Interior door replacement

Replacing an interior door is more than hanging a new leaf. First the old door has to come out together with its frame, often set in mortar or a steel frame, and only then does the new one go in and get fitted to an opening that rarely matches the catalogue size. That is why a replacement usually takes longer than fitting a door in a new flat.

What door replacement covers

• taking off the leaf and removing the old frame, or deciding whether an old steel frame stays;
• checking the opening: width, height, wall thickness and plumb;
• setting the new frame in foam, hanging the door, fitting the lock and handle;
• adjusting the hinges and checking the gap under the door.

Where replacement gets complicated

In Polish blocks of flats from the 1970s and 80s, old doors sit in steel frames cast into the wall. The frame can be cut out, but then plaster breaks away around the opening and needs making good. More often an overlay frame is fitted over the steel one. The other common case is a non-standard opening: narrower, lower or out of square. It then has to be widened or fitted with an adjustable frame. The handyman can judge this from photos before you buy the door, which is well worth doing.

What to prepare

• the new door and frame from the same maker, in the right size and opening direction;
• the opening size with the architrave off, if possible;
• whether the old frame needs taking away;
• photos of the current door and frame in the job.

Common questions