Decorative storm doors do more than just protect you from the elements. They also let in more light and increase your home's ventilation, while still looking great. No matter whether you have an older home that you're restoring, working to improve your house, or picking a door for a home that's being built, decorative storm doors can make a big difference in your home's look. It's easy to buy prehung doors that you can install on your own. However, there are a few decisions you'll need to make. If you're in the market for a prehung door, it's important to know just what you're buying, so you'll get the door you expect. There are several types of prehung decorative storm door.
Prehung Units
These doors come ready-assembled, and offer a complete door system. The package should include jambs, the threshold and sill, hinges, weather stripping, molding, a pneumatic closer, stops and latches. Prehung units are ready to install as soon as you bring them home.
Prehung Unit Knockdown
A prehung knockdown storm door has already been mitered, milled, and mortised for hinges. Unlike the prehung unit, however, the pieces haven't yet been put together. It's ready to install, but you'll need to know a bit about putting together a door, and more work will be required.
Prehung Kits
Unlike prehung units, these doors come unmilled and unassembled. You'll have to trim the parts to the right size, mortise parts so they'll take hinges, miter and screw pieces together, and nail and glue precisely. This is time consuming, and only for the person who enjoys doing the work themselves. Otherwise, a prehung unit is much more efficient.
Once you've decided what kind of decorative storm door you'd like to buy, the next step is choosing a style. All the usual types are available, from colonial to prairie. It's just a matter of matching your taste and your home's decorative style. You can find a good selection at any home improvement center. Lowe's and Home Depot are popular. If you don't see anything you like there, shopping online is an option. Just be sure to buy from an online company you trust, and check out return policies.
Buying the right size is also important. Measure depending on the type of decorative storm door being purchased – prehung units require you to measure the existing door frame. In older homes, this might be a strange size. However, that doesn't mean you're out of options. You could choose a slab door – one that's not prehung - or find out if changes are possible to the door you're purchasing.
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