Replacing Old Door Knobs

Most doors are fitted with hinges that serve a dual purpose of holding the door in place and opening it when needed. They do not undermine the charm of doorknobs. Initially doorknobs were raised mounds that allowed people to open and close doors without any inconvenience. A number of people are opting to replace old doorknobs with modern designs because they are fitted with a latching mechanism as well.

Since doorknobs offer a single contact point, it may be difficult for youngsters and elderly persons to operate them. For this reason, many families prefer to replace the old doorknobs with modern easy to operate hinges. These prove to be feasible to all family members. Some opt to replace old doorknobs because they may not match the contemporary home decor. When replacing old doorknobs it is important to hire professionals. An unskilled worker may cause the wood to crack while removing the doorknob. This can render the door useless and people may need to replace it entirely.

When replacing old doorknobs with new latching systems, it is important to fit the new systems in the same place as the old. This prevents people from identifying distinct carpentry work. It is advisable to check the value of old doorknobs before disposing them. These doorknobs may be highly valued antiques. Old doorknobs may also need to be replaced in case they lose traction. In such instances, they may not resume their initial grip, in spite of tightening the screws around the knob. This increases the risks of ripping apart a block of wood between the doorknobs on either side, due to the excessive force used to operate the door. In order to prevent such untoward events, it is advisable to replace the doorknobs before a faulty doorknob causes irreversible damages to the door.

Antique Door Knobs

An antique doorknob is a decorative item that gives a touch of royalty, beauty and elegance to the decor of a home. It gives a conventional charm to doors and cabinets. Antique doorknobs are ideal to give a room a new feel. The uniqueness and exotic nature of an antique doorknob makes it a magnificent item for modeling rooms and homes. It can offer an ideal finishing touch to any decorating project and can be used to attach wood board to a fabric valance. Many people even go around collecting antique door knobs; they either keep them for their own personal enjoyment or they try to sell them to other collectors as well as homeowners looking to get an antique feel to their home.

The variety in shapes and materials makes an antique door knob an extremely collectible item. Versatile finishes, styles and designs make it even more attractive. Antique doorknobs made of porcelain; crystal and glass with traditional and contemporary designs are in great demand. Melon shaped door knobs are known for their excellent design and shape. They win the heart of many customers.

Various kinds of antique doorknobs including brass doorknobs and aluminum doorknobs are in great demand among the collectors. Most antique doorknobs have a simple rustic design, and traditional doorknobs with American designs are reproduced in a diversity of shapes. Durability and quality of material are the main features of a fine antique doorknob. To meet the growing demands of customers, they are exported all over the world. Manufactures provide professional advice to customers in selection these knobs.

Door Awnings

Door awnings or canopies are protective roof-like coverings for doors of a building. Some types are made of canvas or strong waterproof synthetic fabrics mounted on a frame and are used for covering the door and walkway.

Many types and configurations of awnings and canopy structures are available in the market today. Retractable awnings that extend from the roof or face of the building provide weatherproof cover at doors and entryways and are typically made of canvas or vinyl. Similar awnings are also used to cover windows, storefront, or patios. Door and window awnings are available in several styles and sizes to accommodate different configurations. Latest door and window awnings incorporate a ?roll up? design, allowing easy manual retraction of the awning. Many companies manufacture door and window awnings in kit forms. A wide choice of different shades of high quality marine weave fabric is also available. These awning kits are quite easy to assemble and usually come with the necessary installation hardware and detailed instructions. The awning frames are made of extruded aluminum sections and offer a wide variety of shapes and sizes.

Metal awnings are usually permanently installed at the doors and windows of the house. The awnings allow opening, closing, and cleaning of the windows, while protecting window and door structure from the elements. They are usually bolted into the walls and calked around the wall interface to prevent water leakage. They are generally not removed from their fixed locations unless requiring replacement or repair. Copper or steel door and window awnings enhance the appearance of the building or the establishment while simultaneously protecting the structure against sun and rain. High quality door and window awnings can be custom made from multi-ribbed steel or copper sheets. Awnings protect the buildings and inside furnishings and also add style and class to the building itself.

If properly taken care of, stationary door awnings can provide years of undiminished maintenance-free service. When buying fabric awnings for home usage, it is better to make sure that they are most suitable for the local climate.

Installing Vinyl Replacement Sliding Glass Doors

Last week I told you how to remove your old sliding glass door in preparation for the installation of the vinyl replacement door. Let's go through the installation procedure for both the Retrofit style and replacement style frames.

Let's start with the retrofit frame. Like the retrofit window, the door will have a 2" lip flush with the outside edge of the frame. The difference between the retrofit window frame and the retrofit door frame is the absence of the lip on the bottom of the door due to the sill track. Your door will have the lip on both sides and across the top. The majority of the installation process is the same whether it's a retrofit frame or replacement frame. The first thing you want to do is check the floor for a level condition. If the base is not level, add shims to create a level base. This step is very important, because if you have a sloping bottom, the whole frame will be thrown out of square. You will have problems locking the door as well as air infiltration trouble. So, put down shims to make the base level. If possible, use one long shim to create a solid base for the weight of the door. Before setting the door in place, put down a bead of liquid nails from end to end, set the shims on top of the liquid nails, and run a generous bead of caulk on the outside face of the opening, where the retrofit lip is going to contact the exterior surface. Caulk the sides and the top.

Now set the door in place, being careful to lift the door and set the bottom track on top of the shims, rather than dragging the bottom. Obviously, this requires two people, one on each side. You tilt the top away from the opening as you set the bottom in place. Then, raise the top until the retrofit lip contacts the exterior surface where you applied the caulk. The reason I use liquid nails on the bottom rather than caulk is because I don't like to put screws in the bottom, and the liquid nails product is as good as screws when it dries. Have your helper hold the frame in place while you go inside to plumb and secure the door. Put a level on the jamb where the slider will lock. Plumb the jamb and install shims where you put your screws. You should put one about 6 inches from the top and one 6 inches from the bottom. A good quality door will have long screws shipped with the door that are replacements for the small screws holding the locking hardware to the jamb. Be sure to shim where these screws install. Now, if you leveled the bottom and plumbed the side, your top and opposite side should automatically be square. Put shims on the opposite jamb, and drive in your installation screws. Put 3 to 4 screws in the jamb. Then, run your tape measure from the top right corner to the bottom left corner. Write down that measurement. Measure from the opposite corners, and the measurement should be the same if your frame is square. Finally, put one screw in the top center You really don't need any more than one. You don't need to use shims since there won't be any load or torque on the top header. Just don't overtighten the screw, otherwise the frame will bow.

At this point you should have the frame installed in the opening with the fixed panel already glazed in from the factory. Here is where you want to install the sliding panel. It goes in from inside the house. Set it on the side and spray a generous amount of lubricant to the steel rollers to help them spin freely. Wipe away excess before putting the panel in. Remember to raise the top into the header as far as it will go, then swing the bottom over the lip and set it down on the track. If the bottom won't get over the bottom lip, you will have to adjust the bottom rollers to bring them up into the frame. You should see a hole on the side rail to insert a screwdriver and turn the adjustment screw counterclockwise to bring the rollers up and out of the way. After you set the rollers on the track, be sure to adjust them back down before sliding the door. Have your helper lift the side up while you turn the adjustment screw clockwise. Do both sides, then slide the door closed and check for equal daylight from top to bottom. If there is more daylight showing on top or bottom, adjust the rollers to bring the door panel plumb with the jamb. Adjust the lock. Each door should come with lock adjustment instructions. Install the screen door on the outside. Now seal the crack between the retrofit lip and the exterior surface. Go inside and fill the space between the frame and wall studs with R-13 insulation. The last step is trimming the inside. We sell vinyl trim pieces that are designed to trim the inside without having to paint, stain, or nail. You can see samples and prices for the trim at theshopping pageon the website.

Now, the replacement frame installation process is the same, except there is no retrofit lip. Therefore, when you put the frame into the opening, you have to plumb the side jambs from two places rather than one. In addition to plumbing the jamb left to right in the opening, you also have to plumb inside to outside because you don't have the retrofit lip to keep your frame aligned with the outside wall. Also, you need to apply trim to the exterior as well as the interior. You can use a basic vinyl flat trim for the outside, and that is available on the shopping page as well. Be sure to caulk the outside trim where it meets the surrounding surface.You just installed a vinyl sliding glass door. I will be on vacation next week, but the following week's article will deal with the best and safest way to install replacement windows on the second floor.

Finishing The Job - Finishing Door Frames

When renovating any area of the home, the finishing can be most common aspect of the job Interior Doors that is overlooked.

If the home owner himself / herself is installing a new door frame, they may be so frustrated with the high degree of precision to do it right that they may just paint the new door frame & jam and go on to some other project.

If the new door frame is installed by a contractor, well the contractor may not agree with the home owner's viewpoint on which party is going to take the time to properly finish the job. This is especially so if the contractor is not painting the new door frame.

What do we mean by finishing?

First, you need to make sure that the finishing nails which were used to attach the jam to the door frame are:

- actually sunk beneath the surface of the door jam, and

- covered with Wood Filler, the produce which looks and feels like caulking when it is first applied but unlike caulking dries to a hard finish.

Second, the Wood Filler applied to the holes in the jam caused by the finishing nails needs to be sanded to it properly blends into the surface of the door jam and will not be visible when the jam is painted.

Third, both upper corners where the two vertical jams meet the horizontal jam needs to be 'finished'. In this case one could use either the same Wood Filler or paintable caulking in sufficient quantity so it appears that there is actually one continuous door jam and not three.

Fourth, caulking needs to be applied to the following areas:

- either side of both vertical jams and the horizontal jam at the top of the door frame for the appearance that the jams are actually part of the door frame

- the upper corners of the door frame where the vertical frames on either side of the door opening meet the horizontal frame

Lastely, two coats of paint.

The above takes time.

How do you know when the job is finished? It's when no one notices.

How do you know when the job is not sufficiently finished? It's when it looks messy and not complete. It's also when your better half says "So, when are you going to finish the door frame?".