Do-it-yourself balcony door installation

Balconies can be found in almost all high-rise buildings, and for a long time their happy owners have to deal with drafts. What they did not do in order to protect the apartment from the penetration of cold air into it, but the way out of this difficult situation was to replace the existing door with a new metal-plastic one. It so happened that the Slavs are accustomed to perform many works on their own, so consider how the installation of a balcony door can be done with your own hands.

Reading the article, you will be able to understand whether it will be possible for you to install a new door yourself.

Why is the door made of metal

Metal doors and windows are very popular, and there is every reason for this. Consider its benefits:

1. The plastic door to the balcony, provided that the installation is carried out correctly, a high level of tightness, so that the room is reliably protected from noise and cold.
2. If you compare the cost, the plastic doors are much cheaper than wooden.
3. Plastic door is convenient to use. It can be opened wide open or in the window mode.
4. Long service life.
5. Attractive appearance.
6. Metal does not swell and does not rot.
7. You can choose the design, given the degree of noise insulation and protection from ultraviolet radiation. There are also several color solutions.
8. The door can be not only rectangular, but also arched.
9. The possibility of installing a sliding design.
10. It is possible to install a double or push-pull door.

Unfortunately, there are some drawbacks:

1. The mechanism must be periodically lubricated, otherwise it will not work as well as at the beginning.
2. Environmentally friendly material is not at the highest level. In addition, with intensive heating of polyvinyl chloride (the material from which it is made), it becomes a toxic material. For this reason, metal-plastic products are not recommended for use in those regions where they will be very hot.

How to order a door?

Can I just go to the store and buy a finished door? Some companies sell finished products for standard openings of prefabricated houses, but in most cases the approach is individual, as many nuances are taken into account.

In order for the door to be properly made, and it could be installed without problems, it is necessary to correctly measure the door and window openings. If you are not confident in your abilities, then a company representative can do this. Most often this is done for free, but you need to clarify in order not to be misled.

When choosing a door, it is necessary to take into account that when the balcony is not warmed, the profile should be multi-chamber, and the double-glazed window should be at least two-chamber. It is clear that the cost will be higher, but also the insulating properties are higher.

Where to begin

If the balcony is not glazed, then to replace the door is better to wait for the warm season. However, it is important to know that the cold glazing of the balcony will not retain heat inside the room.

To do all the work as quickly as possible, you need to invite a representative of the company that will collect the balcony door, he will take measurements, and they will start making a balcony block or just a door (depending on what changes). Only when the product is ready, or on the eve of its delivery, you can proceed to dismantle.

Basically, the balcony door is changing along with the window, so we will consider just such an option of dismantling the old and mounting the new design.

Dismantling doors and windows

Old doors and windows are often simply thrown away, since for many they have no value.

If you plan to use the removed window with the door somewhere else, then you have to dismantle them carefully, for which you have to spend more time and effort.

To do the job you will need a specific tool.

For dismantling:

• scrap or mount;
• hammer;
• Bulgarian with a disk on a tree (metal with teeths).

For mounting a new door:

• hammer drill or hammer drill;
• building level;
• polyurethane foam;
• construction knife;
• anchor plates;
• self-tapping screws;
• dowels.

The action algorithm will be as follows:

• From the hinges removed the door and window.
• Grinder cut the frame.
• The sawn parts of the frame are removed with scrap.
• All rubbish is removed and the seat is thoroughly cleaned.

Removing the frame, it is important not to damage the doorway itself.

Installation of a balcony door

And here in the apartment there is a window block, and if more precisely, then frames, double-glazed windows and a connecting strip. Even before the installation, you need to connect between each other 2 (and sometimes 3, when the door is in the middle between the windows) of the window and door frame.

Now we will consider how to install a balcony plastic door.

• Some companies deliver plastic balcony doors fully assembled, others bring unassembled. If you brought a product with installed glass packs, then they need to be removed, for which you first need to dismantle beadings.
• Many people leave a high balcony threshold made by builders. If it is dismantled, then you need to remove the installation profile, which is under the frame of the door frame.
• The window frame and door frame are joined using a connecting profile. As the insulating material used mounting foam, which the height of the window is applied to the door frame. A mounting bracket is installed on top and is screwed with screws. Then use the foam again when connecting to the window.
• The manufacturer recommends mounting the frame with anchor plates (made specifically for the purchased profile), which must be started to be fixed at a distance of 15 cm from the edge of the box, with a subsequent interval of 50 cm or more.

• The assembled window block is installed on the place prepared for it, leveled by level and fixed with wedges made of wooden bars.
• The free part of the anchor plate is bent to the side of the slope and fastened with a dowel.

• Now the voids between the wall and the profile need to blow foam. Do not rush to do it in one pass. It is better to start small - try to place a little foam in the center. After it dries, foam is applied again from inside and outside, and then it will be necessary to cut off the excess. The advantage of this technology of applying foam is that its central part remains intact and will not leak moisture, in contrast to the cut.
• It is necessary to make a threshold (if necessary), and door slopes. Both door and window slopes can be plastered or made from sandwich panels.
• The installed door and window need adjustment. This work can be done independently. Also, having the desire, you can put a mosquito net on the door or window.

• It remains to put the glazing in place, securing them with the beads removed earlier.

If it is cold outside, then the glass units can be installed immediately after the unit is installed.

Sliding balcony door

Most of the sliding doors will not be able to protect the room from the penetration of cold air from the street into it, therefore, if the balcony is not insulated, choosing a structure, you need to pay attention to it.

Sliding balcony doors are produced by several manufacturers, and therefore their mechanism, and therefore the installation technology, may differ. Let's look at their variations.

1. Glass frameless sliding doors. This design has no frame and is made of tempered glass. This is more a design decision than a door, in the usual sense of the word. Only suitable for installation on a warmed balcony.
2. Parallel sliding doors. The flaps are able to release almost the entire opening, since their movement occurs along parallel guides.
3. Door "accordion". It is designed for installation in large openings, as it simply folds.
4. Lifting-sliding mechanism. It is enough to turn the knob and the sash will rise, and silently move on the rail to the side.
5. Tilting and sliding doors. Having an impressive weight, the door moves freely along the guides. The mechanism is controlled by turning the knob. The door leans back and moves to the side, and the sash can be installed in a folding position, if it becomes necessary to ventilate the room. This door is suitable for installation in an apartment with a cold balcony.

The manufacturer provides a guarantee for such doors only if the installation is performed by an expert to whom it is entrusted. In case installation is done by yourself, you should not count on warranty repair. Moreover, given the complexity of installation and adjustment of the mechanism, it is better to provide an opportunity for installation to an expert who is trained to perform similar work and has considerable experience.

Video

Watch the video about the correct installation of the balcony unit:

How to dismantle the old door will help to understand this video: