Framing An Exterior Door New Construction

Determine the size of the door opening.

Framing an exterior door new construction.

Measure your door carefully and cut the opening to fit using a reciprocating saw. Consult the door manufacturer s instructions for the correct width and height of the rough opening you will frame. With a utility knife cut the vertical lines you have drawn to remove the sheetrock wall. Your header size is determined by the load it carries.

Mark studs that land between window or door trimmers with a c to indicate cripples rather than full height studs. If you are building a new bearing wall or cutting in a new doorway be sure to check your local building code span charts or consult an engineer to properly size the header. Learn how to frame a wall and avoid common framing errors with these pro tips on framing a wall. By looking at an existing door s bottom in relation to the house s siding you can tell how high the stairway will need to be.

Measure the door you would like to install so you can get the right measurement for the studs plates and headers you will be using for framing the exterior door. The new frame will support the structural load of the wall when the existing supports have been removed. The cripple studs which transfer the wall load from the top plate to the door header. So your jack stud should be cut at 81 for a 6 8 tall door.

If you re building a new partition wall that includes interior doors you ll need learn how to frame a door opening properly save yourself time and money by purchasing the prehung door you want to install before you begin framing. The parts that come together to form a door frame include. Before framing for a new door you should also determine what sort of stairway you will need outside. The size of the door opening will vary depending on the size of the door you plan to install.

Build a new door frame following the diagram here. A typical door opening is 2 inches 5 1 cm wider than the door size being installed to allow for the thickness of the jamb material and shims to plumb the jamb. That way you can be sure the opening is wide enough.