Can I swap a prehung door from one frame to another?

diggida · 07-03-2012, 10:14 PM

Hey guys!

I'm brand new here. I want to do something that I'm getting a strong feeling isn't meant to be done, haha.

I want a new front door. My existing door is a run of the mill standard Home Depot prehung fiberglass door. Its a 36x80 door. The slab itself measure 35.75x79.

I went to HD and measures some of their prehung door slabs. They're all 35.75x79. My thought is, can I buy a prehung door, pull the door off the hinges and drop into into my existing jamb? My initial thought was these HD doors are all mass produced and would all be the same. The measurements I've done seem to suggest this would work, but I can't find any evidence anywhere that supports this as a good idea.

I'm considering just buying a door and trying it, but I thought I'd seek some advice first. I'm decidedly unhandy and play guitar for a living, so doing it myself isn't a great option. I've gotten some quotes on having a door installed and its way out of budget for me at the time, so I'm just trying to see if this is stupid or not, haha.

Thanks!

Mike

joecaption · 07-03-2012, 10:35 PM

Why do you want to change it?
Fiberglass should be a top of the line door.
A standard door should be 6'8" tall

sdsester · 07-03-2012, 10:36 PM

You might actually get away with this thanks to factory prefab if the door and frame have not warped or shrunk/expanded over the length of time they have been hanging there. Given that it is fiberglass it should have stayed more or less the same. Odds increase if the replacement door is the same manufacturer and even more if by chance the model number has not changed. Hinge design, type and placement would have to be the same and the hinges mortised identically. Check the location of the handle and lock hardware also.

You should be able to take it back if you get it at a box store? Just be careful not to scratch it.

Were you planning to just throw the framing part of it away?

Assuming the opening is relatively square, hanging a new pre-hung door with its framing is not that big of deal.

**beenthere** · 07-04-2012, 05:06 AM

Moved to carpentry forum.

Duckweather · 07-04-2012, 06:15 AM

Also threshold type & thickness would cause differences in measurement from bottom hinge to threshold top. Type of weatherstripping may be a problem if not identical.

mae-ling · 07-04-2012, 11:21 AM

Did insurance work for years, lots of doors after break ins.
Never get the hinges and knobs to line up the same.

We would order un-machined doors and cut in our hing spots and knobs.

diggida · 07-04-2012, 01:57 PM

Thanks guys!

I'm going to measure everything on my door as carefully as I can and see if it matches a new prefab door. If not, I'll have to save up some dough to get a proper installer to do it at some point. Thanks for the help!

Mike

drtbk4ever · 07-04-2012, 02:05 PM

What is it about your current door that you do not like?

diggida · 07-04-2012, 02:26 PM

Basically just the look. Its a cheesy oval glass with a brass flower in it. Not a fan. I just want to put a simple 6 lite craftsman door in its place. I can get the door for like $200, but I'm getting quotes of $350-$450 to install it. I know its a lot of work, but I don't have $600+ to spend on it right now.

drtbk4ever · 07-04-2012, 02:38 PM

Thanks.

I was wondering if paint would solve your problems, but unfortunately not.

diggida · 07-04-2012, 02:43 PM

Yeah, I wish it would!