Replacing a front door involves six jobs: checking the frame, measuring, choosing between a door on its own or a door and frame, finishing the new door, hanging it, then sealing it and fitting the hardware. If the existing frame is square and sound, you can usually keep it and replace the door alone.
Most people start by choosing a door they like. That's the fun part, and it's the wrong place to begin. The frame your old door hangs in decides which front doors will fit, how much work the swap takes and whether you're buying one item or two.
We've created this simple guide to help you understand the whole job before you order. It follows the order a good installer works in, so you can see what happens at each step and what you need to have ready.
Key takeaways
- Check the frame first. A square, solid frame can stay, and a rotted or twisted one has to go.
- Measure the door, the frame and the opening separately. They are three different sizes.
- The new door's thickness has to match the frame rebate, the hinges and the lock.
- Paint or stain a timber door on every face and edge before it's hung, including the top and bottom.
- Trimming a door to fit can affect its warranty, and bushfire rated doors shouldn't be altered at all.
- Book your installer before the door arrives.
Summary Table
| Step |
What happens |
What you need |
| 1. Check the frame |
Look for rot, movement and an out-of-square opening |
A screwdriver, a level and a tape measure |
| 2. Measure |
Record the door, frame and opening sizes, the thickness and the hinge side |
Our measuring checklist |
| 3. Choose what to order |
Door only, or door and entry frame |
The result of step 1 |
| 4. Finish the door |
Seal every face and edge of a timber door |
Exterior paint or stain, and somewhere flat to work |
| 5. Hang the door |
Fit the hinges, hang the door and set even gaps |
A carpenter or an experienced installer |
| 6. Seal and fit hardware |
Weather seals, handle, lock and any door stop |
Hardware that suits the door's thickness |
Can I replace just the door, or do I need a new frame?
You can replace just the door if the frame is square, solid and the right size for the new door. You need a new frame if the old one is rotted, twisted, the wrong size, or you're changing the opening. Check before you order, because the answer changes what you buy.
A door-only swap works when:
- The frame is solid, with no rot, termite damage or movement.
- The new door matches the old one's size and thickness.
- The rebate and hardware preparation suit the new door.
- You're happy with the existing sill and weather seals.
To test the frame, press a screwdriver into the bottom of each jamb and the sill, where water sits longest. Soft timber means rot. Then measure both diagonals of the opening. If they differ noticeably, the frame is out of square, and a new door will bind in it or show uneven gaps.
Watch how the old door behaves as well. A door that has always stuck in one corner, or that shows a wider gap at the top than the bottom, is telling you about the frame as much as the door.
How do I measure for a replacement front door?
Measure the width in three places and the height in three places, then use the smallest figures. Write down whether you measured the door, the frame or the opening, because they are three different sizes. Then note the thickness, the hinge side and which way the door swings.
If you're keeping the frame, the old door is your best template. Measure its height, width and thickness. Most entrance doors in our range are 40mm thick, but some ranges are 35mm, 41mm, 45mm or 50mm, and the thickness has to match your frame rebate, hinges and lock.
Our front door sizes guide has the full measuring checklist. If your opening isn't a standard size, you can request a quote for a custom door size.
Door only, or door and frame: what do I order?
Order a door on its own when the frame is staying. Order a door and an entry frame when the frame is being replaced. The frame has to suit the door's size and thickness, the hinge side and the layout of your entry.
Our entry frames come in these layouts:
- A single door.
- A door with one sidelight, or with two.
- Double doors.
- A pivot door.
There are Hume standard frames in Meranti, Hume Weatherguard frames, bushfire rated frames and aluminium frames for the Elite aluminium doors. On a bushfire-prone site the frame has to carry the same rating as the door, so read our BAL guide before you choose.
Adding sidelights or going from a single door to double doors changes the opening itself. That's building work as well as a door order. Our guide to double front doors, sidelights and fanlights covers the options.
What needs doing before the door is hung?
A timber door has to be sealed before it goes anywhere near the weather. Paint or stain every face and edge, including the top and bottom, and do it soon after delivery. An unsealed edge takes in moisture, and that's where swelling and warping begin.
- Store the door flat, indoors and out of direct sun until it's finished.
- Seal all six sides: both faces, both long edges, the top and the bottom.
- Use a finish rated for exterior use.
- Think twice about very dark colours on a west-facing door, because dark colours absorb more heat.
Aluminium doors arrive powder coated, so this step doesn't apply to them. Our timber doors guide goes into finishing in more detail.
How is a front door hung?
The installer removes the old door, checks the frame, fits the hinges and hangs the new door so the gaps are even all the way around. Three hinges is common practice for a standard-height door. The door should then close against the stops without rubbing or needing a push.
The usual order of work looks like this:
- Lift the old door off and remove its hinges and hardware.
- Check the frame again with the door out of the way, and repair or replace anything soft.
- Offer the new door up to the opening and mark the hinge positions.
- Cut the hinge recesses and fit the hinges.
- Hang the door and check the gaps at the top, the sides and the bottom.
- Adjust until the door swings freely and sits flat against the stops.
A new door sometimes needs a small trim to suit an old frame. Solid and engineered timber doors can often be trimmed slightly, but it can affect the warranty and the door's balance. Aluminium and composite doors generally can't be cut, and bushfire rated doors shouldn't be altered, because it can affect compliance. Any timber edge that is trimmed needs resealing before the door goes back up.
This is why the measuring matters. A door ordered in the right size needs little or no trimming.
How do I seal and weatherproof the new door?
Weatherproofing comes down to four things: a frame matched to the door, a sill that sheds water, seals that compress evenly and enough overhead cover. If you kept the old frame, check its seals while the door is off. Tired seals are easy to replace at this stage and awkward later.
Look at the sill too. Water should run away from the door, not sit against it. Then close the door and look for daylight around the edges. An even, snug fit against the seals is what you're after.
What hardware do I need?
A front door needs hinges, a handle and a lock, and all three have to suit the door's thickness. Decide whether you want an entry handle set, a pull handle with a separate lock, or a digital lock, and check the backset before you order.
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Entry handle sets combine the handle and lock.
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Pull handles suit modern and wide doors and pair with a separate lock.
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Digital locks replace the key with a code, card or fingerprint, depending on the model.
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Hinges should be corrosion resistant on an exposed or coastal entry.
Reusing the old hardware is tempting, but it has to match the new door's thickness and preparation. Our front door handles and locks guide explains backset, stile width and security levels.
Should I do it myself or use an installer?
An experienced carpenter can handle a straightforward replacement in a sound frame. A new frame, double doors or a changed opening is a job for a professional, because the frame has to be accurate and level and the weatherproofing has to be right.
You can use your own carpenter or one of our preferred installers in Sydney, Wollongong, Melbourne, the Central Coast and the Gold Coast. Either way, book the installer before the door arrives, share the door specifications with them and confirm they're licensed for the work.
For the budget side, our guide to how much a front door costs lists door, frame and hardware prices from our store.
FAQs
Can I replace a front door without replacing the frame?
Yes, if the frame is square, solid and the right size for the new door. The new door has to match the old one's size and thickness so it suits the rebate and the hinges. Replace the frame as well if it's rotted, twisted or you're changing the opening.
How do I know if my door frame needs replacing?
Replace the frame if the timber is soft or rotted, or if the opening is out of square. Press a screwdriver into the bottom of each jamb and the sill, then measure both diagonals of the opening. Soft timber or diagonals that differ noticeably both point to a new frame.
Can a new front door be trimmed to fit an old frame?
Sometimes, but only by a small amount. Solid and engineered timber doors can often be trimmed slightly, although it can affect the warranty. Aluminium and composite doors generally can't be cut, and bushfire rated doors shouldn't be altered.
Do I need to paint a new front door before it's installed?
Yes, if it's a timber door. Paint or stain every face and edge, including the top and bottom, before the door is hung. Aluminium doors arrive powder coated and don't need finishing.
How many hinges does a front door need?
Three hinges is common practice for a standard-height front door. A taller or heavier door may need a fourth. Choose hinges that suit the door's thickness and weight, and use corrosion-resistant hinges on an exposed or coastal entry.
Can I replace a front door myself?
An experienced carpenter can replace a door in a sound frame. A new frame, double doors or a changed opening should go to a professional installer, because the frame has to be accurate and level. Whoever does the work, book them before the door arrives.
What should I measure before ordering a replacement front door?
Measure the height and width in three places each and use the smallest figures. Record the door's thickness, the hinge side and which way it swings. Note whether each figure is the door, the frame or the opening, because they are three different sizes.
Not sure whether your frame can stay?
Send us your measurements and a few photos of the door, the frame and the sill, and we'll help you work out what to order. Contact the Complete Doors Online team and order with confidence from the comfort of your own home.
