What is a pre-hung door set?

Whether you’re a homeowner or self-builder, navigating door installation can raise a lot of questions. If you’re new to purchasing new doors, ‘what is a pre-hung door set?’ may well be one of them. To help you make the perfect entrance choices for your premises, we explain exactly what to expect with a set, the need-to-know benefits, and how to install pre-hung doors successfully.

First of all, what does ‘pre-hung door’ mean, and how does it differ from a ‘slab door’? With a slab door, you’ll typically receive the door ‘slab’ itself. This can also be called the ‘door leaf’. It will have a pre-cut hole for the handle set, but that’s all. Slab doors are handy for replacing interior doors of the exact same size slab, when the existing door frame is also in good condition. For new constructions, exterior remodelling, or replacing doors with frame damage, pre-hung doors come with the frame and hinges already attached.

From handles to hinges, a pre-hung door set refers to each part of the door system supplied as a single, pre-constructed product. This includes the door leaf, hung in its own door frame with locks/latches, as well as stop beads, architraves, hinges, and handles also fitted. Our pre-hung door sets are made with engineered solid timber and veneer from the same tree, resulting in harmoniously matching, technically superior finish and function. The frame does not only match the door in colour, but with the exact veneer and grain structure.

Arriving at your property ready to install, Deuren's bespoke pre-hung door sets save you time and are simpler to install than traditional doors. This quick and easy assembly and installation also reduces on-site labour costs - especially ideal for larger projects. And to make things even more straightforward, we will take care of the full process for you, from measuring up to design and installation.

Each component of our pre-hung door sets come from one single source, crafted with precision in our UK factory to help reduce carbon footprints. All of our doors adhere to stringent European security standards, and are made to measure to meet the exact needs of your home or project. By designing and manufacturing a pre-hung door for your unique space and specifications, security and performance are optimised even further.

Typically, what is a pre-hung internal door fitting process? To make it easy, we’ve outlined the steps to fit your own Deuren pre-hung door below.

To fit a Deuren internal door set, you will need:

●     Drill

●     4x Bessey frame clamps (which can be supplied by Deuren).

●     Chop saw (with fine sharp blade)

●     Spirit level

●     Basic hand tools

●     Silicone gun

●     Gun grade expanding foam

●     Plastic packers

●     Multi tool (optional)

●     Wind bags (air wedges to support door panel)

●     Construction adhesive

First, the door frames should be screwed together, keeping the frame tight and square while fixing together. Next, fit inserts around the frame, avoiding hinges. Upright architraves come next - these will need measuring then glueing to the outside of the door frame, being careful not to get adhesive on the visible part of the frame. Finish by glueing the head architrave. Then, lift up the frame, checking that freccia meets the frame all the way round. If not, a clamp can be used to better secure the frame. Once the glue has dried, remove the clamps and lift the frame into position.

Note: At this point, you may be wondering whether you should install pre-hung doors before or after flooring. It is always more efficient to have the floors put in first. It’s also advisable to install pre-hung doors after the drywall and painting process is complete.

The next step is to level the head and to insert a packer under the leg if necessary. Put a clamp in each corner of the door to adjust the frame as needed, before beginning on hinge installation. Once hinges are screwed into the door, pre-drill screw holes into the frame and use wind bags to lift the door from the ground (another pair of hands can be helpful at this point). Adjust the hinges to get the gap between the door leaf and frame even at the hinge side (approximately three to four millimetres). The rest of the adjustments are done with a combination of hinge and frame clamp adjustments, while gaps can be fine-tuned with expanding foam and packers.

The final step to know when learning how to install pre-hung doors is fitting the telescopic architraves. This can be done by slotting an offcut into the top of the door frame, then measuring from the floor to the top of the architrave. Offer each telescopic leg up to the frame and mark where the grooved cut-out is. A multi-tool or fine-toothed saw can be used to cut this section out, before slotting it into the groove. Finally, the head architrave can be measured. Once it’s apparent the architraves are all the perfect size, they can be removed and attached properly with a small amount of construction adhesive.

Of course, Deuren also provides an end-to-end service - where we will finish the design and manufacturing process by installing your pre-hung doors for you.

Versatile and ready to assemble, Deuren’s bespoke pre-hung door-sets can be specifically designed for your home - taking into account its period, style, space, and quirks. As well as making your renovation or self-build project simpler, installing doors with all of these factors in mind will increase the value of your property. Let us take care of your entire design, manufacturing and installation - get in touch or visit our showroom to get expert advice on attaining your perfect door set.