[NewtoDIY]

I am a week and 2 days from starting a full on assault on my basement! Picked up the permits to start work a couple of weeks ago and it's time to get cracking. It's currently completely unfinished (save for the stairs where they did frame and sheetrock to the inside of the stairwell). Next Thursday we're having a concrete cutting guy come out and make us a rough opening for a french door. There's already a 28" door there and it's on the backside of the house with the first floor joists sitting perpendicular to that wall. While he's there, he's also going to notch the poured foundation wall above the intended opening to slide a lintel in (which makes me feel better).

I'm going to have him cut the opening to allow for the width of the door, plus a pressure-treated 2x10 on each side (that will be attached to the concrete with masonry screws), plus a 1/4 inch on each side to allow for adjustment.

I'm getting one of those pre-hung french doors from Lowe's or HomeDepot. Nothing fancy, but with the blinds built into the glass.

Anything sound strange so far?

 

[ARI001]

Make sure the allotted opening is for the Rough In dimension of the door you are going to install. Typically the R.I. opening of exterior doors (excluding sliders) is 2" wider than the door and 2 5/8" taller.

So if your door is 48" x 80" your rough in opening needs to be 50" x 82 5/8".
Your masonry opening needs to be 53" x 84 1/8".

Seal your interior basement door up really good. They will probably use a wet saw to cut out the opening but there will still be a lot more dust than one would think.

Also you should know the glass in the french doors with blinds is not as well insulated as the ones with out the blinds inside. When you go to install the door make sure you have help. French doors are not fun to install by yourself.

 

[Maintenance 6]

Put a couple of good heavy beads of sealant between the masonry and your treated lumber. I will make a much better "gasket" than a bead applied to the surface. Also stagger your screws so the treated stays flatter.

 

[NewtoDIY]

Thanks for the quick reply Ari & Maintenance!

Yes, it's going to be a 72 x 80 door (outside to outside of door frame) so he's going to cut the opening at about 75.5 inches (1.5" PT 2x10 + .25" gap + 72" doorframe + .25" gap + 1.5" PT 2x10)

He's asked me to put up some temporary studs under the joists to help take the weight off that wall, set at about 4 foot away from the inside of the wall. I'm also going to hang plastic from those and totally enclose that part of the room to contain the dust.

I'm having a buddy help me to pick the door up at the store and get it around the house to the backside. I have a neighbor that's willing to help as well.

If I've done my research I should:

Place caulk at the bottom to seal between the concrete slab and the bottom door trim, set door in place, put a couple of temp screws through the frame and into the PT wood so I can then use a level and shims to get it all squared up and true before I run the permanant screws into the sides and up through the top. Right?

That's a great idea on the caulk between the PT and the concrete. I'll do that!

 

[Piedmont]

I live in New England.

If it's being installed on the west, rain/snow almost always comes from the west take extra precautions (maybe make the door float higher above the walkway/entrance than expected). My walkout basement door is on the west side and when it pours it hits the west side of my house, falls to the ground, and the winds force it against gravity to go up against my house and start walking up. It's pretty amazing. My door floats 2" above the landing it's not always enough to prevent water from coming up. Especially winter when it's fine snow blowing and strong winds from the west somehow the fine snow gets into tiny cracks of the door, enough to have a little puddle form inside. I've sealed, and weatherized with expensive weather stripping it still sneaks in. Case in point, a west side basement door needs extra measures against water/snow and wind pushing it upwards along with snow. It's one of those things I'd spend a little extra on the door if it's going on the west side and take others advice and be especially meticulous about sealing a west side door.

If it's going on the North side, keep in mind the north side of people's houses are always in shade and always look the worst (moss, mildew, etc). Not much you can do about that but be aware.

If it's going on the east or south side you're lucky, don't have to worry so much about weathering, looks, wind, and snow.

 

[jogr]

Yes, it's going to be a 72 x 80 door (outside to outside of door frame) so he's going to cut the opening at about 75.5 inches (1.5" PT 2x10 + .25" gap + 72" doorframe + .25" gap + 1.5" PT 2x10)

You understand that the Rough Opening (R.O.) you just described is 76" wide. Make sure this is what the door spec calls for. Make absolutely sure your width and height of the opening after the PT is installed is what the door spec for RO is.

 

[NewtoDIY]

You understand that the Rough Opening (R.O.) you just described is 76" wide. Make sure this is what the door spec calls for. Make absolutely sure your width and height of the opening after the PT is installed is what the door spec for RO is.

To be absolutely sure, I'm probably going to pick the door up this weekend so it can be onsite before the concrete guy so I can get exact measurements to place onto the walls for him to cut.

I'm 99% sure I'm on the right track. If the rough opening in the concrete is 75.5" and I secure the 2x10, that takes my opening down to 72.5" If that door is exactly 72" wide from widest point (which I believe it is) that leaves a half inch (quarter per side for flexibility). I'm not turning down ANY advice though, as I've never done anything like this before. I probably have done just enough research online to be dangerous! :laughing:

 

[Gary in WA]

I'd buy some poly sill sealer for under the p.t. and behind the p.t. jambs. Also some window weather seal tape, 6" wide, for over the outside edge of the p.t. before door install. Either backer rod or some sill sealer rolled in the space at jambs/p.t. for air stop or foam. Buy some 3" screws (for hinges, 2 in each) to match the door's unless included. Put metal flashing over the door's brick mold to concrete, or at least some sticky tape. Read the instructions carefully, and use the poly wedge shims at bottoms. Caulk the back of the brick-mold trim just before install. If there is 12" or so concrete left above the door, ask him how much to score a line for recessed flashing above the brick-mold, installed with some roofer's (caulking gun) mastic.
https://pactivnet.pactiv.com/Produc...Entity[OID[C28DE8D450F0D611A4800002A5FBF6DF]]
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=127194-1410-C23H&lpage=none
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=286475-81326-TS633&lpage=none

Be safe, G

 

[NewtoDIY]

The foundation wall is cut! The guys did an outstanding job, kept the jobsite very clean and the cuts are nice and straight and smooth. I installed the temp stud supports and fully sealed in with plastic to contain the mess. A little bit of the slurry came under the plastic on the floor, but 95% of it ran toward the drain nearby in the foor. All in all, a good experience.

We've made a change about the door install though. My wife and I were talking about it and she brought up an excellent point. If the door is installed flush with the outside (brick mould touching the concrete exterior) then you won't be able to full open the doors (the 7-3/4" thick concrete, plus 1/2" for the foamboard on the wall, plus 3.5" for the stud, plus 1/2" for the sheetrock. That's over a foot thick and the door will hit the edge when it gets to about 110 degrees (rough estimate).

SO, we're going to install the door to be flush from the inside with the finished sheetrock. Basically going to frame it in like a regular door in the wood wall completely inside of the concrete wall. That way, you'll be able open both doors 180 degrees (inswing) fully to the wall. And we'll simply remove the brick mould from the door prior to install, build out with 1x's to be flush with the exterior side of the concrete and then reinstall the brick mould. It'll just be inset into the wall if you're looking at it from the outside.

I'll post pics when the doors up (which will hopefully be done this weekend).

Wish me luck in framing up my first wall ever starting tomorrow!

 

[ARI001]

You can get a jamb extension from your supplier for the door.

 

[Gary in WA]

Run hose water in that drain for 10 minutes to flush or it will be hard to remove later when it sets up. Be safe, G