A prehung door is a door that's sold by the manufacturer “ready-to-go.” These slab doors already come with hinges attached to a three-sided frame and, while they may need some additional features, are generally sold as a complete package.
A prehung door includes a door slab that is already hung in the frame and pre-cut for the doorknob and the strike plate. It's close to an all-in-one door package. Prehung doors must be transported and stored with care, as they are fragile until they are properly fitted into a door opening.
Prehung doors hang on a jamb that is “split” into two pieces. The door is attached to the main jamb, which is installed first. The split jamb has a groove under the stop so it can slide over the edge of the main jamb. Typically, both jambs are furnished with casings already attached.
Unlike a slab door, which is nothing more than a flat piece of wood minus hardware and door jamb, a prehung door includes the jamb and hinges, and it usually comes with a predrilled hole for a door knob.
Exterior doors: For exterior prehung doors, you will typically also get the sill, door bottom and the weatherstripping pre-installed, which is another great timesaver.
The door sill is part of the frame structure of the door and sits under the door jamb. The threshold sits on top of the sill and performs the duty of making the door weathertight.
Remember, most doors don't come with holes for handles, but prefabricated doors do. These doors come with a pre-drilled handle hole and hinges. Prefabricated and prehung doors are mostly for the interior of the house.
The cost of installing a prehung door varies greatly by size: Standard (up to 80-by-36 inches): $150–$700 installed. Extra-large (exceeds standard sizing): $220–$1,450 installed. Double (80-by-60 inches or wider): $420–$4,450 installed.
A slab door is a basic, stripped-down door that does not include a frame. It is the responsibility of the do-it-yourselfers or installer to attach the slab door to an existing door frame or to create an entirely new door frame. Slab doors can be purchase with or without a pre-cut hole for the doorknob.
A Slab Door is a rectangular slab of wood, fiberglass or steel. It is the door by itself without frame, hinges and hardware. A Pre Hung Door comes with everything needed to install and setup. It is a door slab that comes with its own frame and hinges.
What is casing? Quite simply, it's a moulding profile which frames (or trims) a door or window. Casing is functional as well as decorative. The main purpose of casing is to surround all doors and windows, covering any space or gap left between the drywall and frame.
In many cases, you can replace a door without replacing the frame, as long as the frame is in good shape, and not warped or worn. If the door is not closing properly or there are gaps around the door that need to be insulated, you'll want to determine if the fault is with the door or the frame.
Slab doors, also known as blank doors, include just the door and not any part of the frame. They can be more budget friendly, but installing a prehung door is a much easier project, especially for a DIYer. In this guide, you'll learn how to remove an old door.
Solid core slab doors are made from composite wood or other materials, which include MDF, particle board, plywood, glass fibers, and even foam. They can come finished with a solid wood veneer that makes them look quite similar to a solid wood door.
If the door is on your right, it's right-handed. If the door is on your left, it's left-handed. However, the clerk taking the order may still get confused, especially if you're ordering over the phone. It's best to order your doors in person.
The average contractor can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to install a pre-hung door, depending on many different factors, including correct framing. Given how difficult of a task it can be to master, you're going to be stuck relying on the experience of the contractor you've hired.
It should take about 5 to 6 hours to complete an exterior door installation project, which should include the removal of an old door. Replacement for an interior door should take less time on average since that project will not have some steps associated with exterior door substitutions.
National Average: $1,017
According to HomeAdvisor, door installation costs can range from $471 to $1,583, with the national average at $1,017. The exterior door installation price can vary due to the cost of materials, labor, and supplies, including hinges, screws, mounting hardware, and threshold.
Unfortunately, Home Depot does not cut/trim doors as of 2022. However, customers can have Home Depot install a custom-fit door, or purchase circular saws starting at $99 and door trimmers for under $20 to cut/trim doors. Alternatively, customers can rent circular saws for $43 for 4-hours to trim doors.
Deciding on your door furniture
One of the most common misconceptions is that doors, when purchased, come with predefined handles, hinges and latches. This is not the case. When you buy a door you also need to buy all of these items, collectively known as door furniture.
Since you already know how to install an exterior door, you might be wondering what hardware you should buy. If you're purchasing an exterior door, you may have noticed that all the hardware is often not included.
Door comes already attached to hinges and to door framing. Existing door and framing are removed, and the prehung unit is installed. Hardware (doorknobs, handles and locks) sold separately.
Hanging a slab is easier than you think. All you need is a hammer and chisel, clamps, a square and a drill and a hole saw. Measure the width of the old door. Sizes are all standard, so you'll be able to find a replacement at the home center.
You can install a new door to replace an old or damaged door in two ways: Use a "prehung" door already set into a finish frame to replace the old door and jambs, or use the existing jambs and set a new door into the hinges. Either method requires some carpentry skill.