How to Replace a French Door With Brick Molding

Remove both doors from the frame by lifting them up. Angle the bottom outward toward your body, and drop it out of the frame. Do this for both doors.

Insert the tip of a screwdriver between the brick molding and the door frame on the vertical side. Pry up gently until there's room to insert the tip of a pry bar. Pry the brick molding up along its length to loosen it. When it's sufficiently loose, pry it completely off the door. Remove all three pieces. Remove the nails with diagonal pliers.

Remove the screws or nails that were revealed when you removed the brick molding. They're located on a flange or lip around the perimeter of the door. Use a drill/driver to remove the screws. Pry or pull out the nails using a claw hammer.

Remove screws with a drill/driver, penetrating through the door frame inside the track and lockset around the perimeter of the frame.

Place a wood block on the inside of the frame. Hit it with a hammer -- with authority to drive the frame outward. Move the block around the frame, driving the frame out equally around the perimeter. When the frame is within 1 inch of falling out of the frame, stop hitting it. Angle it out from the top first, and pull it out of the opening.

Insert the new door and frame unit in one piece with the help of an assistant. Place the bottom or threshold in first, and then push the unit into the opening, angling it in from bottom to top. When the flange or lip on the outside perimeter makes contact with the jamb, the door is in place.

Tap wooden shims, if needed, between the doorjamb and door frame around the perimeter to secure the door. Check the door using a 48-inch level. Remove or add shims as needed to level and plumb the door.

Drive 2-inch screws through the drilled holes in the flange or lip on the outside perimeter. Drive additional 2-inch screws through the drilled holes on the inside of the frame to penetrate into the jambs. Drive two 3-inch screws through two drilled holes in the lockset. These screws penetrate all the way through the jamb into the rough opening studs.

Place the brick molding back into place in the order you removed it. Hammer 2 1/2-inch nails through the brick mold to secure it to the exterior wall. Fill the nail holes with caulk.