Framing for a Metal Door

Remove the preexisting door and frame from the door void. While an assistant supports the weight of the door, unscrew the hinges from the jamb. Then use a pry bar to remove any trim and molding from the wall surface; trim is typically tacked -- not screwed -- into place.

Retract the screws that hold the jambs to the masonry or the framing and those that hold the sill to the floor then use the pry bar to remove the jambs and the sill.

Follow the instructions supplied by the door manufacturer to install the frame. With the help of your assistant, lift the frame into the doorway void. Use a carpenter's level on both the horizontal and vertical frame surfaces to ensure they are square with the walls. Secure the frame in place by tapping wood shims around it with a rubber mallet.

Leave the shims in place and fasten them directly into the preexisting wooden framing. If you're driving the fasteners through the frame and into masonry, use a handheld drill and bit to make pilot holes then tap wall plugs into the holes and screw them in place. Use the heaviest screws that will pass through the pre-drilled holes in the frame; put a fastener in every hole.

Slide the bottom of the door into place above the frame sill then lift the top of the door -- with assistance -- and tilt it upward until it is in place. Rotate it on the shims, as though opening it, to allow access to the hinges. Hammer wood shims beneath the door to lift it until it is square, level and plumb and the hinge fastener holes line up with those in the frame. Install the hinge fasteners as directed by the manufacturer.