Framing French doors with sidelights adds life to your entrance looking elegant as well. For a finished touch frame your French doors with side lights and learn to it do it yourself with the simple steps explained below.
Tools required:
- Framing hammer
- Galvanized framing nails
- Rosin-coated nails
- Framing square
- Carpenter’s square
- 4-foot level
- Saw horses
- Circular saw
- ¼-inch plywood
- Measuring tape
- French doors with sidelights
- Shims
Procedure:
- Firstly, measure the height and width of the French door and the sidelights using measuring tape
- Leave extra space for the door jamb that is usually 1-inch thick with an additional ¼-inch between the jamb and the frame
- Now cut the space by marking the location where the French door is to be installed. Use carpenter’s square and pencil to mark the space that you measured already
- Now put the piece just in place and nail it. Also put other sides while framing the French door with sidelights
- Now measure the space between the double studs and cut a 2×4 of its length. Nail it in bottom plate
- Header is to be made from the plywood and two 2×6 boards that are also to be nailed together with the rosin-covered nails
- Now cut the plywood to the length and width of the 2×6’s. Nail it on top
- Set the header in place to the top plate and fix it in place with nails
- In the end slide the French door in place making proper adjustments
- Add shims to the base, top and sides to make it in center
- Finally trim the shims and then nail them in place