– the procedure is troublesome and time-consuming. But with minimal skills in working with wood and necessary tools You can still handle the installation.
Not only the aesthetics, but also the strength of the structure depends on whether the door frame was installed correctly. But before you get started, you should familiarize yourself with the main parameters that you need to pay attention to during installation.
Construction plans
There are two mounting schemes door frame, which differ in the execution of cuts:
- to make a cut at an angle of 90ᵒ you need a saw with small teeth, accuracy and minimal knowledge of woodworking technology;
- for an angle of 45ᵒ you will need a miter box or miter saw.
The second mounting scheme is described below, as it is simpler to implement. Now - directly to the installation.
Stage 1. Door frame elements
First you should purchase the necessary design parts. Here is a list of all components:
- door leaf;
- self-tapping screws with dowels;
- a pair of vertical bars 2 m long;
- one horizontal block;
- wooden platbands;
- anchor bolts of the appropriate size;
- iron hanging bars;
- platbands;
- wedges of a size corresponding to the width of the opening between the block and the wall surface;
- polyurethane foam;
- foam spray gun.
Stage 2. Equipment
Installation will require a lot of tools and materials. Every owner should have some of them, the rest need to be bought or rented. So, For work you need to prepare:
Stage 3. Dismantling the old box
Preparation for installation often begins with dismantling the old door. This must be done in this sequence.
Step 1. First of all, the trim is removed and the door frame structure is disassembled. All this must be done very carefully so as not to damage the wall.
Step 2. Anchor bolts and other fasteners are unscrewed or, in extreme cases, cut down.
Step 3. The wall is checked for strength and, if required, further strengthened.
Pay attention! Do not neglect the strength of the wall, because the reliability and durability of the box directly depends on this. If strengthening is necessary, it is better to make reinforcement and finish the “problem” areas with cement mortar.
Stage 3. Installation of the door frame
Before starting, it is advisable to lay out all the components on the floor at a single level, having previously placed cardboard or other soft material. The structure can also be placed on two tables or four stools.
Step 1. Upon completion of the dismantling work, measurements of the resulting doorway are taken. It is important that the width and height of the structure are at least 5 cm less than the opening - this will allow the installation of spacer wedges.
Pay attention! The wedges must be 0.5 cm larger than the gaps, otherwise the fastening will not be strong enough.
Step 2. The ends of the bars are cut off with a miter box at an angle of 45ᵒ.
Step 3. Holes are made at the joints of the bars. The bars are tightened with self-tapping screws. When tightening, you need to be extremely careful, because if you overdo it, the wood may crack.
Bottom bars in modern designs not provided.
Step 4. Determine which side will be attached door hinges, after which their outlines are outlined. The door leaf is tried on and the presence of a small gap between the floor and the frame is checked. Using a chisel, prepare the fastening points door hinges. The hinges are screwed with self-tapping screws to the canvas and block.
Step 5. Where the box will be adjacent to the wall, hang the hanging strips with self-tapping screws. The bar of each frame is equal to the width of the wall, and the antennae extend 5-7 cm into the inner and outside. There should be two similar strips horizontally, and three vertically.
Next, the door frame (only without the leaf) is installed in the opening. Using a level and plumb line, the horizontal/verticality of the structure is checked. A spacer frame of the same size as the bar located on top is installed at the bottom.
The frame for the doorway is almost ready.
Step 6.
Step 7. All that remains is to secure the box with anchors. Through holes are made at equal intervals along the entire perimeter of the beam, and points for drilling the wall are marked in parallel. Then the wall is drilled with a hammer drill, and anchor bolts recessed into the block are inserted into the resulting holes. Fastenings are tightened wrench.
Step 8. At the end, the door leaf is hung, after which the axes are aligned. If everything is done correctly, the door will open and close easily. All the cracks are filled polyurethane foam.
Pay attention! The amount of foam needs to be controlled, because an insufficient amount will reduce the strength of the structure, and an excess can cause deformation of the box.
After this, platbands with pre-cut corners are installed. For fixation, small nails without heads are taken, all joints are covered with wax-based mastic.
Video - Assembling the door frame
Methods for fastening the box
If the width of the opening is greater than the width of the box, then instead of wood you can use jambs made of MDF - a building material used in recent years very popular. In this case, the fastening technology is almost the same as described above.
Various additional elements are used to increase the distance from the beam. Such items can be purchased at finished form in the store or pre-cut at the preparation stage. In most cases, MDF is used with a special trim strip located in the center. This strip is removed, and the required number of holes for anchors is made in the groove located under it. Then the groove is closed with a strip and a reliable and aesthetic design is obtained.
Door frame in a wooden house
Wood - excellent building material, the main disadvantage of which is subsidence after construction. For this reason, you need to know how to make a door frame in this case.
IN in this case there can only be two options.
- If the width of the opening corresponds to the size specified in the project, then grooves are made at the ends and timber is driven into them. A box is nailed to the beam (it is better not to nail it directly to the walls, because the notorious subsidence will continue).
- If the opening is not formed, the hole must be made slightly smaller than that specified in the project. In this case, the timber is made with a groove.
The sequence of actions should be as follows.
Step 1. First, the outline of the future opening is marked, using a building level and plumb line.
Step 2. Then the opening is cut out, the upper and lower parts are planed.
Step 3. The diameter of the log house is measured and the dimensions of the door frame jambs are determined from the resulting figure. Shoals are made from blocks.
Step 4. The decks are split into blocks and hewn.
Pay attention! It is not at all necessary that the profile of the jambs be rectangular - it can be, for example, trapezoidal.
Video - Door frame made of wood and MDF
And one last thing. During repair work the humidity in the room usually increases, which is very important, especially when assembling the door frame. After some time, the door, which was previously sitting tightly, begins to loosen. At the same time, many craftsmen also prefer to save on accessories. This is not necessary, because weak fastening usually causes the fragility of the door.
IN complete set door block includes canvas, box and hinges. It can be difficult to purchase a ready-made complete set, so there is nothing left to do but make a door frame with your own hands from profiled timber or entrust this task to specialists. The box, most often, has to be selected separately, and it is not a structure ready for installation, but several elements that need to be adjusted in accordance with the size of the opening, the necessary cuts made and assembled. It is not so easy to assemble a door frame with your own hands, so in addition to tools, it would be nice to have at least a little carpentry skill.
Wood 
MDF
The frame serves not only as a frame for the door leaf, but also as a load-bearing base. The strength of the entire structure and its durability depend on the quality of the material and installation of the product. The choice of material depends on the purpose of the door and the material of the leaf itself. Metal-plastic and metal doors usually delivered to fully equipped, therefore, we will consider only those cases when the manufacture of the door frame has to be done independently. As a rule, in this case we are talking about two types of material: wood and MDF.
- Natural wood has different densities and is graded into soft and hard. The cheapest and most popular product is pine, but when it comes to installation entrance doors, then you should focus on a harder and more expensive type of wood, for example, oak. It will ensure durability, strength and reliability of the structure.
- MDF is used exclusively for interior doors. If you are going to assemble a box from this material, you should treat all cut edges with nitro varnish to ensure protection from moisture.
Equipment and standard sizes
The door frame consists of several slats: two side, top and bottom, if the design includes a threshold. If the depth of the doorway exceeds the corresponding parameters of the timber, your kit must be supplemented with extensions that will increase the depth of the box.
Standard door block sizes vary in width and height. Parameter matching door leaf, block and opening, indicated in the table.
Do-it-yourself door frame assembly is carried out taking into account the following points:
- Between internal part There should be a technological gap of 3 mm wide between the frame and the door leaf around the entire perimeter.
- The gap between the wall and the top of the box must be at least 20 mm.
- The gap between the side planks and the wall is 10 mm from each side. When installing on polyurethane foam, it is necessary to increase the gap to at least 20 mm.
- The gap between the bottom of the sash and the frame or floor depends on the material and location of the structure. For dry rooms, these parameters can vary between 5–15 mm, for wet rooms, in order to ensure ventilation, - 50 mm.
Options for connecting structural elements
The main difficulty in assembling door frames is the process of connecting individual elements. The joining of horizontal and vertical strips of the product can be done in two ways:
- I washed it down at an angle of 45 degrees. This process is best done with a miter saw, but in the absence of one, a miter box will do.
- At a right angle of 90 degrees. To cut the workpiece you will need a saw with fine teeth.
The joining of the planks is carried out using tenon joints or galvanized self-tapping screws. The figure shows options for tenon joints, which clearly show how to assemble the door frame yourself to ensure high strength of the joints. 
When calculating the parameters of the length and width of the profile slats, it is necessary to take into account that the length of the tenon should be equal to the thickness of the box beam. Tenon connection provides sufficient strength to the finished structure, but if desired, additional reinforcement of the joints can be done with zinc-coated nails.
Door frame assembly process
Let's look at how to properly assemble a door frame . As a starting material, we will need profiled timber made of natural wood or MDF.
The box is assembled in the following order:
Step-by-step installation process
To secure assembled frame in the opening and install the doors with your own hands, you must perform the following steps:
Tip: Before foaming, you need to clean the surface from dust and moisten it with water from a spray bottle. These measures can significantly increase adhesion.
One more thing important condition To avoid disturbing the geometry of the frame during installation, use spacer wedges that correspond to the width of the box and are inserted across it.
The final stage of installing the frame and door is decorative design opening with platbands.
Sections of the article:
Usually, when the renovation is already completed, homeowners can only purchase and install interior doors. Some people trust the installation of the door block to professionals, while others are used to doing everything themselves. For both the first and second categories, we will tell you how to install a door without mistakes.
The installation process is not complicated, but painstaking - it is important to accurately align the door frame. However, if desired, any home craftsman can do the job.
Brief description of the technology
The installation is carried out sequentially and consists of several steps. At the first stage, you should measure the doorway and purchase a door block. Then you need to prepare the opening. After this, all the fittings are installed on the door - these are hinges and latches. Next, the box is assembled and additional strips are installed if necessary. Then the door is connected to the frame and placed in the opening. After this, all that remains is to fix the structure and install decorative elements.
If you don't know how to insert an interior door, experienced craftsmen They will share tips and show you the door installation process step by step - you just need to watch a specialized video that shows all the details. You can see it at the end of this article.
Necessary tool
To work you need a tool. First of all, a hammer and chisels. To take measurements, you should prepare a tape measure. If you are dismantling the old door, then you will need a crowbar. Also, it will not be superfluous to have a wort and a power tool - a drill or a hammer drill.
Preparing the opening
If after repair there is still old door it needs to be dismantled. To do this, it is recommended to use a crowbar - dismantling work should be carried out as carefully as possible. First of all, decorative elements are removed, then the canvas and box parts.
Often, during the construction of houses, builders cemented door frames - to dismantle them in this case, you need to work with a hammer.
To facilitate installation, it is recommended to prepare the slopes - they are leveled and plastered. The final stage preparatory work is cleaning - the site of future installation is cleaned of dirt and dust. If the apartment and the opening are new, then you can skip this stage and go straight to taking measurements.
Measurements
In order to choose the right door, it is advisable to know the parameters of the height and width of the opening; the size of the slope is of no small importance. Often, the edges of the opening are not very smooth, so measurements are taken at several points and the smallest one is selected.
Experts recommend that you take into account the gap between the door blocks and the opening. Before installing the door, the final floor covering must be completely laid. But if it doesn’t exist yet, then the dimensions include the height of the future covering - it is usually laid in the doorway.
Preparing the place for the lock and hinges
Before starting the process of assembling the box, the areas where the locks and hinges will be attached are marked and treated with a chisel. To do this, lay the door in a vertical position.
First of all, apply a lock to the canvas and use a pencil and tape measure to mark approximately 900 mm from the floor - this is standard height for most interior doors. The hinges should be installed 200 mm from the edges of the canvas. The loops are also attached, and the place under them is processed with a chisel. This must be done so that the loop and lock lie flush on the surface of the canvas. Next, using a drill, drill holes and screw in self-tapping screws.
The vertical stand is applied to the canvas so that there is a small gap of 2-3 mm. It should be between the horizontal crossbar on the frame and the door leaf. Next, mark the place where the hinges are attached to the box and also select a place for them.
Not everyone knows how to insert a door using technology and some of the subtleties of this process. Experts recommend treating the areas prepared for installation of the lock and hinges with protective varnish. With the help of a varnish coating, the wood will be reliably protected from moisture. Do not forget that interior doors are installed on two hinges, while entrance doors are installed on three.
Installation of locks and hinges
Now let's see how to insert a lock and hinges into an interior door. The locations for these fittings have already been selected - all that remains is to secure them. But this is only relevant for loops.
Installing a lock may require some effort from the technician. In order for the latch to fit correctly on the door leaf, it must be applied to the side surface of the door and the locations for handles, fittings and fastening points must be marked. Using the same chisel, the installation locations are again selected. Then, the lock is installed and screwed using self-tapping screws.
There is a small nuance here. When selecting a latch or lock, you need to take into account the width of the door frame. The hole for the lock should not be more deep than a third of the width of the bar. In any other case, the door leaf is simply deformed.
Door frame assembly
Before assembly, you need to measure the height vertical racks. Next, they are trimmed using a miter box. The horizontal beam is adjusted to the width of the door leaf.
Since assembling the door block requires a lot of free space, the process itself is best performed on the floor. To ensure that the finish of the box is not damaged during assembly, slats the length of the canvas are placed in the places where the racks will be laid.
The horizontal crossbar is applied to the racks. It is better to tap the places where the planks will be connected with a hammer - this will improve the connections. Next, the box is fixed using a screwdriver or screwdriver. Self-tapping screws are screwed into joints and corners.
Some door models are sold already completely assembled box. Installing doors of this type on your own turns into the simplest possible process - the frame is simply placed in doorway, and then fixed.
Installation and fastening of accessories
How to install a door correctly if the width of the door leaf is a couple of centimeters less than the slope? In your case, additional strips will help you. In some situations you can do without them, but in this case you will have to additionally “build up” the slopes. But this takes time, and in the process further exploitation chips appear, and, accordingly, dirt. Extras in this situation are the best and easiest way out of the situation.
As additional strips, door installation experts recommend using products that match the color of the door. Their thickness can vary - from 8 to 12 mm. When the extensions are fixed, they form something like a portal. Their edges coincide with the edge of the wall.
Installation of the planks is extremely simple. So, using a chisel in the box you need to select a quarter. Its size, depending on the additional strip, can be 10x10 or 8x8. This is done along the entire outer perimeter of the box. The slats must be cut exactly to the height of the box. The horizontal trim is also cut to the width of the box.
The installation of the elements is carried out after the box is installed in its place in the opening and fixed. Next, additional trim strips are mounted on the selected quarters and secured with dowels or self-tapping screws.
Installation of the box in the opening
So, after assembling the box is finished, it’s time to start installing it in the doorway. To do this, the block is inserted directly into the opening and fixed using wedges. Experts recommend inserting no more than 2-3 for each vertical post and 2 wedges for the top crossbar.
Then the box is aligned along the vertical and horizontal axis. The tilt adjustment process is easy to do by hitting the wedges with a hammer. After the door block fits perfectly, the frame is secured. Using a drill or hammer drill, a hole is drilled in the box and wall. Using dowels, the frame is installed in the opening.
Installation of the canvas
When the frame is level and secured, it's time to move on to installing the door leaf. First, the hinges are screwed onto the door. Most often, detachable hinges are offered for interior doors, which have a rod that can be removed or fixed in a hinge. One-piece hinges are also sold, but they are now practically not used.
If hinges with an embedded core are used, then everything is very simple - the canvas can be easily put on and removed from the box. To do this, you just need to carefully lift the door to a small height.
If it does not rise (and on some door models this is really not easy to do), then a one-piece type of hinges and a removable rod are used. To install these types of hinges, they are also secured with self-tapping screws on the frame, and then screwed to the door leaf. If the rod can be pulled out of the hinge, then it is simply removed and the blade is removed.
When the hinges are installed, you can proceed to hanging the canvas. It is better to perform this operation not on your own, but with someone’s help. One person will hold the canvas, the second will install permanent hinges or guide the canvas into place (if the hinge is collapsible).
When choosing hinges, you must remember the opening side, otherwise best case scenario you will have to replace them in the store, and at worst, lose time installing the hinges.
Fixing the door frame
The next step in how to install an interior door is to secure the frame. The gap that exists between the opening and the door frame is usually filled with polyurethane foam. This is done to fix the door block and increase sound and heat insulation. Polyurethane foam perfectly fills even the smallest defects, crevices and cracks. This material is easy to use and goes well with any type of surface.
Before filling the gap, you must close the box to prevent foam from getting on it. To do this, it can be covered with masking or construction tape, or film. If a little foam has already gotten onto the surface of the box, then while it is fresh it can easily be washed off with solvents or alcohol. If the foam has already hardened, then removing it in this state can be quite difficult - this is only possible mechanically, which entails inevitable scratches.
One of the properties of foam is that it can expand significantly in size. This must be taken into account when applying. Sometimes it happens that the door frame simply becomes deformed - this happens to those who do not know how to correctly insert the door frame and interior door. To prevent this from happening, cardboard spacers are usually used. They are installed between vertical posts. Thick cardboard can also be placed between the closed opening and the box.
To prevent distortions of the box, foam is applied in two stages. At the first stage, spot application. Then, after cooling, fill in whatever is left. Excess material is cut off sharp knife.
Next, all that remains is to install the trim and fittings. To do this, they are cut to the height of the box at an angle of 45° for horizontal and universal strips. Fastening can be done with nails or glue.
Here's how to install an interior door or any other door with your own hands. Our detailed instructions will help home handyman, and in the video you can watch the entire installation process from A to Z.
Doors, despite their apparent simplicity, are very demanding to install. The slightest mistake can lead to disastrous consequences. Incorrectly taken dimensions or cuts made will be impossible to correct, and you will have to do everything all over again using other materials. Cracks formed due to an erroneous sawing cannot be eliminated using sealant.
Even if this disguises external defects, the structure will not be strong due to a loose fit to the surface. As a result, the load on the bars increases significantly, and the service life of the door is reduced. In order to prevent such a situation, it is necessary to assemble the door frame with your own hands, strictly observing step by step instructions. It is important not only to perform all installation work correctly, but also to carry out all installation work very carefully and accurately.
The frame base must match the door parameters (width and height) in order to provide full coverage and support to the structure. An important nuance relative to the canvas is the purpose of the room for which it is intended. Because ventilation requirements will depend on this. In steam rooms and baths, doors must provide reliable thermal insulation, so the opening is sealed as tightly as possible.
The bathroom, on the contrary, needs to be well ventilated so as not to accumulate excess moisture and no mold appeared. Therefore, the gap between the frame and the door should be a little wider. And also required good ventilation for premises in which gas equipment is installed.
To ensure reliable protection to prevent heat leakage, a rectangular frame is constructed from four bars, which will serve as a frame for the door. The vertical posts will become hinged and recessed elements, and the transverse ones will become the upper support and threshold.
For free movement of the door leaf, the gap between the door and the posts should be about 3 mm. In cases where air flow into the room is necessary, the box is assembled from three bars, and a gap of about 10–15 mm is made at the threshold site. A standard distance of 3 mm is left along the vertical posts and the lintel.
The box with the threshold assembly is slightly higher than without it. The difference is about 20 mm. It is important to take this nuance into account so that you do not have to shorten the door. Because it is possible to adjust the canvas only if it is made of wood.
The gap between the door frame and the opening must be at least 10 mm on each side so that the structure can be easily installed and fixed.
Required Tools
The door frame can be installed with your own hands using various instruments, many owners have some of them, but what is missing will have to be rented or purchased.
- Miter box. A device that allows you to cut timber at different angles.
- Pencil, tape measure, construction tape.
- Acrylic paint on wood.
- Polyurethane foam for sealing the box.
- Chisel for making cuts for hinges.
- Hammer, drill, screwdriver.
- Nail puller, crowbar, hammer. For dismantling work.
- Miter saw, hacksaw and utility knife.
- Construction level.
Dismantling
If the doors are not installed in a new room, but the structure is replaced. Then you can install the door frame yourself only after the old one has been removed. The door frame is dismantled in the following order:
- The platbands are removed and the elements of the box are disassembled.
- Fasteners and anchor bolts are unscrewed.
- The strength of the opening is checked and, if necessary, it is strengthened.
It is worth disassembling the door frame very carefully so as not to damage anything and thereby increase the amount of installation work in the future. If it is necessary to replace the door frame, it is recommended to dismantle it in advance so that there is time to prepare the opening. It is almost impossible to remove the door frame without damaging it. Therefore, after removing old components, you will need to install new ones.
How to assemble a door frame?
The assembly diagram will help you make a door frame from blanks correctly.
The box must be enlarged with the help of extensions if the width of the wall is more than 70 mm, and platbands are installed on both sides.
If a door frame is being assembled from MDF, all fastening work must be carried out with preliminary drilling to prevent cracks and chips from forming on the product.
How to file a door frame at 45 degrees?
Elements with a round cross-section are sawn at an angle of 45◦. In order to make the correct cut, use a miter box or miter saw with a rotating table.
You can assemble door frames with your own hands without using special tools. In such cases, you can saw off the desired angle without a miter box, using a ruler and a protractor for marking.
During installation, the structure is secured using self-tapping screws, which are screwed in at an angle.
Assembling the box at an angle of 90 degrees
With this option, assembling the door frame is easy and quick.
- It is necessary to saw off the required size of the racks and the horizontal crossbar at a right angle.
- Select the extra part of the vestibule.
- Place the box elements on the floor, level them and secure them at the ends with self-tapping screws (2 each).
In order for all sides to remain parallel to the door frame, you can attach the door and check how it will stand in the opening. Connecting the door frame at 90 degrees is considered by specialists to be a fast installation technology.
Assembling a box with a threshold
There is no significant difference between installing door frames with and without a threshold. Thresholds have recently lost their relevance. But despite this, such a system has many fans. This is explained by the fact that it is stronger and more reliable than a structure without a lower cross bar. Such systems can withstand significant loads and are suitable for installing solid wooden doors. Thresholds are considered a prerequisite for bathrooms. Regardless of what type of design is chosen, assemble the box interior door every person can.
- Vertical and horizontal planks are prepared in advance.
- Cut at 45 or 90 degrees.
- The prepared elements are placed on a flat surface.
- The racks and crossbars are alternately fastened using self-tapping screws.
How to install a door frame correctly?
The door frame is installed after preliminary checking that it matches the dimensions of the opening in the wall.
- If everything is suitable, the door frame is installed in the opening.
- Using a hydraulic level, check the verticality of the racks and the horizontality of the crossbars.
- Wedges (about 15 pieces) are installed along the entire perimeter of the structure. Door frame spacers add strength.
- Make markings for attachment points. Holes are drilled along it on the bars and walls. Many experts attach the door frame to the wall in the places where the hinges and the lock strike plate are located. This allows you not to violate the integrity and appearance products.
- The door frame is fastened anchor bolts, which are inserted into the holes and tightened with a screwdriver or wrench (depending on the type of fastener). The structure should be fastened very carefully.
- Screw on the hinges and hang the canvas. At correct installation opening and closing the door will be easy.
- The gap between the block and the wall is filled with polyurethane foam.
The lock's metal plate is installed at different stages: during assembly or when the structure is already secured. The second method will be more correct and accurate.
- Cover the doors and mark the location of the tongue or magnet with a pencil.
- Chisel or feather drill make the required hole. It doesn't need to be too deep, the main thing is that the tongue fits and holds the door.
- A sample is made according to the size of the counterplate and installed, securing it with self-tapping screws. There is no need to mount the element very deeply, this will ruin the appearance.
- The gaps are filled with sealant.
What else is important to know?
Not every person will be able to install a door frame efficiently the first time. But don't despair. Because many flaws can be eliminated.
- If there is an unsightly seam, you can close the joint between the laminate and the door frame with a plinth or a special flexible threshold.
- If the box does not fit into the opening, then the racks and cross bars you can trim it a little.
- Platbands allow you to beautifully seal the gap between the door frame and the wall. If their width is not enough, you will have to plaster and decorate the gap.
- To install an interior door frame in concrete wall or made of brick, it is impossible to do without a hammer drill. If you are installing an MDF door frame first on the slats, use a drill to make holes and only then use a hammer drill.
- Attach the door frame to wooden wall much easier than other materials. In this case, a hammer drill for drilling holes is not useful. You just need to screw the door frame to the wall using anchors. The main thing to consider is that over time wooden buildings may cause significant shrinkage.
- To facilitate the installation process, special installation systems for door frames were created. Thanks to them, the structure can be placed in walls made of any material without using wedges and spacers. This kit includes fasteners hidden installation, detailed step-by-step instructions and diagrams. Using the system, even a beginner can insert a door frame.
Installing a door frame made of MDF is often considered as an alternative to installing a product made of natural wood. In principle, both of these options have a right to exist: both wood and a composite based on pressed fiber do their job quite well, so MDF is quite suitable for most structures.
However, the technology for installing such boxes has its own characteristics, and in the article I will talk about them, relying not only on the opinions of experts, but also on my own experience.
What kind of design is this?
Product Features
A door frame is a profile structure that is installed in the opening and serves as the basis for attaching door hinges, lock strike plates and other elements. The main function of the frame is to maintain the shape of the door so that the door leaf can move freely, so it is very important that the product has sufficient rigidity and stability.
Important!
Sometimes there are also frameless doors - designs in which the hinges are recessed directly into the opening using pins.
However, such a solution is implemented only in conditions of a shortage of free space, for example, when arranging toilets and bathrooms in standard apartments.
The standard material for making boxes is wooden beam, however, recently it has increasingly been replaced by MDF panels or composite options.
They are characterized by the following design:
- The product is based on strips of pressed cellulose fiber impregnated adhesive composition . This material is characterized by high density and significant homogeneity, which provides the necessary strength and density.
- When producing blanks for door frames, the strips are profiled, i.e. they are given the shape necessary for a tight fit of the door leaf.
- Apply to the surface of the material decorative coating , which not only provides the product with an attractive appearance, but also protects the base from contact with moisture.
Today on the market there are door frames with different types coatings:
| Decorative material | Peculiarities |
| Melamine paper | Paper-coated MDF belongs to the economy segment. When producing profiled parts, they are covered with thick paper with a pattern applied (sometimes with a texture), and then covered with several layers of protective varnish. Despite varnishing, products with a paper coating are not durable: when rubbed, the paper layer quickly loses its strength, and when wet, it swells and gradually degrades. |
| PVC film | Products laminated with PVC film occupy about 70% of the total market. They are characterized by an attractive appearance combined with good performance indicators: the film used for decoration is moisture resistant, and for a long time maintains the brightness of the shade. |
| Veneer | Veneer natural wood– the most expensive, but at the same time the most beautiful coating. Externally, such products are practically indistinguishable from those made from solid wood, but they do not last so long. The thing is that even high-quality glued veneer can peel off with regular moisture and temperature changes. |
It is also worth noting that in addition to door frames made only from MDF, there are also prefabricated options: their basis is a wooden beam, onto which a stamped profile part is attached.
I've used these parts a few times and I have to admit they are quite technical and the composite structure really strikes a balance between lightness and mechanical strength.
Pros and cons
Installation of an MDF door frame provides us with a whole series pros:
- The material is somewhat lighter than natural wood, therefore it is easier to work with, and the load on load-bearing structures he renders less.
- The homogeneous structure ensures the absence of delaminations and cracks, while the fasteners are held in MDF very well.
- The use of various technologies allows minimal costs imitate expensive types of wood: for example, the price of a veneered, and even more so laminated, oak or wenge version will be much lower than that of a solid wood product.
This solution also has disadvantages:
- Cheap MDF panels swell when exposed to moisture for a long time, which can lead to changes in the geometry of the doorway.
- If you make a mistake and choose a door frame that is too thin, the heavy leaf can cause it to deform.
- As I noted above, the decorative coating can peel off from the base, so the product must be used quite carefully.
Advice!
Unlike products made from MDF, boxes made from natural wood are quite easy to restore: the solid wood can always be sanded, returning it to its original beauty.
Well, almost pristine.
- Finally, the disadvantage is the more complex assembly of an MDF door frame: assembly of parts using mechanical fasteners must be carried out with preliminary drilling, then nails and screws will not cause cracking of thin panels.
And yet, the wide range of such parts and their affordable cost take their toll: even premium doors can be equipped with MDF frames, so we need to figure out how to install them correctly.
Installation technology
Tools and materials
The technology for installing MDF door frames is simple enough for even a novice craftsman to implement the project with his own hands.
To work we will need the following tools:
- MDF saw (hacksaw, reciprocating or circular saw);
- perforator;
- drill;
- screwdriver;
- level;
- plumb line;
- roulette;
- hammer;
In addition to the door frame blanks themselves, you will also need other materials:
- anchor dowels with metal or plastic sleeves;
- self-tapping screws;
- wooden beams for making wedges;
- self-expanding polyurethane foam.
In addition, to restore the geometry of the opening itself it may be necessary cement mortar, but this must be determined locally.
Box assembly
In order for the structure to be sufficiently stable, we need to mount it ourselves without errors. I will tell you how to properly assemble a door frame from MDF in this section.
The main requirement for the box in which the canvas will be located is rectangularity. That is why we need to perform all operations on a perfectly flat, stable surface - for example, on a floor covered with a tarpaulin or non-woven material.
We carry out the work in this way:
- We lay the door leaf on the floor.
- On the sides of the door we place blanks for the vertical posts of the box.
- We cut the workpieces in height, leaving a gap of 2-3 mm at the top and 2-3 mm at the bottom above the threshold.
Important!
If the presence of a threshold is not provided, then we make a gap from the floor of about 12-13 mm: the gap in the lower part will not only provide ventilation, but will also allow us to open the door without catching the door flooring, carpets, etc.
- We also cut the top bar of the box to width, making the side gap also about 3 mm.
You can do this in three ways:
- The first method is tenon connection. It is the most labor-intensive, in addition, it requires a milling cutter, but the strength of the joint increases significantly. Before assembling the door frame from MDF, we cut out tongues and grooves at the ends of the parts, allowing the slats to fit closely to each other. We assemble the frame of the future door using glue, further strengthening the assembly with self-tapping screws passed through.
- The second installation method is docking at an angle. We place the MDF panels to be joined in a miter box and cut them at 450. We apply the parts to each other, adjust them by cutting off thin layers of material with a breadboard knife, and then fasten them with self-tapping screws, also screwing them in at an angle. You can also glue the joint, but the glue here plays a supporting role.
Advice!
As in the case of a tenon joint, you need to remember that when attaching a vertical and horizontal part, the linear dimensions of the box will be reduced by the thickness of the panel.
Therefore, during the initial fitting it is worth laying down the necessary reserve.
- The easiest way is to join the parts at right angles. To do this, we place the horizontal strip at the ends of the vertical posts (if necessary, you can cut out part of the protruding rebate), align it and secure it with one or two through screws. To avoid cracking of the MDF, it is worth drilling several holes using a drill whose diameter will be approximately 2 mm less than the diameter of the fastener.
After assembling the box, it is advisable to check the perpendicularity of its parts.
Door hinges
I usually perform the operation according to this scheme:
- First, I determine the location of the hinges, taking into account the direction in which the door opens. To do this, I either apply a canvas with loops already attached and apply markings, or measure 20 cm from above and below, and draw lines in accordance with the width of the support plates.
Important!
For interior doors, two fastening points are sufficient, while for the entrance structure, three or even four hinges may be needed.
- Using a sharp knife, I make cuts along the marked lines to a depth of 2-3 mm.
- Using a sharp chisel and a carpenter's hammer, I make a cut, the depth of which corresponds to the thickness of the hinge support plate.
- I carefully level the bottom of the sample with coarse sandpaper.
- I apply the loop to the sample and put marks on the box opposite each mounting hole.
- I drill the starting sockets according to the marks, and then fix the loop with self-tapping screws, tightening them with a screwdriver and “pulling out” with a Phillips screwdriver.
Sometimes doors are equipped with permanent hinges. In this case, the parts are installed on the canvas and attached to the box at the time of hanging. However, I don’t really like this design, so I prefer the classic version.
Installation of the box in the opening
The installation process itself takes a minimum of time - at least compared to preparatory operations. There are several installation methods, some of which involve the use of special steel hangers.
I do something like this:
- I clean the doorway of protruding elements (old fasteners, remnants of plaster, etc.). If necessary, I repair it using cement mortar.
- I insert the assembled box into the opening and align it horizontally, vertically and plane.
- I fill the gap with self-expanding foam, trying not to leave any voids.
- If this is necessary, then under the hinge support bars and under the lock's counter plate I drill holes through which I screw several anchors that rigidly secure the box in the opening.
- I hang the doors on their hinges, check that they move freely, and close them until the foam is completely polymerized.
Control of correct wedging
Important!
If the rebate of the box is made in the form of a removable strip, then in the groove for the rebate I drill holes in increments of about 40 cm and also fasten it.
In parallel with the installation of the door frame or after completing this operation, you can also install slope strips - the so-called extensions. Together with the platbands, these elements will completely cover the installation gap, masking the fasteners and the layer of heat-insulating material.
Conclusion
Assembling a door frame from MDF, as well as installing it in a doorway, is not so much difficult as labor-intensive processes. The result largely depends on the accuracy of the master and on taking into account all the nuances, so before taking up the saw, it is worth studying the video in this article. If you still have questions after watching, you can ask them in the comments to the material.
