# Replacing a Door

Take out an old interior door and frame, then set, shim and trim a new prehung door, step by step

By Numa

Topic: Home & DIY

[Open the interactive Jig](https://ask.jig.com/j/m5A4oKjHa8IE)

## Guide

### 1. Replacing a Door

Inside the wall, wooden posts called studs frame a hole for the door\. The new door comes prehung: already fixed on its hinges inside its own frame\. Lying ready are the new door, trim, thin wooden wedges called shims, a level and a screwdriver\. Tap any part to see its name\.

A first door takes about an hour and a half\. It is a job for two people\.

### 2. 1 · Pry Off the Old Casing

Casing is the trim around the doorway that hides the gap between frame and wall\. Cut through the paint along its edges, then pry it off gently on both sides\.

### 3. 2 · Lift the Old Door Off

Tap the hinge pins up and out, bottom pin first\. Then lift the door away from its frame and set it aside\.

### 4. 3 · Pry Out the Old Frame

The frame, called the jamb, is nailed to the studs through the gap around it\. Pry it loose and pull it out\. Now you can see the bare opening: a header beam on top, and a pair of studs on each side\.

### 5. 4 · Set the New Door in Place

Keep the new door closed in its frame\. Tip the unit upright and push it into the opening until its edges line up with both faces of the wall\.

The opening is about 2 inches wider than the door, so there is room to adjust\.

### 6. 5 · Shim It Straight

Slide pairs of shims into the gap behind each hinge and on the latch side\. Each pair overlaps thin end to thick end, making a flat pad\. Adjust them until the level's bubble sits centred: the frame is plumb, perfectly upright\.

Aim for an even gap of about 1/8 inch between door and frame all round\.

### 7. 6 · Drive a Long Hinge Screw

Open the door\. Swap one short screw in the top hinge for a 3 inch screw\. It passes through the frame and shims and bites deep into the stud, so the heavy door cannot sag\.

### 8. 7 · Nail On the New Casing

Close the door\. Fit the new casing a little back from the frame's edge on both sides of the wall, and nail it to the frame and studs\. It covers the shims and the gap\.

### 9. Done

The new door swings freely and closes with an even gap all round\. A gap of about half an inch under the door lets air move between rooms\.