Basement Doors

Consumer Basement Door Information

Find out how your contractor will put in your new Cellar Door.

Basement Door Installation

While it is possible to purchase a basement door and follow the instructions included with it to install it yourself, it is highlight recommended that you proceed with a trained professional. These steps should only serve as a guideline for what your contractor will do when removing your old basement door and installing your new one. They should not be considered as a complete guide for doing the work yourself.

  1. As might be expected, wooden basement doors are easier to remove than metal ones. Metal doors will have heavier rivets holding them in place and will require more work to remove them. Often, with old basement doors, rust or rotting makes the removal of rivets difficult. Therefore, a grinder or saw might be necessary to totally remove them.
  2. The hinges and rods that hold the doors to the frame are removed, as are the doors themselves.
  3. The frame of the old basement door is removed from the concrete or brick foundation around your stairs.
  4. Any wood flashing that kept your old basement door even with the foundation will probably need to be removed, to ensure a perfect fit for your new door and because the wood is probably rotten or corroded.
  5. Now that the old door and frame is completely removed, fitting for the new door and frame must begin. Measurements are taken, and some shingles or siding from your house might need to be removed to guarantee a weather tight fit.
  6. Once the foundation has been completely prepared for the frame to be put in place, sealant is applied to the area where the frame will be installed.
  7. The frame is set in place on the sealant, screwed in, and set with more sealant on its outside where it meets the foundation.
  8. Lubricant is sprayed onto the sealant while it is setting, which allows it to be smoothed and shaped by hand to minimize how much it sticks out. Foam insulation can also be sprayed in the stairwell (or areaway) and later trimmed for further protection.
  9. Sealant is applied to the head of the frame where it meets the house.
  10. The doors, which have been assembled with hinges and rods separately, are now screwed into the frame. If you have purchased a steel door and it has not been already, you will want to paint it at this point.
CONTINUE READING - COMPONENTS

After you’ve installed a new basement door, you might consider making sure that your garage door is in good shape.