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For most doors, you can use a 1-inch chisel to create the mortise for the strike plate. In addition, you can use a 3/4-inch chisel for more refined cuts and to clean up the edges of your mortise. The smaller tool is handy when squaring off the edges around the hole for your latch.

You will need to modify an existing door to use it as a barn door for a number of reasons. For example, a barn door sits on a track several inches off the ground. An existing panel door will hover above the ground. A door that is slightly wider than the door opening is also ideal for the barn style.

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.

An interior French door should last you anywhere between 30 and 50 years, while an exterior French door unit will last around 15 to 30 years on average. Exactly how long your French doors last depends on the quality of the materials you choose, with vinyl doors lasting far less time than fiberglass, metal, and clad-wood doors. Upgrading to shatterproof glass can also improve the lifespan of exterior French doors.