Clean floor area around the door opening. If necessary, scrape off mortar or plaster spills. Double check your rough opening dimensions. Make sure your rough opening is plumb, level, and square. Apply a generous amount of caulk on the sill plate (Figure 1) and to the backside of the brickmould on your prehung unit. This will eliminate air or water infiltration around the prehung unit.

Remove the shipping nails or brackets. (Figure 2) Set the sill into the rough opening, center frame into opening and tip the unit into place. (Figure 3) Open door and plumb the hinge side with a 6' level. (Figure 4) Place shims behind the top hinge and tack the unit into place by removing one hinge screw in the top hinge and installing a 2 ½" drywall screw through the top hinge and into the rough opening. (Figure 5) We recommend the use of screws when installing your prehung unit. Screws allow you the opportunity for easy removal if adjustments need to be made.
WARNING: Door units are heavy! Use an adequate number of people to set unit to prevent injuries and damage to door.

Moving the door frame as little as possible, carefully close the door unit. Once the door is closed, begin shimming the door unit. Place shims behind the middle and lower hinge locations and each of the three corresponding strike locations. (Figure 6) Shim the door unit until the margin between the door and the head jamb is even and the margin between the door and the strike jamb is even.

Open the door carefully and re-check for plumb. Finish screwing the hinge jamb into place by removing one screw from the middle and bottom hinge and installing a 2 ½" drywall screw into those hinges at the shim locations into the rough opening. (Figure 4)

Re-check plumb on the lock jamb. Install one 2 ½" drywall screw at the three corresponding shim locations along the lock jamb into the rough opening. Fold back weatherstrip to conceal the screw head. (Figure 7) The screw hole can be filled for a more finished look.

If your prehung unit has an adjustable sill, it will need to be adjusted. Using a #3 Phillips screw driver, adjust the set screws on the top of the sill crown to allow your door to operate properly. (Figure 8) Make sure you have equal clearance between the sill and the bottom of the door across the width of the unit. Too little clearance will reduce the life of the sweep. (Figure 9)

It is very important that you finish your prehung unit properly. To insure maximum efficiency of your prehung unit, please caulk at the following locations:

• Where your brickmould contacts the exterior wall.
• Where your brickmould contacts the frame.
• Where your frame and sill make contact. (Figure 10)
• At the nose of the sill where it makes contact with the sill plate.

Check to see that the corner seals are in place. (Figure 10) If they have been removed during finishing, please make sure they have been replaced.

Remove all dust and debris from the surface of the door. Lightly sand the door surface with a fine sandpaper. Wash the door with a mild detergent and rinse very well. Allow the door to completely dry. Apply a finishing coat of a high quality latex paint. Carefully follow all paint manufacturer's preparation and finishing instructions. Do not paint weatherstrip. Do not close the door until the paint is dry completely. Please see door window for finishing instructions for window frame.

Make sure the prehung unit is installed plumb.
The most common installation error is not hanging your prehung unit plumb. This basically means that the lock-side frame and the hinge-side frame are twisted in the rough opening. The door must follow the plane of the hinge frame because of the three hinges holding the door to the frame. If the lock-side of the frame is not perfectly lined up with the hinge-side frame, the top or bottom of the door will appear to be extending into your home, giving the appearance of a warped door. You can check to see if your frame is twisted with a 6' level. Place your 6' level on the length of the hinge-side frame. Note where the bubble is lined up in the sight glass. Next, place the level on the length of the lock-side frame. Again, note the location of the bubble in the sight glass. If the bubble is not in the exact location between the level marks, it will be necessary to adjust your frame.

Check the door for warp.
The most accurate way to check a door for warp is with the string test. You will need a piece of medium to light gauge string. Take the string and wrap it over the top of the door. Pull the string tight to the bottom of the door. If your door is warped, it will show up as a gap between the string and the face of the door. Do not use levels. High line levels have a built in chamber that will give the door the appearance of being warped when it actually is not.

Has the unit been caulked?
Make sure that you have followed the installation instructions for finishing your prehung unit. Proper caulking of your prehung unit is critical for the proper performance of your unit. All joints must be caulked. Critical locations are under the sill, the backside of the brickmould, where your brickmould meets your siding, where your brickmould is attached to the frame, where your frame connects to the sill, and where the nose of the sill makes contact with your sill plate.

Is the weatherstrip in good condition?
Check to make sure that the weatherstripping runs the full length around the unit, making sure the door is making contact with the weatherstrip. If the weatherstripping is long enough but is not making contact, make sure that the weatherstrip is not pinched or damaged and is allowed to operate freely. Make sure that you have the corner seals in place. They will be located in the lower lock and hinge side of the frame.

If the unit has an adjustable sill, has it been adjusted?
If you have an adjustable sill, make sure that you have adjusted the sill properly. The clearance between the sill and the bottom of the door needs to stay consistent to the length of the door. Adjust the sill so that your door operates smoothly and is not difficult to open.

Is the door bottom sweep in good condition and making proper contact with the sill?
Inspect your door bottom sweep. Is the sweep centered and does it run the entire length of the door? Is the sweep damaged or worn? If the sweep is damaged or worn, make sure you have the two long screws applied in the top hinge to insure that the door will not sag in the frame.

Excessive gaps between the door and frame
Make sure that the prehung unit has been installed tightly. Check the corners of your door frame, make sure the joints are tight where the frame meets the sill and the header. If gaps appear, add shims at the top and bottom of your unit to close the gaps.