DIY Basement Egress Door

A walk-out door is helpful for maintaining any basement.

Designing a basement egress door may require removal of several feet of rocks or soil. Over time, you want to keep the door area and house foundation free from moisture. Sloping the yard a specific way to keep rain from entering the stairwell might require input from an excavation expert. Digging deeply or moving just a small amount of dirt requires extreme care to protect concrete footings and block walls. Be prepared to do some hand digging to prepare the door area in most cases, so you can avoid any cracks during construction. Does this Spark an idea?

Things You'll Need

• Pre-hung steel door unit
• Chalk box
• Carpenter’s square
• Measuring tape
• 2-by-4 boards
• Wood shims
• Drill
• Masonry drill bit
• Masonry saw
• Chisel
• 2-by-6-inch boards
• Door jamb material
• Circular saw
• Hand saw
• Pre-cast concrete stairwell

Instructions

1. Draw the outline for the door cutout on both the interior and exterior sides with chalk. Snap a chalk line after squaring up the height and width of the door with a carpenter’s square. Do this after all measurements are taken.

2. Define the cutout space to include extra wooden framing that will encase the pre-made steel framing. Allow extra space for double trimmer studs on each side of the door that hold up overhead framing across the span of the door.

3. Cut two-by-fours to form the top and bottom plates -- and their connecting studs -- of a temporary support wall to hold up the floor joists before removing concrete blocks. Construct a framed wall on the basement floor and tilt it under the joists. Cut wood shims to make the temporary wall fit snugly, so the weight of the floor will rest upon it. Place the wall close to the door opening, but leave elbow room to use the masonry saw and chisel to take out the blocks.

4. Drill holes with a masonry drill bit to define the corners of the door. Carefully cut the outline of the door opening with a masonry saw, working slowly and evenly. Create smooth edges with a masonry chisel before constructing a wood framing unit to fit in the opening.

5. Build the framework to fit inside the steel door unit with 2-by-6-inch boards. Install the header board to fit even with the top of the door frame. Set the wooden framing into place and secure with lag anchors. Position the steel door framework inside of the wooden framing without attaching it. Add door jamb material to tighten the fit, if needed, before installing the steel door according to manufacturer’s directions.

6. Cut the wall framing of the temporary wall under the floor joists down with a circular saw or handsaw to avoid any jarring. Take down the wall. Be careful in tapping it out of place, so you will not affect any tile or hardwood flooring in a room above.

Tips & Warnings

• Buy a pre-case concrete stairwell enclosure to fit a door area below grade.

• Buy a steel door to install that is pre-hung in its framing. Select a door that will look appropriate from the home’s interior and exterior. Purchase a door with a small arched window in the upper part of the door, for example.

• You can rent a masonry saw from many home supply and hardware stores.

• Don’t buy a wooden door or a door with a large window space because you want the door to be very secure in a basement area.

References

• Concrete Doorway Cutting Service: Concrete Foundation Emergency Egress Door and Windows
• AskToolTalk: Cut an Opening in a Cinder Block Wall
• Boston Concrete Cutting

Resources

• Hometime How-To: Framing
• Finish a Basement: Wondering How to Frame a Door?
• Basement Questions: Basement Egress Doors