (in wooden houses they use a fitting beam - a slab, which is cut taking into account the existing dimensions of the door frame).

Industrially produced doors are required to undergo testing and certification. Information about technical and operational characteristics is reflected in the passport and identifier. For example, SNiP sets a minimum level of sound insulation, which should not be lower than 20 dB. Depending on the class of the product, the parameters of water and air permeability change. The range of volumetric air permeability at 100 Pa is from 9 to 27 h/m, the water resistance limit can range from 200 to 600 h/m.

An important point when coordinating the installation of steel doors is compliance with fire safety rules. There are mandatory conditions that must be taken into account during installation.

1. The door opens outwards towards the escape route.
2. An open door does not obstruct access to adjacent rooms.
3. The door clearance width is at least 0.8 m.
4. The door does not block the opening of adjacent doors.
5. There is at least 1 m of free space between the wall and the door.

Upon completion of installation work, a standard document is drawn up - an acceptance certificate, which confirms that the installation has been completed in full and specifies warranty obligations.

What you need to install a metal entrance door

The main instructions that you should rely on when assembling a metal door is the technical data sheet. It contains an installation diagram and specification of fastening units. There are a great variety of types and models of steel doors, each with its own design and installation features. Since the main purpose of an iron door block is protection against burglary and penetration, manufacturers are constantly improving the internal structure of the locking mechanism, supplementing it with the latest developments and technologies.

Nevertheless, there is an established procedure for installing doors. For successful installation, you need to prepare the following tools:

In addition, to install the slopes you will need a dry concrete mixture, a container for mixing the mortar (bucket or trough), a trowel and spatulas. Rubber seals are usually included in the delivery package. But you need to purchase polyurethane foam yourself. The bucket is also useful for removing debris that is generated when preparing the wall opening for installing doors.

To work with professional polyurethane foam you need a special gun

If the door is installed in a wooden frame, instead of a hammer drill you need a chain saw and a set of chisels.

How to install a metal entrance door

Self-installation of the door block is justified from a cost-saving point of view. But if gross mistakes are made, then the entire effect will be covered by the costs of repairs, which will be required very soon. Therefore, it is necessary to soberly weigh your strengths and abilities, carefully study the installation manual and only then make a responsible decision.

Preparatory stage

Before installation, it is necessary to prepare the work site, level the wall opening, remove debris and deliver the door block to the installation site. The plaster is removed from the inner surface of the doorway, the remaining foam and dust are cleaned off (it is recommended to treat the walls with a “Betonkontakt” type primer).

The primer neutralizes construction dust and strengthens the material of the surface being treated.

Most often, doors are transported assembled, in wooden or cardboard packaging.

The weight of a high-quality metal door with a metal thickness of 1.5 mm can exceed 100 kg. Therefore, unloading, lifting and installation is carried out by a team of at least two people.

There should be no furniture or foreign objects in the installation area. The door leaf must not encounter any obstacles when opening.

Frame installation

Before installing the door frame, it is necessary to separate the leaf from it. This is achieved by detaching the hinges - removing or unscrewing, depending on the type of awnings. Further actions are performed in the following order.

1. The frame is installed in the doorway and preliminary alignment is carried out. The threshold is firmly placed on the floor, and the vertical posts are located along the wall. Depending on the project, the box is aligned along one of the planes of the doorway. To save internal space, metal apartment doors are usually mounted along the outer plane of the opening (opening outward). But installation in the middle of the wall is not prohibited, when the distance from the frame to the edges is approximately the same.

   The location of the door frame is selected according to the specific site conditions

2. Using wooden or plastic wedges, the frame is fixed in the desired position. The threshold is set strictly horizontally, at the level of the finished floor, the side posts are set in two vertical axes: in the plane of the door (along the leaf) and in the direction perpendicular to it.
3. Install anchors - without fully tightening, just at random. Then the door leaf is suspended and the frame is finally aligned. In this case, you should pay attention to the width of the gaps between the canvas and the edges of the frame. If the installation is done correctly, the gaps will be the same size everywhere. A sign of a high-quality installation is the stable position of the door leaf when opening. The door does not swing open or close on its own, but moves easily under the control of a person’s hand.
   

   If there are no mounting holes in the door frame, drill them yourself

4. Having finally set the position of the door frame, the panel is removed and the frame is firmly secured. At this stage it is important not to overtighten the threaded connections. Due to inexperience, some installers tighten the nuts as hard as they can, thereby deforming the sides, which will adversely affect the operation of the door later. In order not to make a mistake, you need to measure the tightening force with changes in the verticality and straightness of the rack. Experienced craftsmen divide the operation into two circles, the first time tightening the bolts half-heartedly, and the second time with maximum force. Let us remind you once again that the diameter of the fastening must be from 10 mm, the length must be at least 15 cm. The procedure for tightening the fastening is as follows:
   • the middle anchors of the racks are tightened;
   • the upper and lower sidewall anchors are screwed in;
   • two bolts are fixed on the threshold;
   • The fasteners on the top crossbar are tightened.

The gap between the frame and the wall is filled with foam, mineral wool or other filler. Complete drying of the foam occurs after 24 hours, but installation can continue after the surface layer has set (30–40 minutes). To improve adhesion and speed up drying, the gap is moistened with water before pouring the foam.

Before applying the foam, the surfaces of the walls and frames can be moistened with water to improve adhesion

Installation of door leaf

Installation of the door leaf must be carried out by two people, as it is the heaviest element of the structure. If the hinges are hinged, the canvas, in an open position of 90° relative to the frame, is lifted above the awnings and put on top. If the hinges are internal, the door is connected in accordance with their installation diagram. For convenience, one or more boards are placed under the lower edge of the canvas as support.

After installing the door frame, a metal sheet is hung on the hinges

Installation of fittings

The last step before finishing is the installation of control fittings: door lock, handle, peephole and door closer. If the kit contains all these elements, then the instruction manual will definitely contain a detailed diagram and installation instructions.

The factory-made door kit contains all the necessary fittings

Finishing

Finishing work consists of installing platbands and installing slopes. Platbands hide all unsightly areas and decorate the appearance of the door. Slopes serve the same purpose, but have a different structure, since they are installed in the recess of the doorway. In addition, slopes significantly increase the strength of the entire structure if they are made of cement mortar. On the inside, ready-made plastic panels or sheets of plasterboard are often used as slopes. This solution makes installation easier, but in the interests of strength it is better to give preference to solid slopes consisting of hardened cement and sand. To strengthen the slopes, reinforcing meshes made of metal or synthetic fiber are used.

The remaining part of the depth of the doorway is covered with additional elements, and platbands are installed on the front side

Features of installing a metal entrance door to an apartment

Modern apartment buildings are made of bricks or prefabricated reinforced concrete blocks. There are also combined standard projects. But in any case, when installing a metal door in such houses, you have to deal with stone walls. All the information given above applies specifically to such apartments.

The only important caveat that needs to be made concerns the preparation of the doorway in panel houses. The fact is that walls consisting of cast reinforced concrete are strictly forbidden to groove, cut or split. This leads to disturbances in the distribution of static loads of the entire building as a whole and can cause unexpected consequences. For example, there have been cases when, as a result of chiselling block walls, floor slabs were displaced, and the building was transferred to the emergency category. Excessive vibration during operation of a hammer drill spreads throughout the house and sometimes leads to cracking of glass on windows and other unpleasant consequences.

For these reasons, when preparing a doorway in a panel house, it is strictly forbidden to expand the dimensions of the hole in the wall. If it is not possible to select the required door size for the existing opening, the only correct solution will be to manufacture a door block according to an individual project. However, if the opening is large and the door is planned to be smaller, you can narrow the dimensions using brick or block masonry.

Reducing the size of the doorway can be done using brickwork

Video: installing a metal entrance door in an apartment

Features of installing a metal entrance door in a wooden house

A wooden house differs from a stone house in that in the first few years after construction it shrinks significantly. The wood gradually dries out and decreases in size. This leads to a reduction in the size of the building as a whole by 3–5%. Ideally, in order to install an iron door in a log house without any problems, you need to wait several years. But in our time, such a period is an excessive luxury. Therefore, they came up with an original technology for plastic windows and metal doors.

Within several years after construction, the wooden elements of the house dry out and decrease in size, as a result of which door and window openings change their geometry

The bottom line is that in place of the top plank, free space is left, which will gradually be filled with drying wood. To compensate for vertical deformation, the metal frame is connected to the wooden partition of the log house through a special beam - a carriage.

The procedure will be as follows.

After 3–4 years, when the structure settles, the gaps are cleared of tow and filled with polyurethane foam.

In old log houses that have stood for 10 years or more, this problem is also present, although on a smaller scale. The house can become deformed under the influence of strong temperature changes or during bitter frosts. Therefore, the technology of installing metal doors on carriages is used everywhere. Plastic doors and windows are installed in the same way.

Video: installing a metal door in a wooden house

Features of installing a metal entrance door in aerated concrete

Foam and aerated concrete blocks are widely used in the construction of low-rise buildings. Light weight, low cost and excellent thermal insulation properties contribute to the popularity of this material among developers. However, everyone knows the weak point of blocks - their porous structure. A nail driven into a wall made of aerated concrete can be pulled out by hand without much effort. How to secure a metal door in such conditions?

The solution is quite simple and logical. If the connection to the wall is not reliable enough, then you need to strengthen the frame. In the case of foam concrete, it is customary to design a double frame for an iron door. Moreover, the distance between the outer perimeter of the frame and the inner is equal to the thickness of the wall made of foam blocks.

The double frame encloses the entire aerated concrete wall and strengthens its structure

Thus, the door frame is held in the opening not only by special anchors, which increase in size when screwed in, but also by a structure that spans the entire thickness of the wall.

When the screw is tightened, the lower part increases in volume and expands the anchor inside the wall

To enhance the interior space of such a frame, additional decorative elements are used. The rough parts of the frame - metal corners - are lined with wood or MDF panels, and the appearance of the doorway takes on a quite presentable shape. The air space under the extensions serves as an additional barrier to freezing and noise penetration.

Video: installing an iron door in aerated concrete

Installation of components for the entrance metal door

The fittings play an important role in the proper operation of the door. The ease of use and service life of the door depend on how the locks, handles and closers are mounted.

Installing locks on an iron door

The locking device is the main obstacle to forced entry. Therefore, special attention is paid to him. To install the lock you will need the following tools:

• screwdriver;
• drill with a set of metal drills;
• screwdriver with interchangeable heads for different slots;
• screws and self-tapping screws;
• a set of files and needle files;
• core, taps for thread cutting;
• Angle grinder (grinder) with a metal disc.

Of the variety of locks for metal doors, only three types are used.

Based on the type of locking mechanism and level of secrecy, the following lock systems are distinguished:

• disk;
• crossbars;
• level;
• electronic;
• magnetic;
• cylinder.

For self-installation, cylinder and lever locks are considered the most suitable. Magnetic and electronic locks require special equipment for debugging and adjustment.

Installing a mortise lock

Let's look at the procedure for installing a mortise lock.

1. The position and location of the lock is determined. The recommended height is 90–140 cm from the floor.
2. The core marks the boundary of the excavation. Using a grinder, the inside of the hole in the end of the door leaf is cut out. The edges are processed with a file, burrs and sharp edges of the cut are removed.
3. The lock is inserted into the hole, and the attachment points are marked with a marker. Holes are drilled in the marked places (usually from two to four). Threads are cut using taps. The thread pitch is selected depending on the available screws.
4. The location of the keyhole exit and the handle drive on both sides of the blade is determined. The lock is applied to the door leaf, and the required points are marked with a marker.

   Holes for fastening the lock are drilled with an electric drill

5. The holes are drilled with a margin of several millimeters, sharp edges are rounded with a small file to avoid cuts and abrasions on the hands.
6. The lock on the door is being installed and secured. The operation of the mechanism is checked.

   After installing the lock, its mechanism is fixed with the bolt included in the delivery kit.

7. The mating part is cut out on the frame. To do this, mark the exit point of the locking bolts and make a corresponding hole on the side post of the door frame.
8. After checking the operation, the lock is lubricated, and the counter plate is attached to the frame.

   The strike plate is designed to hold the locking elements inside the door frame

Video: how to properly embed a lock into a metal door

For those who intend to install the lock themselves, information on installing a rim lock will be useful. The procedure is slightly different from the previous one.

Video: installing a rim lock on a metal door

How to properly install a door closer on a metal door

When choosing a door closer, they use a classification based on the width of the doors and the power of the power unit (spring or hydraulic mechanism). The correct choice plays an important role in the subsequent operation of the door. There are seven types of door closers:

• 75 cm - 20 kg;
• 85 cm - 40 kg;
• 95 cm - 60 kg;
• 110 cm - 80 kg;
• 125 cm - 100 kg;
• 140 cm - 120 kg;
• 160 cm - 160 kg.

The first number indicates the width of the door leaf, the second - the weight of the door leaf. In addition, closers are divided according to the drive fixation point (inside or outside the door).

1. Hidden design. The spring is located inside the hinges.
2. Bottom fixation. It is rarely used because the operation of such devices is difficult.
3. Top fixation is the most common type. The mechanism is visible and easy to maintain and adjust.

Installing the door closer is not a difficult task, especially since installation instructions are included in the kit. All mounting materials are included, as well as templates on a scale of 1:1, with which markings are made.

Here are typical step-by-step instructions for installing a door closer (using the NOTEDO DC-100 as an example).

1. The template is attached with tape to the surface of the door and markings are made on it.

   Holes for the closer are drilled according to the template included in the delivery kit.

2. Holes are drilled with a drill of the required diameter.
3. The closer is dismantled - the lever is separated into two parts.

   The closer is attached to the door using standard self-tapping screws.

4. The power unit (“shoe”) is installed on the door leaf along the prepared holes. The other part of the lever is attached to the frame.
5. The length of the lever is adjusted according to the attached instructions. When the door is closed, the closer lever should be positioned perpendicular to the door leaf.

   When closed, the closer lever should be positioned perpendicular to the door leaf

Video: instructions for installing a door closer

How to install a handle on a metal entrance door

The method of mounting the handle depends primarily on its type and design. Today, the variety of products in this product category is simply immense. Handles are stationary and rotary. The first ones are secured with countersunk screws so that the handle cannot be twisted from the outside. To install the rotary handle, you need to make a through hole through the door leaf. The sequence of actions is as follows.

1. The installation point is measured. The handles are attached at a height of 1–1.1 m from the floor and 10–15 cm from the edge of the canvas.
2. Depending on the design of the device, holes of the required diameter for fastening are marked and drilled.
3. The rotary handle mechanism is installed, the outer and inner levers are connected.
4. Before installing decorative overlays, the operation of the handle is fully checked and moving parts are lubricated.
5. Installation ends by tightening the fixing screws on the inside of the door.

The installation sequence for the rotary handle of a metal door is described in detail in the installation instructions

As can be seen from the instructions provided, to install the handles you need simple plumbing tools and an electric drill with a set of drills. Additionally, you will need screwdrivers for screws with different slots (flat and Phillips). Each door handle model comes with a detailed description and installation diagram. It is advisable to study them carefully before starting installation.

How to seal slopes after installing a metal door

The appearance of the opening after installing the front door can hardly be called attractive. To hide traces of installation work, cladding work is carried out on the inside and outside.

Decorative slopes hide unsightly areas of the wall after installation work is completed

Where it is impossible (or insufficient) to install platbands, slopes are installed.

Slopes can be made from the following materials:

• plastic panels;
• drywall;
• layer of plaster;
• decorative stone or tiles.

According to the author, who has extensive experience in construction, no matter how comfortable and quickly slopes are constructed from various types of panels, preference should still be given to traditional finishing methods. Cement mortar plaster not only looks great and does not require maintenance, but also solves the main task assigned to the front door - it increases reliability and prevents burglary. We can talk about panels if their location is inside the apartment. If the slopes are made from the outside, they must first of all be durable and non-removable.

To make slopes from cement mortar, you need to purchase a ready-made dry sand concrete mixture. All information about the method of preparing the solution is contained on the packaging. The time and sequence for preparing the mixture are detailed on the bag.

If the apartment is located in a damp entrance, add table salt to the solution when mixing (at the rate of 1 kg of salt per 10 liters of solution). This will make the composition resistant to moisture.

The operating procedure will be as follows.

1. Beacons are installed around the perimeter of the door. You can use ready-made products or use wooden slats for this. The convenience of metal beacons is that after the plaster has hardened, they can be left inside the slope.

   Beacons and corners are attached with a quick-hardening alabaster mortar

2. Painting corners are attached to nails, staples or alabaster mortar along the outer perimeter. The fixation must be reliable, since a rule or spatula will be pulled along the corner.
3. The cement mortar is mixed until a thick consistency is achieved. The mixture must be thoroughly mixed with an electric mixer so that there are no dry lumps in it.
4. The surface of the wall is treated with a primer. It is preferable to use deep penetration compounds, this will further increase adhesion.
5. After the primer has dried, a mortar is applied to the walls using a trowel, gradually filling the space between the beacons. When there is enough solution, the excess is pulled off along the beacons with a spatula or a short rule.

   The plaster layer is covered with finely dispersed putty

6. The operation can be divided into several stages. This is allowed when the internal volume of the slopes is large. If the break lasted more than a day, before applying a new layer, the previous one is generously moistened with water. The side planes are filled first, and the top part is plastered last.
7. After the plaster has dried, a thin layer of putty is applied on top, which eliminates minor defects and levels the surface of the slopes to an ideal shape.
8. The last stage is painting or tiling. Any type of ceramic tile, natural stone or tile fits perfectly on a leveled slope.

   After plastering, the slopes can be tiled

To further increase the strength of the slopes, fiber reinforcement is added to the solution, which is long strands of durable synthetic material. It is added to the finished batch when the mixer is no longer used.

Video: DIY door slopes

How to attach extensions to a metal entrance door

A very practical way of lining the inner surface of a doorway after installing the doors is the method of decorating with the help of extensions. Decorative panels can have any color and texture, so this finish can harmoniously fit into any interior. There are various types of accessories made from natural and synthetic materials:

• metal;
• tree.

Products made from MDF are most widespread, since their price is low and the range is huge. There are accessories for sale for all occasions. But having at your disposal ordinary planed boards in the required quantity, you can make the additions yourself.

With the help of accessories you can quickly and efficiently design a doorway

Fastening of the facing material is carried out in different ways:

Whatever the fastening, the procedure for facing work is the same.

If possible (or necessary), insulation is laid under the extensions. This will create an additional barrier to the door freezing during the cold season. Mineral wool or foam rubber is used as insulation.

MDF panels are easily and quickly mounted on a pre-installed frame

Removing the entrance metal door

The need to dismantle a metal door arises when rebuilding or reconstructing old buildings. The procedure for removing a door from metal is similar to the work for dismantling any door. However, a metal door is a highly durable structure, so you need to approach its disassembly wisely.

Most often, when disassembling metal doors, difficulties arise with slopes. If they are made of high-quality concrete mortar, then during dismantling work you will have to sweat a little and swallow dust. Such slopes can only be destroyed with a powerful hammer drill with a sharp chisel at the end. During work, you must use a respirator, safety glasses and gloves. Breaking the slopes in the upper part is carried out with special care, from a stable ladder or trestle.

Video: dismantling the old front door and installing a new one in 30 minutes

No matter how tempting it is to save money when installing metal doors yourself, do not forget about the services of experienced specialists. The craftsmen who do this work every day are fluent in assembly technology and know all the pitfalls and installation features. In addition, even the most perfect door installed by yourself is not covered by warranty.

Competent and high-quality arrangement of the entrance to the apartment means an increased level of security and minimal heat loss through the opening. It is believed that only a professional can install a metal door correctly. This is not entirely true; you just need to know some nuances. And the article is proof of this.

Preparatory activities

Removing the old door

Many question the feasibility of this. But practice shows that taking measurements of the opening parameters without removing the old structure means obtaining results with large errors. This will result in the fact that installing a metal entrance door with your own hands will be very complicated. The box will either not fit in, and you will have to “cut off” part of the wall, or the structure will begin to “walk.” In this case, it will be necessary to provide additional fastening of the block and seal the gaps between it and the end of the base.

Taking measurements

This stage has several features.

• After dismantling the old block, it is necessary to carry out a small cleaning of the end parts of the opening. This will allow you to take all its dimensions as accurately as possible.
• It is not a fact that the opening in the wall has the correct geometric shape. Therefore, it is not worth measuring its length and width along only one line (from the edge, in the center). In order for the result to be without large errors, it is advisable to determine the parameter values ​​using three “points”.
• In addition to length and width, the thickness of the wall is also important. Regulatory documents prohibit the installation of metal entrance doors if it is less than 15 cm. And if this is the case, then you will have to decide whether to opt for a different design or thicken the base. For example, using cement mortar.

• Another nuance concerns brick and wooden buildings. The openings of such buildings have a support beam. It is also measured, and the length of this structural element is used as a guide when choosing a model. If the frame is shorter by more than 40 mm, then the installation of an iron door is accompanied by additional reinforcement of the opening. Otherwise, reliable fixation of the block will not be ensured.

There is no point in buying a door by eye. This should be done only after measuring the parameters of the opening. Knowing its characteristics, you can choose a model according to size so (and there is a choice) that the installation of entrance doors will be significantly simplified.

Preparing the opening

What has been done before is just the beginning. Knowing the exact dimensions of the purchased door, it is easy to determine the scope of further work.

Main stages:

• Cleaning the opening. Before installing the front door, it is necessary to remove the remaining fragments of plaster, old insulation, wooden elements that were previously used as spacers, and so on.
• Inspection of the installation site. It is necessary to assess the condition of the walls and floor. If areas with staining concrete, bricks, or rotten wood are visible, it is necessary to eliminate the identified defects. Without preliminary preparation of the opening, installing the front door yourself loses its meaning - after a short time you will have to do repairs, since the structure in such a wall, given its massiveness, will not hold securely.
• The method of strengthening the opening is determined based on the inspection results: the voids are filled with mortar and broken bricks; significant protrusions are cut off, and so on. Another option is to install a metal frame.

• When installing an iron door in a wooden building, a frame must be placed in the opening. Its purpose is the same as for window blocks - to ensure the integrity of the structure and its performance, regardless of the degree of further shrinkage of the lumber.
• The fully prepared opening should be slightly wider than the purchased door block. The recommended technological gap is about 25 mm (but not less than 20). It is necessary not only for precise alignment of the structure, but also to ensure its high-quality insulation around the perimeter.

Door installation procedure

• Correct installation of the front door requires that the leaf should swing outward. This is stipulated, among other things, in the Fire Safety Rules.
• Level control is mandatory at all technological stages. The slightest misalignment will bring all the work to naught.

When installing yourself, two methods are practiced.

Installation of the block

This is possible if the opening is prepared with high quality, has the correct geometry, and its linear parameters (taking into account the recommended gap) are identical to the dimensions of the door.

What should be done:

• Insert the product into the opening.
• Fix the frame.

Option 1 – on anchor bolts. There should be at least 3 of them on each side. At the top and at floor level, two fasteners are sufficient. If “sockets” for them are not initially provided in the door design, it is necessary to first drill at the designated points.

Option 2 – on pins. Holes are pre-drilled at the ends of the wall. After installing the steel door, pieces of reinforcing bar are driven into them. They are also preparing; one end is sharpened, and the other, on the contrary, is slightly flattened to make it more convenient to work with a sledgehammer. Once installed, they are welded to the frame.

This must be done from the inside, otherwise the canvas will not fit tightly due to sagging. To adjust, you will have to use a grinder. After processing the frame with an abrasive disc, its appearance will be appropriate, and no decor can correct the situation if we are talking about a purchased metal door rather than a homemade one.

Separate installation

This method is implemented if the gap between the block and the ends of the wall is greater than recommended, or its condition or material characteristics make it impractical to install fixing pins.

What should be done:

• Prepare sharpened wooden wedges. Their sizes are chosen so that, after driving into the gap, they ensure a reliable “fit” of the frame.
• Installation of a metal door using this method involves its partial disassembly; the canvas is removed.
• The frame is installed in the opening, leveled and “wedged”. Wooden fastening elements on different sides are located opposite each other. This avoids significant distortion of the structure.

• Holes are made in the wall through the eyelets.
• Installation of anchor bolts is carried out on one side, with uniform tightening and constant level monitoring. After this, the rest of the fasteners are installed around the perimeter.
• The door leaf is put in place and its position, tightness to the jamb, opening angle, and ease of movement are checked. Existing defects can be eliminated using anchors (by screwing/unscrewing them) or by adjusting the canopies.

The final stage

• Gap processing. If it is small, then you can seal it with foam. This is the easiest way. If the gaps are large and deep, it is advisable to lay insulation and apply cement mortar on top. After hardening, it will further strengthen the structure.
• Installation of platbands. The decorative strips are attached according to the method specified in the product instructions.

• Installation of fittings. Handles, door peephole, lock - this work is also not difficult. Everything you need is included and is initially adjusted.

Sometimes you have to put the slopes in order. But this is an extreme case, and, as a rule, if the preliminary measures are carried out correctly, they are completely hidden by the door trim.

When purchasing a product, not everyone pays attention to the warranty terms. The nuance is that some manufacturers completely cancel it if the installation of metal doors was carried out independently and not by a licensed specialist. Consequently, repairs (if necessary) during this period are possible only at your own expense.

When inspecting models in a furniture showroom, you need to pay attention to the following points:

• number of locks. If there is only one, then the reliability of the steel entrance door is very doubtful;
• type of insulation. Optimally - polystyrene foam or mineral wool. Bookmarks made of cardboard, chipboards and the like will not only not provide high-quality thermal insulation, but will also not muffle street noise. It's very easy to check; tap on the canvas. A booming sound clearly indicates its poor insulation;
• metal thickness. 1.5 mm is the acceptable minimum. First of all, this applies to entrance doors;
• loop type. Awnings must have support hinges. In the absence of such, the distortion of the canvas, given its massiveness, is guaranteed very soon;
• metal door kit. High-quality products are always supplied with platbands. The reliability of the installed structure and the safety of the house largely depend on them, since these planks perform not only a decorative function. Without platbands, direct access to the hinges is easier - it’s easy to cut them off and pull out the fabric; or the entire frame of the front door, doing the same with the elements of its fastening in the wall;
• manufacturer. In the middle price range, domestic, Polish and Belarusian models are considered one of the best. Products “made in China” play more of a decorative role; in terms of durability and reliability, they do not meet the requirements for doors installed at the entrance to a building. In addition, the metal is thin and easily susceptible to impacts; as a result, dents.

Knowing the rules for installing entrance doors and following all recommendations will not only allow you to perform technological operations quickly and efficiently, but also save significant money. Installation of a metal structure costs about ¼ of its cost, and this money is not so small.

Metal doors are a symbol of reliability and safety of property. But no matter how good the door is, if the installation is done incorrectly, intruders can easily overcome this obstacle. And hacking isn't the worst thing. It often happens that residents themselves cannot get inside the apartment due to the fact that the door does not open: the lock fails, the door leaf does not open, etc. Upon closer examination, it is discovered that the main reason is hidden in errors during installation of the door , violation of the rules for installing the door block.

Rules for installing a metal entrance door to an apartment

Gone are the days when, to install a metal door, it was enough to invite a familiar welder and build a free-style iron structure at the entrance to the apartment. Since the fashion for iron doors has taken root among the urban population, standards and rules have been developed and approved, the violation of which is punishable by law.

The metal door installed in the apartment must comply with regulatory documents

On the territory of the Russian Federation there are several regulatory documents regulating the procedure for the manufacture and installation of metal doors in residential buildings.

• GOST 31173–2003 regulates the technical conditions for the installation and operation of steel door blocks;
• FPB (fire safety rules) describe the procedure for installing a metal door in residential and commercial buildings;
• SNiP 01.21.97 and SP 1.13130.2009 determine the dimensions of the door block, the direction of opening of the door leaf, the height of the threshold and other technical indicators.

It is also necessary to keep in mind that the arrangement and relocation of a doorway in apartment buildings that does not correspond to the original design is equivalent to redevelopment, which must be agreed upon with architectural services.

Doors can have standard sizes or be made according to a special project. There are the following standard sizes of metal door blocks (height x width according to the size of the door leaf):

The size of the door frame, in accordance with GOST and the intended purpose of the product, is tied to the dimensions of the door leaf.

Installation should be carried out by a specialized organization; preference is best given to a team of assemblers from a metal door manufacturer. Only personnel who have completed a training course and are equipped with the necessary tools and materials are allowed to carry out installation work.

The main requirements, according to the documents, are the use of reliable fastening material. Thus, anchor dowels and threaded connections with a diameter of at least 10 mm are used. The distance between them should not exceed 0.7 m. Anchor plates and steel pins are used as additional fasteners. The gaps are filled with materials that have a low shrinkage coefficient and high thermal insulation properties:

• sealing compression (pre-compressed) PSUL tapes;
• mineral or basalt wool;
• silicone or acrylic sealant;
• polyurethane foam;
• polyurethane cords.

Painting and impregnation of seams with primers or other binding materials is not recommended.

The rules require that the door have a vertical orientation in all planes, regardless of the position of the adjacent walls.

If after installation it seems to you that the door is not quite level, you need to check not only the position of the door block, but also the wall. It often happens that the walls are not aligned in height, and this creates the impression of a “cluttered” door frame. The door works properly only in a strictly vertical state, so installers cannot change its position for the sake of visual perception.

In residential premises, the minimum permissible size of a steel door is 1.9 m in height and 0.8 m in width. In commercial buildings, a minimum width of 1.2 m is established, which is explained by the increased flow of people (with the likelihood of evacuation in an extreme situation).

In administrative and commercial buildings, the entrance door must have a width of at least 1.2 m in order to accommodate a large flow of people during evacuation

The installation gaps between the door frame and the leaf, established by SNiP, are 25–40 mm. The distance between the border of the doorway and the metal frame should be from 2 to 3 cm, and upon completion of assembly, they are carefully filled with cement mortar (in wooden houses they use a fitting beam - a slab, which is cut taking into account the existing dimensions of the door frame).

Industrially produced doors are required to undergo testing and certification. Information about technical and operational characteristics is reflected in the passport and identifier. For example, SNiP sets a minimum level of sound insulation, which should not be lower than 20 dB. Depending on the class of the product, the parameters of water and air permeability change. The range of volumetric air permeability at 100 Pa is from 9 to 27 h/m, the water resistance limit can range from 200 to 600 h/m.

An important point when coordinating the installation of steel doors is compliance with fire safety rules. There are mandatory conditions that must be taken into account during installation.

1. The door opens outwards towards the escape route.
2. An open door does not obstruct access to adjacent rooms.
3. The door clearance width is at least 0.8 m.
4. The door does not block the opening of adjacent doors.
5. There is at least 1 m of free space between the wall and the door.

Upon completion of installation work, a standard document is drawn up - an acceptance certificate, which confirms that the installation has been completed in full and specifies warranty obligations.

What you need to install a metal entrance door

The main instructions that you should rely on when assembling a metal door is the technical data sheet. It contains an installation diagram and specification of fastening units. There are a great variety of types and models of steel doors, each with its own design and installation features. Since the main purpose of an iron door block is protection against burglary and penetration, manufacturers are constantly improving the internal structure of the locking mechanism, supplementing it with the latest developments and technologies.

Nevertheless, there is an established procedure for installing doors. For successful installation, you need to prepare the following tools:

In addition, to install the slopes you will need a dry concrete mixture, a container for mixing the mortar (bucket or trough), a trowel and spatulas. Rubber seals are usually included in the delivery package. But you need to purchase polyurethane foam yourself. The bucket is also useful for removing debris that is generated when preparing the wall opening for installing doors.

To work with professional polyurethane foam you need a special gun

If the door is installed in a wooden frame, instead of a hammer drill you need a chain saw and a set of chisels.

How to install a metal entrance door

Self-installation of the door block is justified from a cost-saving point of view. But if gross mistakes are made, then the entire effect will be covered by the costs of repairs, which will be required very soon. Therefore, it is necessary to soberly weigh your strengths and abilities, carefully study the installation manual and only then make a responsible decision.

Preparatory stage

Before installation, it is necessary to prepare the work site, level the wall opening, remove debris and deliver the door block to the installation site. The plaster is removed from the inner surface of the doorway, the remaining foam and dust are cleaned off (it is recommended to treat the walls with a “Betonkontakt” type primer).

The primer neutralizes construction dust and strengthens the material of the surface being treated.

Most often, doors are transported assembled, in wooden or cardboard packaging.

The weight of a high-quality metal door with a metal thickness of 1.5 mm can exceed 100 kg. Therefore, unloading, lifting and installation is carried out by a team of at least two people.

There should be no furniture or foreign objects in the installation area. The door leaf must not encounter any obstacles when opening.

Frame installation

Before installing the door frame, it is necessary to separate the leaf from it. This is achieved by detaching the hinges - removing or unscrewing, depending on the type of awnings. Further actions are performed in the following order.

1. The frame is installed in the doorway and preliminary alignment is carried out. The threshold is firmly placed on the floor, and the vertical posts are located along the wall. Depending on the project, the box is aligned along one of the planes of the doorway. To save internal space, metal apartment doors are usually mounted along the outer plane of the opening (opening outward). But installation in the middle of the wall is not prohibited, when the distance from the frame to the edges is approximately the same.

   The location of the door frame is selected according to the specific site conditions

2. Using wooden or plastic wedges, the frame is fixed in the desired position. The threshold is set strictly horizontally, at the level of the finished floor, the side posts are set in two vertical axes: in the plane of the door (along the leaf) and in the direction perpendicular to it.
3. Install anchors - without fully tightening, just at random. Then the door leaf is suspended and the frame is finally aligned. In this case, you should pay attention to the width of the gaps between the canvas and the edges of the frame. If the installation is done correctly, the gaps will be the same size everywhere. A sign of a high-quality installation is the stable position of the door leaf when opening. The door does not swing open or close on its own, but moves easily under the control of a person’s hand.
   

   If there are no mounting holes in the door frame, drill them yourself

4. Having finally set the position of the door frame, the panel is removed and the frame is firmly secured. At this stage it is important not to overtighten the threaded connections. Due to inexperience, some installers tighten the nuts as hard as they can, thereby deforming the sides, which will adversely affect the operation of the door later. In order not to make a mistake, you need to measure the tightening force with changes in the verticality and straightness of the rack. Experienced craftsmen divide the operation into two circles, the first time tightening the bolts half-heartedly, and the second time with maximum force. Let us remind you once again that the diameter of the fastening must be from 10 mm, the length must be at least 15 cm. The procedure for tightening the fastening is as follows:
   • the middle anchors of the racks are tightened;
   • the upper and lower sidewall anchors are screwed in;
   • two bolts are fixed on the threshold;
   • The fasteners on the top crossbar are tightened.

The gap between the frame and the wall is filled with foam, mineral wool or other filler. Complete drying of the foam occurs after 24 hours, but installation can continue after the surface layer has set (30–40 minutes). To improve adhesion and speed up drying, the gap is moistened with water before pouring the foam.

Before applying the foam, the surfaces of the walls and frames can be moistened with water to improve adhesion

Installation of door leaf

Installation of the door leaf must be carried out by two people, as it is the heaviest element of the structure. If the hinges are hinged, the canvas, in an open position of 90° relative to the frame, is lifted above the awnings and put on top. If the hinges are internal, the door is connected in accordance with their installation diagram. For convenience, one or more boards are placed under the lower edge of the canvas as support.

After installing the door frame, a metal sheet is hung on the hinges

Installation of fittings

The last step before finishing is the installation of control fittings: door lock, handle, peephole and door closer. If the kit contains all these elements, then the instruction manual will definitely contain a detailed diagram and installation instructions.

The factory-made door kit contains all the necessary fittings

Finishing

Finishing work consists of installing platbands and installing slopes. Platbands hide all unsightly areas and decorate the appearance of the door. Slopes serve the same purpose, but have a different structure, since they are installed in the recess of the doorway. In addition, slopes significantly increase the strength of the entire structure if they are made of cement mortar. On the inside, ready-made plastic panels or sheets of plasterboard are often used as slopes. This solution makes installation easier, but in the interests of strength it is better to give preference to solid slopes consisting of hardened cement and sand. To strengthen the slopes, reinforcing meshes made of metal or synthetic fiber are used.

The remaining part of the depth of the doorway is covered with additional elements, and platbands are installed on the front side

Features of installing a metal entrance door to an apartment

Modern apartment buildings are made of bricks or prefabricated reinforced concrete blocks. There are also combined standard projects. But in any case, when installing a metal door in such houses, you have to deal with stone walls. All the information given above applies specifically to such apartments.

The only important caveat that needs to be made concerns the preparation of the doorway in panel houses. The fact is that walls consisting of cast reinforced concrete are strictly forbidden to groove, cut or split. This leads to disturbances in the distribution of static loads of the entire building as a whole and can cause unexpected consequences. For example, there have been cases when, as a result of chiselling block walls, floor slabs were displaced, and the building was transferred to the emergency category. Excessive vibration during operation of a hammer drill spreads throughout the house and sometimes leads to cracking of glass on windows and other unpleasant consequences.

For these reasons, when preparing a doorway in a panel house, it is strictly forbidden to expand the dimensions of the hole in the wall. If it is not possible to select the required door size for the existing opening, the only correct solution will be to manufacture a door block according to an individual project. However, if the opening is large and the door is planned to be smaller, you can narrow the dimensions using brick or block masonry.

Reducing the size of the doorway can be done using brickwork

Video: installing a metal entrance door in an apartment

Features of installing a metal entrance door in a wooden house

A wooden house differs from a stone house in that in the first few years after construction it shrinks significantly. The wood gradually dries out and decreases in size. This leads to a reduction in the size of the building as a whole by 3–5%. Ideally, in order to install an iron door in a log house without any problems, you need to wait several years. But in our time, such a period is an excessive luxury. Therefore, they came up with an original technology for plastic windows and metal doors.

Within several years after construction, the wooden elements of the house dry out and decrease in size, as a result of which door and window openings change their geometry

The bottom line is that in place of the top plank, free space is left, which will gradually be filled with drying wood. To compensate for vertical deformation, the metal frame is connected to the wooden partition of the log house through a special beam - a carriage.

The procedure will be as follows.

After 3–4 years, when the structure settles, the gaps are cleared of tow and filled with polyurethane foam.

In old log houses that have stood for 10 years or more, this problem is also present, although on a smaller scale. The house can become deformed under the influence of strong temperature changes or during bitter frosts. Therefore, the technology of installing metal doors on carriages is used everywhere. Plastic doors and windows are installed in the same way.

Video: installing a metal door in a wooden house

Features of installing a metal entrance door in aerated concrete

Foam and aerated concrete blocks are widely used in the construction of low-rise buildings. Light weight, low cost and excellent thermal insulation properties contribute to the popularity of this material among developers. However, everyone knows the weak point of blocks - their porous structure. A nail driven into a wall made of aerated concrete can be pulled out by hand without much effort. How to secure a metal door in such conditions?

The solution is quite simple and logical. If the connection to the wall is not reliable enough, then you need to strengthen the frame. In the case of foam concrete, it is customary to design a double frame for an iron door. Moreover, the distance between the outer perimeter of the frame and the inner is equal to the thickness of the wall made of foam blocks.

The double frame encloses the entire aerated concrete wall and strengthens its structure

Thus, the door frame is held in the opening not only by special anchors, which increase in size when screwed in, but also by a structure that spans the entire thickness of the wall.

When the screw is tightened, the lower part increases in volume and expands the anchor inside the wall

To enhance the interior space of such a frame, additional decorative elements are used. The rough parts of the frame - metal corners - are lined with wood or MDF panels, and the appearance of the doorway takes on a quite presentable shape. The air space under the extensions serves as an additional barrier to freezing and noise penetration.

Video: installing an iron door in aerated concrete

Installation of components for the entrance metal door

The fittings play an important role in the proper operation of the door. The ease of use and service life of the door depend on how the locks, handles and closers are mounted.

Installing locks on an iron door

The locking device is the main obstacle to forced entry. Therefore, special attention is paid to him. To install the lock you will need the following tools:

• screwdriver;
• drill with a set of metal drills;
• screwdriver with interchangeable heads for different slots;
• screws and self-tapping screws;
• a set of files and needle files;
• core, taps for thread cutting;
• Angle grinder (grinder) with a metal disc.

Of the variety of locks for metal doors, only three types are used.

Based on the type of locking mechanism and level of secrecy, the following lock systems are distinguished:

• disk;
• crossbars;
• level;
• electronic;
• magnetic;
• cylinder.

For self-installation, cylinder and lever locks are considered the most suitable. Magnetic and electronic locks require special equipment for debugging and adjustment.

Installing a mortise lock

Let's look at the procedure for installing a mortise lock.

1. The position and location of the lock is determined. The recommended height is 90–140 cm from the floor.
2. The core marks the boundary of the excavation. Using a grinder, the inside of the hole in the end of the door leaf is cut out. The edges are processed with a file, burrs and sharp edges of the cut are removed.
3. The lock is inserted into the hole, and the attachment points are marked with a marker. Holes are drilled in the marked places (usually from two to four). Threads are cut using taps. The thread pitch is selected depending on the available screws.
4. The location of the keyhole exit and the handle drive on both sides of the blade is determined. The lock is applied to the door leaf, and the required points are marked with a marker.

   Holes for fastening the lock are drilled with an electric drill

5. The holes are drilled with a margin of several millimeters, sharp edges are rounded with a small file to avoid cuts and abrasions on the hands.
6. The lock on the door is being installed and secured. The operation of the mechanism is checked.

   After installing the lock, its mechanism is fixed with the bolt included in the delivery kit.

7. The mating part is cut out on the frame. To do this, mark the exit point of the locking bolts and make a corresponding hole on the side post of the door frame.
8. After checking the operation, the lock is lubricated, and the counter plate is attached to the frame.

   The strike plate is designed to hold the locking elements inside the door frame

Video: how to properly embed a lock into a metal door

For those who intend to install the lock themselves, information on installing a rim lock will be useful. The procedure is slightly different from the previous one.

Video: installing a rim lock on a metal door

How to properly install a door closer on a metal door

When choosing a door closer, they use a classification based on the width of the doors and the power of the power unit (spring or hydraulic mechanism). The correct choice plays an important role in the subsequent operation of the door. There are seven types of door closers:

• 75 cm - 20 kg;
• 85 cm - 40 kg;
• 95 cm - 60 kg;
• 110 cm - 80 kg;
• 125 cm - 100 kg;
• 140 cm - 120 kg;
• 160 cm - 160 kg.

The first number indicates the width of the door leaf, the second - the weight of the door leaf. In addition, closers are divided according to the drive fixation point (inside or outside the door).

1. Hidden design. The spring is located inside the hinges.
2. Bottom fixation. It is rarely used because the operation of such devices is difficult.
3. Top fixation is the most common type. The mechanism is visible and easy to maintain and adjust.

Installing the door closer is not a difficult task, especially since installation instructions are included in the kit. All mounting materials are included, as well as templates on a scale of 1:1, with which markings are made.

Here are typical step-by-step instructions for installing a door closer (using the NOTEDO DC-100 as an example).

1. The template is attached with tape to the surface of the door and markings are made on it.

   Holes for the closer are drilled according to the template included in the delivery kit.

2. Holes are drilled with a drill of the required diameter.
3. The closer is dismantled - the lever is separated into two parts.

   The closer is attached to the door using standard self-tapping screws.

4. The power unit (“shoe”) is installed on the door leaf along the prepared holes. The other part of the lever is attached to the frame.
5. The length of the lever is adjusted according to the attached instructions. When the door is closed, the closer lever should be positioned perpendicular to the door leaf.

   When closed, the closer lever should be positioned perpendicular to the door leaf

Video: instructions for installing a door closer

How to install a handle on a metal entrance door

The method of mounting the handle depends primarily on its type and design. Today, the variety of products in this product category is simply immense. Handles are stationary and rotary. The first ones are secured with countersunk screws so that the handle cannot be twisted from the outside. To install the rotary handle, you need to make a through hole through the door leaf. The sequence of actions is as follows.

1. The installation point is measured. The handles are attached at a height of 1–1.1 m from the floor and 10–15 cm from the edge of the canvas.
2. Depending on the design of the device, holes of the required diameter for fastening are marked and drilled.
3. The rotary handle mechanism is installed, the outer and inner levers are connected.
4. Before installing decorative overlays, the operation of the handle is fully checked and moving parts are lubricated.
5. Installation ends by tightening the fixing screws on the inside of the door.

The installation sequence for the rotary handle of a metal door is described in detail in the installation instructions

As can be seen from the instructions provided, to install the handles you need simple plumbing tools and an electric drill with a set of drills. Additionally, you will need screwdrivers for screws with different slots (flat and Phillips). Each door handle model comes with a detailed description and installation diagram. It is advisable to study them carefully before starting installation.

How to seal slopes after installing a metal door

The appearance of the opening after installing the front door can hardly be called attractive. To hide traces of installation work, cladding work is carried out on the inside and outside.

Decorative slopes hide unsightly areas of the wall after installation work is completed

Where it is impossible (or insufficient) to install platbands, slopes are installed.

Slopes can be made from the following materials:

• plastic panels;
• drywall;
• layer of plaster;
• decorative stone or tiles.

According to the author, who has extensive experience in construction, no matter how comfortable and quickly slopes are constructed from various types of panels, preference should still be given to traditional finishing methods. Cement mortar plaster not only looks great and does not require maintenance, but also solves the main task assigned to the front door - it increases reliability and prevents burglary. We can talk about panels if their location is inside the apartment. If the slopes are made from the outside, they must first of all be durable and non-removable.

To make slopes from cement mortar, you need to purchase a ready-made dry sand concrete mixture. All information about the method of preparing the solution is contained on the packaging. The time and sequence for preparing the mixture are detailed on the bag.

If the apartment is located in a damp entrance, add table salt to the solution when mixing (at the rate of 1 kg of salt per 10 liters of solution). This will make the composition resistant to moisture.

The operating procedure will be as follows.

1. Beacons are installed around the perimeter of the door. You can use ready-made products or use wooden slats for this. The convenience of metal beacons is that after the plaster has hardened, they can be left inside the slope.

   Beacons and corners are attached with a quick-hardening alabaster mortar

2. Painting corners are attached to nails, staples or alabaster mortar along the outer perimeter. The fixation must be reliable, since a rule or spatula will be pulled along the corner.
3. The cement mortar is mixed until a thick consistency is achieved. The mixture must be thoroughly mixed with an electric mixer so that there are no dry lumps in it.
4. The surface of the wall is treated with a primer. It is preferable to use deep penetration compounds, this will further increase adhesion.
5. After the primer has dried, a mortar is applied to the walls using a trowel, gradually filling the space between the beacons. When there is enough solution, the excess is pulled off along the beacons with a spatula or a short rule.

   The plaster layer is covered with finely dispersed putty

6. The operation can be divided into several stages. This is allowed when the internal volume of the slopes is large. If the break lasted more than a day, before applying a new layer, the previous one is generously moistened with water. The side planes are filled first, and the top part is plastered last.
7. After the plaster has dried, a thin layer of putty is applied on top, which eliminates minor defects and levels the surface of the slopes to an ideal shape.
8. The last stage is painting or tiling. Any type of ceramic tile, natural stone or tile fits perfectly on a leveled slope.

   After plastering, the slopes can be tiled

To further increase the strength of the slopes, fiber reinforcement is added to the solution, which is long strands of durable synthetic material. It is added to the finished batch when the mixer is no longer used.

Video: DIY door slopes

How to attach extensions to a metal entrance door

A very practical way of lining the inner surface of a doorway after installing the doors is the method of decorating with the help of extensions. Decorative panels can have any color and texture, so this finish can harmoniously fit into any interior. There are various types of accessories made from natural and synthetic materials:

• metal;
• tree.

Products made from MDF are most widespread, since their price is low and the range is huge. There are accessories for sale for all occasions. But having at your disposal ordinary planed boards in the required quantity, you can make the additions yourself.

With the help of accessories you can quickly and efficiently design a doorway

Fastening of the facing material is carried out in different ways:

Whatever the fastening, the procedure for facing work is the same.

If possible (or necessary), insulation is laid under the extensions. This will create an additional barrier to the door freezing during the cold season. Mineral wool or foam rubber is used as insulation.

MDF panels are easily and quickly mounted on a pre-installed frame

Removing the entrance metal door

The need to dismantle a metal door arises when rebuilding or reconstructing old buildings. The procedure for removing a door from metal is similar to the work for dismantling any door. However, a metal door is a highly durable structure, so you need to approach its disassembly wisely.

Most often, when disassembling metal doors, difficulties arise with slopes. If they are made of high-quality concrete mortar, then during dismantling work you will have to sweat a little and swallow dust. Such slopes can only be destroyed with a powerful hammer drill with a sharp chisel at the end. During work, you must use a respirator, safety glasses and gloves. Breaking the slopes in the upper part is carried out with special care, from a stable ladder or trestle.

Video: dismantling the old front door and installing a new one in 30 minutes

No matter how tempting it is to save money when installing metal doors yourself, do not forget about the services of experienced specialists. The craftsmen who do this work every day are fluent in assembly technology and know all the pitfalls and installation features. In addition, even the most perfect door installed by yourself is not covered by warranty.