Level and Plumb the Rough Opening

• 1). Inspect the rough opening. Place a 4-foot level on the floor in the opening. Insert shims under the level on the hinge side until the bubble is centered. Remove the level and use a hammer to secure the shims to the floor with finishing nails. Do not place shims on the latch side of the door opening.
  
  
• 2). Place the level on the walls and trimmer studs in the rough opening. Measure the distance between the trimmers at the top, bottom and center of the opening with a tape measure. If the measurements differ, the wall is out of plumb. Proceed to Step 3. If the wall is plumb, skip to Step 5.
  
  
• 3). Measure from the bottom of the door to the center of each hinge on the hinge jamb. Mark the locations of the hinges on the hinge side of the rough opening with a pencil.
  
  
• 4). Hang a plumb bob from the top of the rough opening on the hinge side. Measure the gap from the opening to the string at the hinge locations. Place shims on the smallest gap. Secure with a finishing nail. Place shims at each hinge location until the gaps between the shims and string are equal to that of the first shims.
  
  
• 5). Position the door in the rough opening and press the hinge jamb against the shims. Drive a finishing nail through the casing and into the trimmer 3 inches below the miter on the hinge side. Use a level to determine if the door casing is plumb. Adjust as needed.
  
  
• 6). Drive finishing nails through the casing and into the trimmer at the hinge locations. Fill gaps by placing wood shims between the casing and the rough opening.
  
  
• 7). Inspect the reveal. If the gap between the head jamb and the top of the door is uneven or more than 3/16 inch wide, push the head casing up. Drive a finishing nail through the casing on the latch side at the top of the door. Push the casing toward the wall to adjust the vertical reveal.
  
  
• 8). Open and close the door to ensure that it clears the jamb and functions properly. Drive finishing nails through the casing on the latch side.
  
  

Install the Door

• 1). Slide shims between the jamb and trimmer on the latch side of the door near the top. Secure the shims to the trimmer with finishing nails. Place shims above the base of the jamb and below the strike plate.
  
  
• 2). Turn the center screw on the top hinge counterclockwise with a screwdriver to remove it. Insert a longer screw through the hinge and into the trimmer.
  
  
• 3). Place the split jamb into the groove on the main jamb and tap them together with both hands. Drive nails through the casing on both sides of the miters, the stop at the hinges, the shims and around the striker to secure it.
  
  
• 4). Position the strike plate on the latch jamb and secure it with the included screws. Place the latch bolt into the bore on the door and secure the plate to the edge of the door with screws. Position the knobs on both sides of the bore. Turn the connecting screws clockwise to tighten.
  
  
• 5). Close the door. If the latch and strike are not aligned, open the door and loosen the screws on the strike. Adjust the strike and tighten the screws.