Get matched with top door pros in Marion, MI

Screen doors (sometimes called barrier doors) and security doors serve different primary functions. A screen door's main purpose is to allow airflow and keep pests out, featuring a lightweight frame and a mesh screen. A security door, however, is a heavy-duty structure designed to prevent unauthorized entry. Security doors are installed with permanent screws into the home's walls and are often equipped with deadbolts or other heavy-duty locking mechanisms for enhanced protection against intruders.

Yes, you can absolutely install an exterior door yourself, and installing a prehung exterior door requires few tools. However, exterior doors are heavy and bulky, and any mistakes during the installation process could have severe consequences, like a lack of security in your home, an increased risk of water getting in and causing damage, and an increased risk of pest infestation. It’s definitely possible to install an exterior door yourself, but it’s often a good idea to have a professional do it for you.

To build a standard size, six-panel door yourself, you’ll need four 2-foot by 6-foot boards, one 2-foot by 8-foot or 2-foot by 10-foot board, and a sheet of 3/4-inch, paint-grade plywood. The 2-foot by 6-foot boards will serve as your stiles, top rail, and horizontal and vertical mullions, and the wider board will serve as the bottom rail, which is usually wider than the other horizontal pieces. The plywood will serve as the panels, but you’ll need around five 1-foot by 6-foot boards to make your own panels if you want to stain the door rather than paint it.

No, exterior doors don’t need to be prehung, although choosing a door that is prehung makes the installation process far easier. Installing an exterior door that isn’t prehung requires carefully maneuvering the heavy door into place in your door frame, making sure it’s level and plumb on all sides, and then attaching the hinges so that they’re perfectly level and are affixed to the right part of your frame and door. Prehung exterior doors are far more DIY-friendly.