How to Secure Patio Doors in a Brick House

Just because you've got a brick house doesn't mean it has to be complicated to install or replace the patio doors. Even brick homes have wood door frames within the doorway openings in the brick exterior. Modern doors come pre-hung in their casings, so instead of hanging the doors individually, all you have to do is secure the casing within the wood frame. Measure the doorway carefully, from within the wood frame (not from within the brick), before you order the door.

Prehung patio door set (two doors in a casing)
Level
12 shims
Screw gun
2-1/2 inch wood screws
Razor knife
Door trim
Tape measure
Miter saw
Trim gun

Instructions

- 1
  Stand the door unit in the wood frame opening, with the casing aligned to the edge of the jamb on both sides.
- 2
  Hold a level on one vertical edge of the door casing with the door closed. Slide shims between the casing and the jamb as needed, until the level shows the door is plumb (straight up and down) on the sides and level across the top.
- 3
  Open the doors so you can get at the inside edges of the casing. Shoot screws outward through the casing into the surrounding wood of the jamb on both sides, putting them every 12 inches along the two vertical sides.
- 4
  Use a razor knife to cut off the overhanging shims.
- 5
  User your screw gun to remove the middle screw of each hinge at the point where it meets the casing. Replace those screws with your longer 2 1/2-inch screws, so they go through the casing and into the surrounding jamb.
- 6
  Measure and cut your door trim to fit around the edge of the casing on both sides of the doorway, spanning the space between the casing and the jamb. Miter-cut the trim at 45 degrees to make the corners. Install it with your trim gun.

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