Let’s say you want a new front door. You have a few options to choose from.

1) Prehung Door – A prehung door is attached to a jamb via hinges and has holes cut for the handle and deadbolt. Exterior doors can come with exterior casing already attached to the jamb. This is usually the easiest to install due to the fact that it requires less specialized tools. The downside is that the outside casing, jamb, and inside casing will need to be installed, painted, stained, and/or clear-coated.

2) Slab Door – A slab door is just the door. If you replace the door and not the jamb the upside is that you don’t have to replace the jamb or casing. The downside is that this will require more specialized tools and more skill. Using a new slab door is the easiest way to go. The door needs to be the right size (height, width, and thickness). The door is then made to fit the opening. Another option is to find a used door that you like. It can be difficult to find a used door that will fit without changing the jamb. The size of the door will probably not be the big issue. The location of the door handle and/or deadbolt will be the hard part. See my links for some local Portland used building supply stores.

Features that need to be considered if you are trying to find a perfect fit replacement door. Measure or note these features of the old door.

1. Door size. Thickness, Width, and Height. If the replacement door is a little tall or wide it can be trimmed. Make your width measurement on the inside of the door as most doors are tapered and the outside width is less.
2. Swing of door. As you view the door from outside which side of the door is the handle on?
3. location and size of the hinges. Measured from the top of the door.
4. location of the handle and deadbolt. Measured from the top of the door.
5. Is there any weather stripping built into the door?  If the door has a metal weatherstripping system with mating pieces in the door and jamb don’t bother looking for a used door, replace it with a prehung door.

Ok, so you found the perfect used door but it doesn’t match your measurements. Not to worry there are options. If the hinges, handle, or deadbolt are not located in the right place and your door jamb is painted you can patch the jamb and relocate the misaligned item. If the door is a fraction of an inch too wide it can be trimmed. If the door is too tall it can usually be trimmed by as much as an inch.