Adding a storm door to a home’s front door is always important for several different situations. It is also one of the most common and popular DIY projects. From our other learning article on how to install storm doors, we’ve listed the step-by-step guide for you, and part of that is to get the right measurement of your storm doors.
All the necessary steps must be taken to ensure a successful and hassle-free installation. The following steps will save you a lot of trouble during installation. It is necessary to follow the following steps with great care.
We also reviewed the best storm doors in the market. You can check that out before buying one for your home or office.
1. Take the Exact Dimensions
Any storm door you choose needs to fit with great precision into the available space in your home. There is no need to make any cuts when you already have a doorway available.
Height and width are the most important measurements to consider as accurately as possible.
The most cautious people always consider it important to measure the height or width two or more times to confirm the true space available. It avoids any measurement error, which would then be reflected in the installation’s difficulty. Even door frames tend to deform as houses settle over time.
Considering this aspect allows detection that the width at the bottom of the door frame may be different from the top’s width. To avoid these imperfections, measurements should be taken off the width at the top, bottom, and middle of the door.
The same should be done with height by taking measurements on the left, right, and middle of the door frame. It would be best to consider that measurements should be taken from where the storm door would be located and not where the main door is.
When considering this, you need to measure from the top to the bottom of the threshold. The brick molding where the storm door will be installed should be considered to measure the width from left to right. (1)
It means avoiding taking measurements inside the door jamb.
Once the person has taken all the measurements we have mentioned, the shortest height and narrowest width should be noted. These are exactly the measurements that the user needs to consider on their new storm door.
2. Detecting Obstructions
People should still wait to purchase the storm door as some additional checks need to be done. The most important thing is to make sure there is enough space to mount the door.
We recommend a surface area of one inch deep by one inch wide, complemented by a 90-degree angle. Even sufficient clearance can be achieved by measuring the brick molding on the door frame. This data is essential to avoid encountering imperfections and difficulties in the installation. (2)
Consider different imperfections that could easily increase the difficulty of the storm door installation. Some examples of obstacles are:
- Exterior lights
- Knobs or handles on the front door
- Mailboxes and doorbells
- Large house numbers
- Railings and pillars
- General decorative elements on the front porch
If you want to complete the storm door installation, you will need to move any of them. Otherwise, installing or using this door would be too difficult. If any items cannot be moved and are permanent, choosing the hinges’ side with the fewest obstacles is recommended.
3. Getting the Right Storm Door
Once you have considered the measurements on your next storm door, you can search for the most suitable option. People usually consider one of the seven sizes a storm door is typically made in.
It is one of the most important items for those who want to improve their home’s security and protection from harsh weather conditions. Considering the width, the standard sizes of storm doors are 32 inches and 36 inches.
There may be some manufacturers that make storm doors with specific dimensions. Some other options may provide a width of 30 inches or 34 inches. The normal height incorporated in these types of doors is usually somewhere near 8 feet in height.
Many manufacturers develop storm doors that incorporate a reversible design. Anyone can choose which side the new storm door will open on. Experts recommend that the new built-in storm door open the same way as the main one.
A storm door is also often built into the back entrance of the home and the main front entrance. People can perform some very simple steps for either of these procedures as a do-it-yourself project. This procedure is usually a popular choice for those who want to save some labor costs.
Anyone can install a storm door. It is really necessary to follow the right steps to be able to avoid all kinds of mistakes. After getting the proper measurements, you will get the best storm door for your home.
Wrapping Up
A storm door is often the most appropriate choice for incorporating more specific functionality into the main entrance. There is no single specific design for storm doors. We can also find many designs in storm doors adaptable to different seasons of the year.
Some may be more adaptable to the summer, while others offer a little more insulation in the cold winter.
Taking measurements with a high level of precision allows for eliminating possible obstacles that people later encounter in the installation procedure. That is why it is important to consider the measurements and possible obstacles.
If you decide not to replace it, here’s another learning article that might be helpful for you. This one helps you how clean old aluminum storm doors and save money in the end. Until next time!
References
(1) threshold – https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327036213_Threshold_Approaches_to_Architectural_Design_Studio
(2) 90-degree angle – https://www.dummies.com/education/math/geometry/measuring-and-making-angles/
