How to replace this door? *pics*

[stickercut]

The door in my basement has seen better days, but I am a little confused as to how to replace it, due to the concrete someone has laid on the outside of it.

Some background (this door seems like a non-standard size?):

Actual Door Size: 34 3/4" x 78 1/2"
Rough Opening Size: 35" x 79 1/2"
Jamb Size: 7 1/4"

My options I have figured out:

1) Go to lowes and purchase a custom door (steel or fiberglass in a HIGH moisture area?), and simply bolt it into the existing frame?

2) Or - Remove 1 set of the 2 x 6's that's in the frame, giving me a more standard sized opening. (Is this possible?)

What to do about the concrete? Simply notch the new frame? It cannot be removed.

http://www.stickercutting.com/door1.jpg
http://www.stickercutting.com/door2.jpg
http://www.stickercutting.com/door3.jpg

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Nathan.

[FloridaOrange]

I would purchase a prehung door and frame, rough out the opening and notch the new frame.

[stickercut]

Would a prehung door be available in my opening size, or would it require me to remove some of the 2 x 6's? I also have a jamb size of 7 1/4".

I've done a lot of internet searching, and I don't want to quite go into lowes, as I know not many of them know what they are talking about around my neck of the woods.

[FloridaOrange]

I don't think the opening sizes were there when I typed my reply, or maybe they were...
I lifted this off of another page:

Door Size Rough Opening Size

2' 0" x 6'8" -26" x 82 3/4"

2' 2" x 6'8" -28" x 82 3/4"

2' 4" x 6'8" -30" x 82 3/4"

2' 6" x 6'8" -32" x 82 3/4"

2' 8" x 6'8" -34" x 82 3/4"

2' 10"x 6'8" -36" x 82 3/4"

3' 0" x 6'8" -38" x 82 3/4"


Looks like you're OK on width but you would have to shave the bottom of the door, easy to do if you have or have access to the right tools.

[FloridaOrange]

not many of them know what they are talking about around my neck of the woods.

That unfortunately isn't restricted to your neck of the woods.

[stickercut]

Anyone else with technical advice on how to go about this one?

I got the basics down, just looking for a little more edge on how to jump into it.

[Jeff1]

If you have time, tools and willing to take a risk, you could purchase a solid core wood door, cut to the size of the existing door, notch for hinges and drill out for the door nob based on the existing door. The door is a little more expensive but you can keep the frame if you like it. You could also replace the frame with custom (kits sold at the big box store) and hang the door with it.

[stickercut]

Wood isn't an option because it's so wet in this area (drainage issues with this room). Note how the existing door is warped and beat up from the moisture.

Does the jamb size throw a loop into this at all? I figured since the jamb is over 7" thick, this would cause an issue?

I thought originally that it would require a custom frame, which I didn't want to get into.

If I could find a jamb with a prehung door, that would be amazing, but are these made over 7" thick at the big box stores?

[jadnashua]

There's a limit on how much you can cut off the bottom of a typical door. Interior doors can be purchased shorter than exterior ones. Cut too much off of a door and you'll cut all of the reinforcement out and just have the exterior skin.

I wouldn't worry too much about the depth of the frame.

Fiberglass is probably a good choice, but you'll have problems with the frame (which would normally be wood).

I think I'd want to cut the pavement outside and maybe install a drain outside the doorway to keep water from flowing in. If you made a ramp that went out a ways, you'd remove the trip hazard and could slope it away from the door as well with a strip drain with maybe a drywell underneath. Gutters on the roof to minimize the runoff from that would help, too.

[Jeff1]

It sounds like a custom fiberglass door is your best choice. You could see about ordering it from the big box store or have a exterior door specialty company come out and do everything from measure to install for you. The other big issue, as Jim pointed out, is drainage.

[manny1602]

If that's a solid header above the door I would rip out everything down to the blocks, mount 1x4s PT to the blocks flush with the inside. A standard 3'0 door with a standard jamb will fit with some shims. Brick molding nailed to the vertical jamb. Lintel just siliconed to the concrete header to squeeze the most height out of the opening. I can't tell from the pictures if you still would need to cut down a wooden door some, but you might get away with just half an inch. I would prime the heck out of the bottom of the door before painting.
You still need to correct the concrete slab so water can't flow towards the door and down the gap.

[iminaquagmire]

I would take it out to the blocks and attach new nailers made of extruded PVC. I don't like PT lumber unless its kiln dried for doors for the fact that it will warp and twist as it dries. I would then either a put in an extruded PVC jamb in or a steel jamb. You can buy steel jambs which will come in pieces that get fitted together with tabs in the joints that you hammer over. Then you can get a vinyl or fiberglass door for the opening. As others have noted, I hope there is drainage in place by the door.

[hj]

What a dumb installation. There is NO way to keep water from accumulating in that well in front of the door, so the door MUST be made of a material which will not rot or rust. I am also not sure any door can be made perfectly water tight so that the water will not find a way into the basement.