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 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 the installation process. It is necessary to follow the following steps with great care.
We also made a review for the best storm doors in the market nowadays. 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 a great level of precision to the available space in your home. There is no need to make any cuts when you already have a doorway available.
Both height and width are the two 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 error in the measurements, 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 detecting 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 in the middle of the door.
The same should be done with height by taking measurements on the left side on the right side and in the middle part 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 located.
When considering this then 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, it is recommended to choose the hinges’ side with the fewest obstacles.
3. Getting the Right Storm Door
Once you have considered the measurements on your next storm door, you can go out in search of the most suitable option. People usually consider one of seven different sizes that a storm door is typically made in.
It is one of the most important items for those who want to improve the home’s security and protection from harsh weather conditions. The standard sizes of storm doors considering the width 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 should open the same way as the main door.
A storm door is also often built into the back entrance of the home and the main front entrance. There are some very simple steps for either of these procedures that people can perform 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.
Final Words
A storm door is often the most appropriate choice for incorporating more specific functionality into the main entrance. There is no single specific design in storm doors. We can also find many designs in storm doors that are adaptable to different seasons of the year.
Some may be more adaptable to the summer, while others may offer a little more insulation in the cold winter seasons.
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 very important to consider the measurements as well as the possible obstacles.
If in the end you decide not to replace, here’s another learning article which might be helpful for you. This one helps you on how to 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/
