Monday, September 18, 2017

Installing doors alone is nearly impossible.

First the good news: the roof is done!  The drip edge and the last couple of panels are installed.  Barry came up during lunch and helped me with the last panels, and I installed the corner flashing piece after work.


Then came the hard part: installing the door.  For starters, the instructions were worthless.  I have seen doors installed once or twice before though, so I knew roughly what had to be done.  By yourself though it is nearly impossible.  Especially when the screws do this.  I literally broke it with two fingers.  I used my nice 3" screws instead.


There is a slight gap on the hinge side, which is fastened, albeit not entirely properly.  I am still debating whether or not it is worthwhile to fix it. I will probably fill the gap with silicone and call it a day.


The door closes, but doesn't like to stay that way.  I am hoping that issue will resolve itself when I install the strike plates and whatnot.  This side of the frame isn't fastened yet either.


For now I have remedied the situation with a cinder block.


I am hoping that the bead of silicone I put all around the frame will be enough to seal it tomorrow since I was working past sunset trying to get this stupid thing installed.  I don't actually think it is though.  I haven't finished with the shims and all that so I haven't put in the expanding foam yet, so that won't be installed until after the rain tomorrow.

A couple lessons learned:

  • The instructions are worthless.  Make sure you know what to do before installing the door.  My instructions were literally: 1 - Remove the cardboard, 2 - Run a "generous bead" (1/4"?  it didn't actually say anything but generous) of silicone around the brickmold and fill in the channels in the sill plate, 3 - Stand the door into place from the outside, 4 - Install screws and shim stock.  That is it.  Literally.  The pictures of the molding and where to caulk didn't match my door either.
  • Take the supplied hardware and throw it away.  Get real screws.  If the instructions are in the same packet, you haven't lost anything.
  • A little dab of silicone on the shims holds them in place long enough to get the screws in.  By yourself this is the only way to hold them against the frame unless your door naturally leans on the hinge side (mine didn't).  
  • A 2x6 door frame (the thinnest I could find, this door is 5.375" thick) doesn't install into a 2x4 wall very nicely.  You have to angle the screws back.  If you have to do this, swap the screws to make sure your long support screws are on the inside row of screws.  I didn't do this and had to run them multiple times to make sure they were in a stud.
  • The rough opening they call for is waaaay larger than needed.  I could easily run a 1x4 inside the rough opening and still need shims on both sides.
  • If you see anything that makes you think you can install it by yourself, smack yourself.  Hard.
I also got everything up off the slab in case it rains.  I never got to the siding, so I am using it as a shield.

If there is enough dry weather I might try to finish the door tomorrow at lunch (tomorrow is a 25% chance pretty much all day), otherwise I will make sure everything is dry.  I have overhang on the roof now so hopefully not much if any will run inside the door frame.  

The completion of the roofing finally means movement on the checklist.  

  1. Square up the corners
  2. Attach ceiling beams
  3. Secure rafters and beams with hurricane ties
  4. Attach the subflooring to the trailer frame.
  5. Sheathe the roof
  6. Install tar paper to make the roof watertight.
  7. *Install window framing.   *10
  8. Tyvek wrap.
  9. Install roof.  Including the drip edge.
  10. Install siding.
  11. *Install attic vent and AAV (AAV = air access valve for the plumbing). *10
  12. Run the rough plumbing. (includes gas line for stove)
  13. Run the rough electric.
  14. Install rodent barrier.
  15. *Install insulation.  *10
  16. *Install flooring.  *15
  17. *Install ceiling and attic insulation. *13
  18. *Install light fixtures.  *17
  19. *Install paneling  *13, 15
  20. *Complete electrical and plumbing.  *19
  21. *Install final flooring (carpet/linoleum).  *16, 19
  22. Install interior fixtures.  When I get here, I will likely create a new list for the interior work.

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