To prevent doors from falling over, do one at a time. Having someone nearby to hold the doors so they don’t fall is a good safety measure.
Glass doors can weight over 50 pounds (23 kg) each, so lift with your legs and keep the stress off your back. If you have trouble lifting the doors, have a partner help. Put the doors away in a safe place so you won’t trip on them while you work.
Some screen doors aren’t secured very tightly and come out without loosening the adjustment screws. Try lifting each screen and seeing if it comes out on its own before loosening the screws.
If you want to keep and reinstall the molding, then remove it gently. If you’ll be replacing the molding, then don’t worry about breaking it.
Some older installations may have nails instead of screws. In this case, use a prybar or hammer to pull them up. If you have a power drill, this job will be much easier. Set it to run in reverse to pull out screws.
If the track doesn’t budge when you pull it, you may have missed some screws or it’s secured with an adhesive. Go back and check for more screws, then pull harder to undo any adhesive. Some door tracks are also secured under the home siding. If the door won’t move, check here. If there are screws or nails under here, you’ll have to cut back the siding to remove the doors entirely.
Leave 1⁄4 inch (0. 64 cm) to 1⁄2 inch (1. 3 cm) between the frame and the doors so there’s room for them to fit. You can fill that space with caulk later on. You may be able to custom-order a door set that fits your frame if it’s an odd size. French doors come in premade kits or you can build them from scratch. For simplicity, purchase a premade kit.
Double check that your cut was correct before placing the pan down.
Some kits also instruct you to place the adhesive around the perimeter of the door instead of in 3 rows. Follow whichever directions you’re given. Check that the caulk you use is labeled “adhesive,” or it won’t bond well.
Use a roller or similar round object to roll across the pan and flatten it out further. Don’t delay in pressing the pan down as soon as you squeeze out the adhesive. It may start drying quickly.
This will be difficult if you’re alone. Have a partner help you carry and place the door. In premade kits, the doors usually come already attached to the frame. If they aren’t already attached, follow the product instructions for attaching them after you install the frame.
If the door frame doesn’t have pre-drilled holes, then drill the screw just behind the center of each hinge. [14] X Research source Check the hinges and make sure all the screws are tightened and that the frame of the door is square.
Remember that French doors have shoot bolts on the top and bottom. Don’t miss the bottom when you’re measuring.
Use this same process for the 3 other strike plates. There should be 4 total. Test the strike plates when you’re done. Close each door and engage the bolts. Make sure each bolt enters the hole you drilled.
Remember to seal the inside and outside section of the door. Openings on either side could lead to leaks.
If your kit doesn’t come with hardware, then purchase a kit from a local hardware store.
