This is the actual thickness of a 2x4.
How to make an exterior door frame larger.
Pull the framing from the existing doorway.
Measure and mark the exterior siding to widen the opening the difference between the old and new doors.
Stand the new prehung door in the opening and nail the exterior trim at one top corner.
Cut the door header.
Subscribe to this old house.
Cut 1 2 inch plywood spacers.
If you re narrowing the frame by more than an inch remove the hinge side.
Remove bricks or house siding on the entryway exterior to make room for the bigger door system.
Cut through the nails that secure the doorjamb to the rest of the framing with a reciprocating saw.
To fit a specific door use the rough framing measurements the width of the door plus 2 1 2 inches to allow for shims and jambs.
To make a door frame wider the do it yourself should also ensure that the planned construction does not cut into any existing electrical or heating and air conditioning equipment.
Pry off the door casing and the knob side and top jambs with a pry bar if you only need to fur out one side of the frame.
With the same 38 inch wide opening and a door or set of doors 48.
Chisel bricks carefully and use a pry bar or reciprocating saw to take off siding making sure you re not cutting through any plumbing or electrical wiring.
Working on the floor stack the pieces with the crowns facing the same direction see next step and use a square to make sure they are aligned.
Step 1 remove the existing door from the frame by unscrewing the screws on the hinges and lifting the door away.
Step 6 build wall reinforcement to create a header beam for the new door if needed.
Wedge shims behind both side jambs at the top bottom and middle.
To make the door header the top of the door frame cut two 2x4s to the same length as the width of the original opening and nail them securely together.
Cut through the nails at the foot of the studs.
Pull the studs from the existing doorway.
Cut the siding away using the circular saw.