
French doors upgrade your space and fill it with natural light. Use this guide so that you can accurately budget the cost to install French doors.
Don’t be intimidated; this project is easier than you might think
There are a number of reasons you might need to remove an interior door in your home, like replacing carpet, painting or staining the door, or replacing it with a new one. Removing a door is much easier than it might seem at first and only requires a few tools, some patience, and a bit of time. Here’s how to remove a door without damage or injury.
Removing a door can usually be a one-person job, but if you’re working with a solid, heavy door or aren’t confident in your own ability to handle the door's weight by yourself, enlist the help of another person to lighten the load.
When removing a door, keeping it closed and latched will take the weight off the hinges as you work. It's important to stabilize the door in place until you're ready to move it. To do this, place an object underneath the door. Consider something like a shim, wooden wedge, or air wedge.
In some cases, you may find that your hinges have been painted over. Paint may make it difficult to separate the hinges once the pins are removed, so use your utility knife to cut away any paint between hinge sections.
Starting with the bottom hinge, remove each door hinge pin by placing a large nail at the bottom of the pin and gently tapping the nail with a hammer until the pin starts to come out at the top of the hinge. When the pin has about an inch or so showing at the top of the hinge, you can remove it.
Some pins can be pulled out by hand, but for more stubborn ones, place the head of your screwdriver under the head of the pin and gently tap the screwdriver with your hammer until the pin comes loose. Repeat this for each hinge and set the pins aside so you can find them easily when it’s time to put the door back.
Before removing the door from the hinges, slide a piece of cardboard underneath to ensure your floors aren’t damaged.
Open the door a few inches, and with one hand on the doorknob and one under the top hinge, pull the door slightly to the side to separate the hinges and back it out of the doorway. If the door is too heavy, use a pry bar underneath to relieve some of the weight and try again.
DIYing your door removal will keep the task cost-effective, but if you aren’t confident that you’ll be able to do it, a local handyperson can handle this kind of job. The cost to hire a handyperson averages between $40 to $140 an hour. If you’re looking to replace the door or if you need a new door frame, a door installation contractor near you can take on the whole job from beginning to end. The cost of an interior door installation can range from $350 to $1,200.
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
French doors upgrade your space and fill it with natural light. Use this guide so that you can accurately budget the cost to install French doors.
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