How to Install an Entry Door in a Concrete Foundation

Check the level of the concrete floor using a level. Place shims on the floor under the level to raise up its lower end until the bubble indicates that it's level.

Screw the shims to the floor using masonry screws and a drill hammer.

Place the door frame in the rough opening and check the top of the frame with the level. It should be level now because of any adjustments made to the floor with the shims. If it isn't level, remove the door and double-check the floor-level adjustments.

Press the hinge side of the door frame against the wood-framed rough opening, and once again check the top of the door with the level. If it is no longer level, slide shims in between the rough opening and the door frame at the top hinge until the bubble in the level indicates that the top is level again. Remove the door frame and secure the shims to the rough opening with a screw.

Put the door back in place. It should be level at the top and sides now. Slide shims at the top and opposite side to wedge the door and keep it from shifting from this level position. You can remove the frame again and screw these shims to the rough opening.

Put the frame back in place and use a knife or saw to cut the shims flush with the rest of the door frame.

Drill wood screws into the top and sides of the door frame. On the hinge side, remove the center screw from the hinges. Replace it with a wood screw that is at least 4 inches long so that it goes through the door frame and into the wood of the rough opening. This will help it stay stable over time.

Use the drill hammer to attach screws through the bottom of the frame and into the concrete foundation.

Fill over the screw heads with wood putty and allow the putty to dry. Sand it smooth after it dries, and then paint the trim with an enamel paint, which is durable and washable. Use a paintbrush to make long, even strokes in the same direction as the wood grain.

Tack insulation strips around the outer edge of the door behind where the trim will be added.

Tack on the trim pieces that go around the edge of the door frame. The door frame will usually have casing trim pre-installed on just one side of the door. (This is so that you can slide the door into the rough opening.) After you have leveled and attached the door frame to the rough opening, you need to attach the casing trim on the other side of the doorway. The trim pieces are cut at 45-degree angles so that they will fit together at the top. Use finishing nails to tack them in. If this is new construction, you'll need to wait until the drywall is installed before attaching the trim.