French door fitting

[round01]

Hi guys,

Moved into a house which has a full length window in the lounge to the floor with a flat panel accross the bottom half and the window ontop.Thinking of taking this out and replacing with pvc french doors.

Any tips or pointers on how to install the french doors??

Thanks for your comments

 

[Doggit]

You've got the width of the window as your starting point, and the distance from the top of the window opening to the ground as the starting dimensions for your french doors (are you going for uPVC, or wood) so that allows you to go and order them. When they turn up, you'll take out the existing window, start at the side of the opening, and then cut down to the floor using a 9" angle grinder with a diamond blade, and an assistant spraying water on the blade/cut to keep the dust down. Then, depending on the type of french doors that you're fitting, you'll fix them to the outer skin of the wall, and then get a plasterer to finish off the inside of the house.

 

[round01]

Thanks foe your reply...

The current window is roughly 1750w and 2050h. I dont think i need to cut anywhere as the bottom half of the window is roughly 1000 high with a flat panel and the window is ontop of this is fixed togehter by a coupler.

I was thinking of just ripping this out and replacing with pvc french doors.

 

[crank39]

There's no brickwork removal required as the op states its already a floor to ceiling window with a panel across the bottom

 

[Doggit]

That's what confused me Crank; as the job is as simple as ripping the window out, and replacing it with a uPVC set of doors, I was convinced I'd misunderstood the situation.

 

[round01]

So it is as simple as that? Lol

Just looking for tips on the installation of the actual door.

Where abouts do i fit the door? on the outer or inner course of brick? Back to the current plaster line?

I understand it has to be plumb and square ect...just looking for tips on the not so obvious....

Thanks again

 

[Doggit]

Now we're getting down to the basics. As I said earlier, fit towards the outside skin if it's a cavity wall, or the centre of a single skin wall. Use easydrive countersunk brick screws with a tork drive every foot or so down the side of the frame (having taken the doors off before you start), and use and sds drill to drill through the pvc frame straight into the wall. Depending on what type of lintels above the window, you'll either use ordinary screws into a wooden lintel, or pump in adhesive if it's a steel one. You then use sealant around the outside of the doors, and remember to put a plastic DPM under the doors before you fit them in place. Then call in the plasterer to finish off the inside.

 

[round01]

No problem.

Its a pretty old house and i think their is 2 course's of red brick. If i fit on the outer brick wont that expose the cavity? What happens then?

 

[Gazman16]

A picture speaks a thousand words!
Main things. Get it 100% straight, level, plumb and square!
Oh and you do know technically you need either a Fensa certificate or building regs sign off if you go for full glass doors? 50% glazed doors don't need this though.
You can most likely get a custom made to your sizes set of doors from a local double glazing company and much better quality than the rubbish they sell in the diy stores.

 

[Doggit]

Actually, rather than plasterboard, the door suppliers should be able supply you with a couple of lengths of 5Mtr plastic capping to cover over the gap, You'll need superglue and activator to glue it to the door frame. Put the superglue on the capping, hold it against the frame, and then spray the activator on to the joint. The professional fitters put the superglue on the capping, and the activator on the frame, but you've got to be pretty confident doing it that way. Then you'll use sealant around the capping and the wall to finish off the job

 

[round01]

So basically i cover the cavity with a length of plastic?

 

[Gazman16]

Actually, rather than plasterboard, the door suppliers should be able supply you with a couple of lengths of 5Mtr plastic capping to cover over the gap, You'll need superglue and activator to glue it to the door frame. Put the superglue on the capping, hold it against the frame, and then spray the activator on to the joint. The professional fitters put the superglue on the capping, and the activator on the frame, but you've got to be pretty confident doing it that way. Then you'll use sealant around the capping and the wall to finish off the job

Highly recommend against the superglue, Clear silicone is all you need for trims. At least then you can actually get them off if you decided to plaster in a few years down the line or if they were in the way of a new blind or something.
Super glue is overkill for most trim fitting jobs.

 

[Gazman16]

So basically i cover the cavity with a length of plastic?

can do. Well that and expanding foam first ideally.
Depends on how deep your old frames are? If you are removing 60-70mm deep frames and you can get them out with no damage then all thats needed is a sealant line but we are just guessing without pics and measurements

 

[Doggit]

I don't agree with Gazman, but can see his point. The problem with using clear (or more sensibly white) silicone sealant, is how to hold the trim in place while the silicone goes off. If I have to do any repairs, I either break the trim off and then replace it, or go down the joint with a sharp bladed knife, and then use chisel to take off any bit's that didn't come off cleanly.

 

[round01]

Had a stroke of luck when i went into a local store as they had a miss-measure door which was only 30mm to short but packed it out with an add-on.

Only problem now is that the barrel on the slave side wont lock??

Any suggestions??