Install Guide | Double Exterior Doors with Sidelights
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All of our door frames are made of metal, but may flex and shift from the weight of the doors and the shape of your rough opening.
How to Install Your Door
If you have not watched our videos on receiving your shipment or on storage, and you doors have either not arrived yet, or are being stored, click RECEIVING/PICKUP or STORAGE.
Notes
Very heavy
Requires 2 or more able bodies
Following instructions must be followed for warranty to be valid
Rough opening must be 1" to 2" wider and ½" to 1" taller minimum
Protect product at all times
- NEVER leave uncovered
- NEVER allow the product or shipping package to get wet
- ATTENTION remove nails from crate prior to removing product to avoid scratching the product
Must be a licensed contractor
Mounting tabs installed on the interior side of the opening
Store product correctly
- Always remove shipping packaging when received
- Always store in a dry and safe place using fabric padding
- Never use shipping packages to store the product
- Always wipe any moisture of product as moisture will cause product fnish to bubble and rust
- Keep crate, pallet, and all packaging materials in case concealed damage is detected.
Hardware specifications
Waterproofing preparations required before installation
Always follow waterproof manufacturers instructions and guidelines
Match Doors with Frames
Avoid Damage to Finish on Door and Frame
Doors are manufactured as one unit with their frames. If you have received multiple sets of the same size door, match the serial number of the frame with the door(s).
Refer to the CAD drawing that is on the packaging of the doors & frame (see below illustration). Ensure you match the entire serial & do not mix serial numbers between units. Hanging doors on the incorrectly matched frame can result in alignment issues.
Tools
Only use scissors and not a razor blade or knife while opening the packaging of your doors, windows, and frames. Blades of any sort can scratch the finish of the paint.
Tips
These doors are handmade and leveled at the factory by a few key points of the frame. Using a 12 inch level and never anything larger is necessary because the overall side that you’re measuring level mark on could be level while the specific leveling points could be off. A 12 inch level will show a level point’s reading more drastically than a large level. Watch the video above to see some examples of this.
Door Frame with Sidelights
Installing Door Frame with Sidelights
Seal the seam where your door frame and sidelight or transom meet with rev black silicone. Place a strip of blue vinyl painter’s tape on each side of where the bead of silicone will go. Run a bead down the line and use a finger to to flatten it while wiping away the excess.
Overhang and Sill Pan
Make sure to follow your local building codes for weatherproofing. A drip edge and overhang are required. Your overhang should project as many inches from your wall as your door is tall, and extend at least the measurement of your door's width on both sides. We recommend adding flashing and a door sill pan at a minimum.
Overhang
All exterior units should have proper overhang, as specified in image shown.
Sill Pans
Sill pans should be installed prior to frame installation for maximum protection against water intrusion.
Please follow the manufacturing specifications and instructions for sill pan installation.
Leveling door Frame of Single and Double Door
Make sure to place two shims opposing each other from each side of the jamb at each of the leveling points in order to most effectively shim and level your door.
Once your door is fully installed, mounted to your rough opening with lag bolts, level, and plumb, there must be 1/2” inch between your door and any building materials.
Make sure to use carbon zinc 3/8 X 3/1/2 hex lag bolts in all exterior doors with mounting tabs. Position the lag bolt as far from the door inside the mounting tab hole so that there isn’t play in the hole.
Hanging the Door
DISCLAIMER ON BRASS WASHERS FOR HINGES
Our doors use a single brass washer on each hinge. These brass washers are not intended for use as makeshift shims to fix a door rubbing against the frame or any similar issues. The addition of extra washers usually indicates an oversight during the installation process, such as an improperly leveled frame. If your door isn't closing smoothly, revisit the leveling process. Make sure to level at each level point with a 12" level and nothing larger. Use plastic shims to correct leveling issues.
Use your finger to place petroleum grease in the female side of the bullet hinge in order to properly your door hinges before hanging the doors. Check out our “Maintenance” tab at the top of this page for more information on how to grease your door after installation.
Door Fit Adjustment
Please note the weight of these doors will flex and change the shape of frame to the unlevel surface. This will also affect lock operations.
*This will also effect lock operations.
Strikebolt Adjustment
The strike bolt can be adjusted downward by loosening it. Turn it tighter to raise the bolt higher and check to make sure that your adjustment still engages with the strike bolt hole securely.
Roller Catch
You can adjust your roller catches to be more stiff by tightening the screws and make them less stiff by loosening the screws.
Lock Installation
Lock Strike Plates
If the door is not 100% level (And even with the door being level, the strike plate may still require some fling adjustments), the latch and deadbolt strikes will not strike correctly into the opposing strike plate. In this case, you will need to fle down the opening of the strike plate in order for the latch to secure correctly.
On a wooden door, it is easy to notch out the wood to change the location of the strike plate, but because an iron door is
metal, instead of cutting and welding new metal, this fling of the plate is the solution for small strike issues. Our strike areas are standard* sizes and the plates can be purchased at your local hardware store
Please reference the diagram on the left for an example of a strike plate that has been fled vs. one that has not.
There are also times when the screw locations on the strike
plates may not line up 100% perfectly with the threading on our doors. In this case, you will need to drill the holes strike plate larger to align the screw holes. The bottom left diagram shows those locations as well.
*Filing adjustments may be needed depending on the lock manufacturer as they may not provide the correct size strike plate for our metal doors.
You can file down about 1/16th of an inch in any direction in order to make your door close more easily. Any further adjustment needed is likely going to be because of a door leveling/fitment issue that will need to be addressed at the source.
How to Cut Weatherstripping
Weatherstripping to be trimmed after doors are fully installed. Please note on how this is trimmed on top and bottom of weatherstripping. Ends of weatherstipping to be fush with top and bottom of frame.
Touch-Up
How to: Touch Up Iron Doors and Steel Windows
(Step 1: For Black and Oil Rubbed Bronze Doors)
Sometimes doors can get small nicks or scratches in the installation process from tools, construction, etc. In these cases, the door will need to be touched up. Use our touch up pen to get a clean finish.
How to: Paint Oil Rubbed Bronze
(Step 2: For Oil Rubbed Bronze Doors)
Caution: Only use Blue Painters Tape on Pinkys Product
Avoid Damage to Finish on Door and Frame.
Pinkys Iron Doors is not liable for any damages caused by misuse of tapes and adhesives on your Pinkys product.
Please do not use any tape or adhesive other than blue painters tape to mask, cover,
or for any purpose on your Pinkys products.
If the blue painters tape is needed for extended amounts of time, please replace tape regularly as the sun can bake the adhesive onto the painted area.
If you must use red duct tape for stucco work or otherwise,
please first apply the blue painters tape and mask with red duct tape over the blue painters tape to avoid any contact with the door/frames paint itself
Using any other type of tape directly on your Pinky’s products will result in peeling/bubbling of the paint.
Post-Installation Instructions
- Following installation, it's essential to carefully vacuum away any loose dust or debris.
- For the duration of construction, shield your doors and windows using materials that effectively guard against dust and debris, covering all glass and metal surfaces. Only ever use blue vinyl painter's tape on PINKYS doors and windows.
- After construction and finishing tasks throughout the home are completed, cautiously remove the tape and coverings from your doors and windows. As a final step, use PINKYS Spray in order to give your door a protective layer and amazing shine.
Make sure to check our MAINTENANCE tab in order to make sure you’re maintaining proper upkeep practices!