3 Mistakes Often Made During DIY Storefront Door Installation

One of the easiest ways to give the front of your business building a quick makeover is by replacing an outdated storefront door. A lot of business owners try to take matters into their own hands when they get a new storefront door, but this is really a job that is best left to a professional storefront door installation company. There is a lot of room for error, and these errors are easy to make if you don't know what you are doing. Check out a list of some of the most common mistakes DIYers make when they replace an old storefront door system with a new one. 

Not initially checking the existing frame for plumbness or squareness. 

If the existing frame that you will be installing the new storefront door into is not plumb and square, it can cause major problems when you do try to slide the door in place. For instance, if the existing frame is not square when the door system is, your edges will not line up so you can create secure attachments. Before you get started installing the door once the old one is removed, make sure you check that the frame is plumb with the surrounding elements and perfectly square. This will save you a lot of work later on. If things are even slightly out of line, make the necessary adjustments to the frame before you get started by using shims and making adjustments. 

Not checking the gaps between the headers and frame before securing. 

When you erect the new door and hold it in what will be its position when secure, take the time to check the gaps around the frame and header of the door. This gap should be consistent; in other words, it should be the same width all the way across. If it is not, something is off-kilter and it can cause problems with functionality when the door is secured. 

Not anchoring the threshold with the right kind of hardware. 

Your new storefront door will come with specific hardware for securing the threshold of the door to the floor. Make sure you use the right hardware according to the installation instructions. The bolts that are included are anchoring bolts, which means once they go into the lower frame, they will not shift or move. Using the wrong hardware can allow the threshold of the door to shift, which will throw the whole unit out of line.