How to Replace Multiple Dwelling Entrances

Identify all of the doors that should be removed from the house. All bedrooms should still have a window that meets local escape codes once the door is removed. Remove the trim around the inside and outside of the door using a prybar and hammer. Leave the door in place and cut between the door jamb and the rough-in studs using a sawzall. The door will help keep the wood stable while you cut. Tip the door and jambs outward to remove. Repeat for all of the doors you want to remove.

Clean up the studs so that no nails are protruding into the room or into the exterior. Measure across the bottom of the door opening. Cut a 2-by-4-inch board to length. Place the board flat on the floor and in line with the existing studs. Nail the board to the subfloor. This is called the bottom plate.

Measure the left stud and divide it in half. Mark the halfway point. Measure from that point along the bottom plate 16 inches and make a mark. Measure another 16 inches and make a second mark.

Measure the height from the underside of the header to the bottom plate at your first mark. Cut the 2-by-4-inch board to this measurement. This board is called a stud. Position the stud level and straight centered on your 16-inch mark, and toenail the stud to the header and the bottom plate. Repeat with the next stud on the next mark. Measure between the studs. Cut small pieces of board as horizontal blocking to add strength to the wall. Nail the blocking to the studs with two nails at each end of the board. Repeat for each doorway.

Install a vapor barrier or house wrap on the outside of the studs. Staple the wrap over the studs. Press insulation panels rated for your climate into the wall cavities from the inside. Repeat for all of the doorways.

Cut the existing drywall so that it is half over a stud. Use a straight edge and utility knife. Measure and cut new drywall to fit the remaining opening. Mark your drywall. Use a drywall straight edge against your mark. Drag a utility knife along the edge and cut the paper. Press the drywall away from the cut to snap it in half. Cut the remaining paper. Screw the drywall to the remaining half of each stud using drywall screws and a screwdriver.

Cover the drywall seams with flexible tape. Coat the seams and screw divits with joint compound. Spread the joint compound with a wide putty knife and smooth the compound until it looks flat. Allow the compound to dry for four hours. Sand the compound with a sanding sponge. Apply a second coat of compound and allow it to dry for four hours. Cut new baseboard to match up with your existing baseboard using a miter saw and finish nail gun. Fill nail holes with wood fill and wipe off the excess with your finger. Caulk along the top edge of the baseboard and clean off the excess with a wet-tipped rag.

Have a siding company repair the existing siding and repaint the exterior of the house so that you cannot see where the repairs were made. When a home has many patched areas, the visibility of patch repair increases. A less than professional exterior appearance for your home can seriously affect the value of your home. Most homeowners do not have the skills necessary to reside a home. This makes a siding expert your best choice to retain or improve the value of your home. Remove any remaining steps or porches that are now orphaned against the house.