How to Replace an Entry Door Without Replacing the Door Jam

Remove the hinge pins to slide the door out of place.

Entry doors come in all types of designs and are made of various materials. Some reasons for replacing a door might be that you are tired of your door style, decide to install a more secure door, or need to replace a damaged one. No matter the reason, it is a fairly simple task to switch out a door as long as you aren't replacing the frame. Home improvement stores typically have a large selection of exterior doors from which to choose.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Shims
• Pencil
• Chisel

Instructions

1. Mark where the bottom of the door sits on the door frame. Remove the hinge pins that hold the door in place and slide the door out.

2. Remove the half of the hinge that is on the door with a screwdriver.

3. Buy a new door at a home improvement store. Measure the old door so you know what size to get.

4. Place the door in the door frame and use shims to adjust the height so the bottom of the door lines up with the mark you made in the beginning.

5. Look at the hinge half attached to the frame and draw a line on the door where the top and bottom of the hinge is located.

6. Pull the door back out and lay it down. Put the hinge halves up to the side edge of the door and position them up with the lines you just drew. Mark where the screws should be.

7. Screw the hinges in place with the screws you removed from the old door.

8. Slide the door in place in the frame and put the hinge pins back in to secure the door.

Tips & Warnings

• Depending on the type of door you use, you might need to chisel out the area where the hinges sit on the door. If this is the case, once you determine where the hinges go, hold them in place and outline them with a pencil. You then can chisel out the area.

References

• "Telegraph": How to Hang a Door