Using an Exterior Door as an Interior Door - What to Know
Advanced Exteriors MN
If you’re like most people, chances are that you pay little-to-no attention to the look of your interior doors. One day, however, you’ll probably notice how great your exterior door looks and wonder if it’s possible to get the same type of door for the inside spaces of your home. The simple answer to the question on your mind is yes. You can buy a door that is designed for your house’s entrance to the outside world as a door for your interior. If you are now thinking of taking the plunge and getting new doors now, however, hold your horses first and read the things you need to consider when planning to use exterior doors as interior doors.
What you should know about installing exterior doors inside your home
The reality is that solid exterior doors are more expensive than hollow doors used for indoor purposes. Aside from the material that makes up the door itself, installing an exterior door as an interior door is labor-intensive and challenging. One reason is the kind of hinges used for inner doors is different from exterior doors. While exterior doors have hinges that only allow the door to open inward, you will have to get a different kind of hinge if you want that solid door to swing both inward and outward.
The second thing you should know is that doors designed as entrances from the outside are generally wider than doors designed for indoor spaces. Since the doorframes inside your home are likely smaller than the exterior door you wish to use, you might need a professional to trim the door to fit.
The problem also becomes more complicated if the exterior door you choose is made up of a series of slabs instead of one monolithic slab of door material such as wood. As such, you need a professional to carefully trim the door in a way that won’t allow it to fall apart. If you choose an exterior door with slabs, you also risk making the door look asymmetrical since you are required to have it trimmed.
If you plan on transferring your existing exterior door to the inside of your home, you will need to check it if it is still sturdy enough to be disassembled and reassembled. It could have warped, buckled, or sustained structural damage, which would present added difficulties to the transfer.
What to do when installing an exterior door to an indoor frame
You can buy an exterior door or take down your existing one and assemble it inside your home on your own if you have the budget, the skills, and the right equipment. If you will be pushing through with your project on your own, remember to note the following rules below:
1) Practice safety
It’s important for you to wear the right protective equipment throughout the duration of the project. Therefore, make sure that you have construction gloves, safety goggles, a helmet, and some boots. Keep children and pets away from the area and don’t be afraid to ask for assistance from a friend or relative if the kind of door you need to install is too complex for one person to handle. If you are dealing with an old exterior door painted with lead-based paint, strip off the paint and re-paint the door with a less toxic overlay. Remember to dispose of the paint according to the standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
2) Trim the door
You will most likely trim your door to make it fit inside your indoor frame. To make a 36-inch door fit in a 30-inch frame while still preserving its symmetry, reduce the left side of the door by three inches and reduce the right side of the door by the same length. If you have to trim the door’s height as well, then you need to determine the difference of your exterior door’s height with that of the interior door frame. Divide that difference by half and cut the top and bottom parts of your door with that quotient. Make sure to sand and smoothen the trimmed edges so that the door will open with ease when you pull it out from the frame.
3) Adjust the location of the hinge mortises and the location of the doorknob
After having trimmed the exterior door, you will have to create new mortises on the side of the door which will be hung from the interior door’s frame. You would have to transfer your doorknob to a new position within your door as well to maintain the uniform distribution of weight across the trimmed exterior door.
4) Make the appropriate adjustments to the inner door frame
If you think you’re done with the exterior door, you are mistaken. You will also have to make adjustments to the inner door’s existing hinges and hinge positions so that it can accommodate the weight of the exterior door. When you have made new attachment points on your inner door frame, you have to patch the old screw holes with putty and smoothen it to prevent the frame from damage.
If you find all these things a hassle, there’s always the option of having a professional do the installation on your behalf. You can also opt to have a door professional create a custom-made solid door that looks like your exterior door but is made to fit your inner door’s frame.
If you’re looking for a professional window replacement service & renovation contractor in Minnesota, Advanced Exteriors is your best option. Contact us today for more information.






