DIY How to Build a Doorway

Determine the area where you want to install the doorway. Check in the crawl space or basement to see if any duct work is present in the desired location. Check for electrical or other types of wiring. You do not want to cut a hole in the wall only to later discover that you have cut through important wires.

Contact an architect or engineer to determine whether the wall where you will install the door is load-bearing. He will also tell you if you will need a header to help support the ceiling, roof and center beam. Another option is to ask a home inspector.

Build a header if the wall is load-bearing. The bigger your doorway is, the bigger your header will need to be. If your doorway is a standard size, place one 2-by-12-foot board on your work surface. Cut to the width of the doorway. Cut a piece of 1/2-inch-thick plywood to the same size as you cut the 2-by-12-foot board .Nail the plywood to the board. Cut another 2-by-12-foot to the same size. Nail to the plywood so that it covers the plywood. The header should resemble a plywood sandwich.

Measure the area for your doorway. Add two inches to the size of the door you want to install, if applicable. A standard door is 36 inches by 80 inches. Use a straight edge and carpenter’s pencil to draw the outline for the opening.

Use a reciprocating saw to cut the hole in your wall. Make a straight cut by following the outline you made.

Cut 2-by-8-feet boards to the height of the door to form studs. Nail these studs to the 2-by-4-feet boards at the bottom of your framing and to the header above. The position of these studs should allow for the width of the doors plus an additional six inches for the door casing. The doorway is now ready for you to place the door jamb and install a pre-hung door.