DIY: How to Make a Wall Opening for French Doors

Installing French doors works well in interior rooms that need more light. These glass doors add elegance and make both adjacent rooms seem roomier. French doors work well on a wall surrounding a dining area, home office, family room or kitchen. Plan the remodel around the view, but you don't want to place French doors where kids' toys will be visible from a dining area. Check to make sure the door opening footprint will not conflict with furniture or cabinets, for example. You want the doors to be usable, especially if they will enhance foot-traffic flow when entertaining.

Plastic sheeting
Plumb bob
Drywall knife
Circular saw
Boards, 2-by-4-inches
Premade beam
Epoxy filler
Wooden shims
Carpenter’s level
Metal brackets
Electric screwdriver
Drywall
Paint
Stain
Baseboard material

Instructions

- 1
  Check the wall area for any wiring or plumbing inside the wall. Figure out the steps to re-route wiring, pipes or drains before starting the project. Cover furniture and the floor with plastic sheeting for protection before tearing out any wall materials.
- 2
  Follow the manufacturer’s directions for the exact width and height to allow for the door unit. Drop a plumb bob to mark each side of the door space on the drywall. Score the drywall with a drywall knife to open the wall space. Cut the bottom plate with a circular saw to make it flush with the floor, making room for the door unit to sit at floor level.
- 3
  Open the drywall at the top of the door space to allow 3 extra inches of width for a header. Ask an expert to help you construct the header from two thicknesses of 2-by-4-inch boards. Build the header from a premade beam, under the guidance of an expert, for a load-bearing wall. Install the header and prop it up with temporary bracing before installing jack studs.
- 4
  Cut the jack studs from 2-by-4-inch boards with a circular saw. Install them to reach from the header to the floor, placing one jack stud on each side of the new opening. Fill holes in the floor with epoxy to create a flat, level support for the door unit.
- 5
  Cut door jamb material to fit the double-door space. Cut wooden shims to fit the sides, top and bottom of the door space, using the shims to align the door unit. Check the door unit vertically and horizontally with a carpenter’s level, raising or lowering it with wooden shims.
- 6
  Install metal brackets with a generous flange around the door unit to make installing the unit much easier. Secure three brackets to each side of the door unit and one bracket to the top of the door unit. Screw the brackets to the door framing with an electric screwdriver, once you have the door unit perfectly aligned and level.
- 7
  Cover the exposed wall space surrounding the door unit with drywall before painting or staining the door unit. Cut baseboard material to match what’s already in place.

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