Pre-Hung Interior Doors

 

Written by: Roza Izrailova 

While looking for doors, you will find two completely different styles: slab doors and pre-hung doors. This difference mostly goes to light as you plan to buy and install the door by yourself, without calling repair people or installers. In fact, if you purchase not the proper door type, it will not suit your doorframe.

Prehung door – what does it mean? A pre-hung door is a door slab, which is already connected by hinges to a doorframe with three sides. Manufacturers usually sell it as a full and complete package. However, the purchaser can add some features and accessories later.

A prehung door is more expensive than a slab door that features a self-contained piece with a frame that can be installed in a prepared doorway.

Before selling, the pre-hung door is properly packaged and tightened to the frames. Usually, polyester tension straps used for packaging. Plastic spacers also prevent the doors from twisting and damaging in time of delivery. What is included What is not included Hinge(s) Shim(s) Slab Fastener(s) Framing Metal strike plate Mortises in the door Doorknob Hole for the knob Stain or paint (coating)

Prehung door installation is a demanding and difficult process. It is even more difficult with the entry pre-hung doors, as they need a precise tightness due to extreme weather conditions. Entry doors are usually heavy to transport, move, and install into the prepared doorframe. Usually, only retro exterior door models come in a format of a “pre-hung” door.

Important rule: you should not buy a prehung door if you already have a prepared doorframe with trim and casing. The exception can only be if you plan to remove it to the bare studs. Tip: during the installation of a prehung door, don’t unwrap the packaging materials, including tension straps, till the unit is already installed. We also recommend keeping the pre-hanging clips so the door does not open when you are installing it.

Advantages of pre-hung doors: The prehung option makes the newly installed unit work simple and quick. In case if the planned area for the door is exposed and open, you are going to find it simple for installing a prehung door. As its package is already complete – with its own frame. In case, you were considering a purchase of a slab door, you would need to complete all the framing work by yourself. While it is not really a difficult task, you will spend more time and effort for the entire project. 

Disadvantages: A prehung door can weigh from 40 to 120 lbs. So, they are heavy and difficult to manage. The prehung door with a hollow core – the lightest prehung door you can purchase. In case if the weight is not a problem for you, a prehung door is usually big and inconvenient to move. Usually, two workers are required to install such a unit. The other problem is the size of a transportation vehicle. You must have enough room to place a whole slab with framings. The installation process is simple itself, but it also can be difficult to position the door correctly.