How to install a steel front door

Installer correctement une porte d’entrée extérieure en acier est nécessaire pour garantir la protection et l’efficacité énergétique de votre maison. Avec son cadre intérieur renforcé en aluminium extrudé, la porte en acier GIT offre une durabilité exceptionnelle et une sécurité renforcée par rapport à tous les autres types de portes sur le marché.

This guide will take you through all the steps required for installation, to help you complete this task simply and effectively.

Step 1: Inspect the door

Inspection

Following delivery and before beginning installation, take the time to carefully inspect your new steel door. Make sure no damage, such as dents, scratches or deformations, has occurred during shipping and handling. To ensure a successful, durable installation, an intact door is essential.

Step 2: Prepare the opening

Frame the opening

The dimensions of the rough opening must be one inch wider on either side and one inch higher than those of the door and frame. That extra space will allow you to add insulation and optimize adjustments.

With a tape measure, calculate the height and width of the opening in several places. This way, you can check that the opening is uniform, with no major variations that could lead to problems during installation.

Clean the opening

Next, it’s very important to clean the rough opening: remove all debris, dust and residue that could prevent a proper fit and installation. A clean, dry opening will help ensure that the door fits perfectly and operates properly.

Step 3: Prepare the door

Add shims

Before fitting the steel door into the opening, you’ll need to support it by inserting shims. Position shims at the bottom of the frame to keep the door in place during installation. The shims will also create the necessary space to add insulation around the door.

Assurez-vous que les cales sont correctement positionnées et suffisamment solides pour supporter le poids de la porte sans se déplacer. Cela facilitera les ajustements de niveau et garantira une installation stable et sécurisée.

Step 4: Install the door

Fit the door into the opening

With preparation now complete, it’s time to fit the steel door into the opening. Centre the door so that it will not move during installation. Make sure the door is plumb (vertical) and perfectly centred in the opening.

Use a bubble level to check that the door is perfectly level (horizontal) and plumb (vertical). This adjustment will help ensure that the door operates properly for a long time. Adjust the bottom shims until the door is perfectly level.

Once the door is set (properly positioned), secure the frame in place using three screws on each side. (Important: never screw the frame into the door head or sill.) Next, tighten the screws so that the door hangs firmly in place but any necessary adjustments are still possible.

Step 5: Fasten and adjust

Seal sidelights/transom

If your steel door includes sidelights or a transom, these need to be properly secured. Apply silicone sealant between the glass and frame: this will prevent air and water infiltration while holding the sidelight/transom firmly in place. Make sure to apply a uniform bead of sealant for optimum air and water tightness.

Reinforce around the handle

Strengthen the area around the door handle and lock by using shims. Place shims close to where the handle is to ensure greater stability and keep the door from moving over time. This will help ensure the door operates smoothly and securely.

Solidify the top hinge

The topmost hinge has to support a lot of the door’s weight, especially if it is heavy (e.g., because of a glass insert). Replace one of the supplied screws with a four-inch screw ensure that this hinge is firmly attached: this will help the door remain in place and keep it from sagging over time.

Insulate

Adding enough insulation is essential to ensure optimum energy efficiency and airtightness. Fill the gaps between the door frame and the opening with expansion foam (take care not to overfill, as this could warp the frame). Once the foam is dry, trim off any excess with a utility knife to leave a flat surface.

Step 6: Complete the outdoor finishing

Installation du flashing (solins)

Pour compléter l’installation de votre porte en acier, il est essentiel de poser un flashing de finition autour de la porte. Le flashing, généralement en aluminium plié, assure une protection supplémentaire contre les intempéries et améliore l’apparence de l’installation.

Placez le flashing sur le cadre extérieur, en veillant à ce qu’il couvre bien les bords pour empêcher l’eau et l’air de s’infiltrer. Une fois en place, fixez le flashing en utilisant des clous de finition. Clouez dans les quatre coins pour maintenir le flashing bien en place, tout en veillant à ce que les clous soient discrets et ne nuisent pas à l’esthétique.

This exterior finishing will not only provide better protection for your door, but also ensure a polished, professional look.

Why you should choose the experts at GIT to install your steel front door

Installing a front door may seem like a simple process, but it often involves intricacies that require an expert’s eye. That’s why we highly recommend entrusting the job of installing your steel front door to our team. The benefits are many and clear:

• Expertise certifiée : Les installateurs de GIT sont des professionnels certifiés qui maîtrisent les subtilités des produits qu’ils installent. Cela garantit une installation impeccable et durable.
• Adaptation précise : Chaque porte nécessite une approche sur mesure, surtout lors de rénovations complexes. Les experts de GIT évaluent et adaptent le projet pour assurer la meilleure installation possible.
• Garantie de 10 ans : Les portes en acier GIT sont garanties 10 ans à partir de la date de facturation contre tout défaut de matériel et de fabrication. Cette garantie couvre les déformations majeures, telles que l’affaissement, le gonflement, la torsion et les perforations dues à la corrosion. De plus, GIT garantit l’isolation effectuée lors de l’installation ainsi que la finition intérieure et extérieure des fenêtres et portes-fenêtres pour une période de 10 ans, à l’exception des joints de scellant extérieur. La peinture est également garantie pendant 10 ans.

Here is the 6-step installation process by our experts:

1. Mesures précises : Un technicien GIT effectue les mesures des portes à remplacer.
2. Livraison assurée : Vos nouvelles portes sont livrées chez vous à la date convenue.
3. Retrait des anciennes portes : Nos installateurs retirent vos anciennes portes avec soin et s’occupent de leur élimination.
4. Installation des nouvelles portes : L’équipe installe vos portes en garantissant un alignement précis et une isolation parfaite.
5. Finitions détaillées : Les finitions intérieures et extérieures sont réalisées avec minutie selon vos spécifications pour un résultat parfait.
6. Nettoyage du site : Notre équipe laisse les lieux impeccables après l’installation, vous assurant ainsi un espace propre et confortable.

Preparing the site for installation by GIT

To help the work go smoothly, here are a few tips for preparing the site before our installers arrive.

1. Remove vehicles from your driveway
2. Move furniture and accessories that are near the work area, like blinds, curtains, rugs, carpets, framed art, decorative objects and so on.
3. Make sure there is at least 4 feet of clearance in front of the door(s) to be replaced.
4. If need be, clear snow to ensure a pathway to your door(s), including basement openings if necessary.
5. Remove any air conditioner units from doors to be replaced.
6. Remove any security bars/grates covering doors to be replaced.
7. If you have a pet that could run away, have someone watch it, or make sure to keep an eye on it at all times.
8. If need be, clear snow from paths, driveways and balconies.
9. Give our installers a number where they can reach you any time, if you can’t be home during the work.

Note

You are responsible for contacting your municipality to obtain parking, sidewalk closure or alleyway closure permits, depending on the nature of the work. If the installation requires work at height using special tools, please inform your municipality of this as well, to comply with their requirements.

You must make sure the work site is safely laid out so that we can deliver and install the door(s). Ensure that there will be parking spaces available over a length of 65 feet in front of your property.

En cas de besoin, nous pouvons vous fournir des affiches de signalisation d’interdiction de stationner. Si vous ne pouvez pas utiliser vos véhicules personnels pour réserver le stationnement, faites-nous-en la demande par courriel à l’adresse installation@git.ca.

Installing a steel front door: last word

If you’re an experienced DIYer, installing a steel front door can be a manageable project—as long as you follow the steps to the letter to ensure long-lasting results and trouble-free operation.

From roughing the opening to setting the door and frame, making adjustments and applying the exterior finishing, each step is crucial.

But if you’d rather avoid any potential hassles and be sure of a flawless installation, we strongly recommend calling on a certified GIT installer. Our experts have the necessary experience and skills to install your steel front door efficiently and safety—and the peace of mind you’ll enjoy in return will be as strong as one of our doors!

N’hésitez pas à demander une soumission gratuite pour vos portes ou à nous contacter pour toutes questions!