How to Make an Opening for a Door

Wanting a door where there hasn't been one in the past? Here's the way to do it and keep the building structurally sound. This eHow is for a single-width interior or exterior door.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Drop Cloths
• Measuring Tapes
• Trash Cans
• Drop Cloths
• 2-by-4 Boards
• Decking Cap Screws
• Dust Masks
• Hammers
• Handsaws
• Multiuse Screws
• Reciprocating Saws
• Safety Glasses
• Variable-speed Drills
• Wood Chisels
• Safety Glasses
• Wood Chisels
• Hammers

Prepping the Existing Wall

1. Choose the site for your new door. Make sure that you won't run into obvious problems by doing a visual inspection of both sides of the wall and from the basement and attic to make sure there are no heating ducts or other hidden problems. If at all possible, avoid all known electrical and plumbing fixtures.

2. Mark out the dimensions for the door on the wall. Make sure that the opening you mark out is about 2 1/2 inches larger on each side (to allow for jack studs and shim space) and 5 inches taller (to allow for a header and shim space). See the glossary for definitions.

3. Turn off the electricity to this portion of the structure at the breaker or fuse box to protect you from accidental shock while working.

4. Cover floors with dropcloths or plastic sheeting and have trash containers ready to gather accumulated waste.

Stripping the Wall and Removing the Old Studding

5. Begin by very carefully removing the wall covering inside the borders of your layout. This works best by cutting and chipping away plaster or drywall by hand or using power tools. Be sure that you go slowly to avoid damage to any mechanical (electrical or plumbing) set-ups in the wall.

6. Remove all insulation and accumulated dirt and debris as you work.

7. Finish removing the covering from this marked out area. Work your way carefully around any plumbing or electrical wiring in the way.

8. Use a drill to make marker holes through the far wall, and then, on the outside of the far wall, pencil in lines to give you an exact guide as to where to begin removing wall covering.

9. Use the same technique to remove the wall covering on this side as with the first.

10. Determine at this point how advanced your skills are with electricity and plumbing. If you have any doubts at all, call in professional help to re-route anything in the way of your new door.

11. Take care of any problems with plumbing, electrical or any other obstacles within the perimeter of your door opening (either yourself or professionally).

12. Cut the old studs across the top at the same height as the opening using either a hand saw or power tool.

13. Pry each stud loose at the bottom of the wall and set the studs aside. (These can sometimes be used in the reconstruction process.)

14. Remove the bottom plate (the 2x4 or 2x6 that runs along the floor that all the studs sit on). This is accomplished by cutting on a line even with the sides of the opening and then prying the piece up from the floor (it will be nailed or screwed down). Depending on how thick the surrounding floor coverings are, you may have to do some chiseling to get the unwanted piece of plate out and not damage the surrounding floor with a saw.

Building the Opening

15. Make new full-length studs that will fit against the outside of the studs at each edge of your opening, if necessary. These can be wiggled into place and attached from inside the opening you have in the wall. (We suggest using 2½-inch decking screws and drilling with a screwdriver bit for this rough-in construction phase. It causes less vibration and possible damage to poorly secured wall coverings.)

16. Cut two pieces of 2x4 the same length as the width of your door opening. You will need to find something ½-inch thick to use as a spacer between the two pieces and then nail them together like a sandwich (2x4 - spacer - 2x4). Make sure all edges are even and flush. By using this spacer system, you make the dimensional width of the header the same as the width of a 2x4. This makes applying a new wall covering much easier.

17. Fit this header tightly against the bottom of the exposed studs that were just cut off. Secure it lightly in place so that you can get the measurements for your jack studs to fit under each end of the header. (Again, we suggest using 2½-inch decking screws and a screwdriver bit.)

18. Cut the jack studs to fit tightly between the floor and the bottom of the new header.

19. Wedge them in place and secure the new full studs to the header and the floor.

20. Attach the header to each of the cut studs above. The opening is now complete and ready to have the door installed and the drywall patch and finish work done to the wall.

Tips & Warnings

• Working with small sections of the wall at a time makes the mess easier to contain.
• In older houses, even after a close visual inspection, it's not uncommon to run into all kinds of obstacles inside walls: plumbing that is no longer in use, old duct work, brick walls covered over with plaster - to name a few. These can all be overcome and usually require a bit more demolition and re-enforcement.
• Once you have removed the old studs, move immediately to the next step of putting the new header in place.
• Use a dust mask and safety goggles during this phase of the operation for sure.
• Any opening wider than a single interior or exterior door requires you to follow additional safety guidelines!

[calderdale]

on 10/25/2008 I want to fit a standard interior door in place of my smaller door .how do i make the door opening bigger ,to accomodate the standard door.

[projectmgr]

on 8/13/2008 A 2x4 on edge header is insufficient, even for a single width door.If you are working in a roof supporting wall a double 2x10 on edge is required. If you are working under a gable end wall a double 2x8 on edge should be sufficient. Apply for your renovation permit and the building department will advise the minimum thickness of header/lintel.