Installing your New Door

First check the door frame to make sure it's square and level. Measure the width and height of the door and record the dimensions. Once you have the dimensions, remove the hinge pins and slide the door out of the hinges.
Transfer your measurements to the new door and then use a circular saw to trim the bottom if necessary. You will want to clamp the door to a bench and wear a dust mask and safety glasses when using the circular saw.
Once your door is the correct size you may fit the new door into the frame and raise it into position using shims.  Mark the locations for the hinges using a combination square and utility knife. Remove the door and clamp it back on the workbench. 
Extend the marks for the hinge positions across the side of the door and line up the template for the hinges with the marks on the door.  Next secure the template with a couple of nails.
You will then cut mortises for hinges with a router and use a corner cutter and a chisel to carve away the rounded corners of the mortises to fit the square hinges.
Once this is done you can fit the new hinges and carefully tap them into place with a hammer. Pre-drill holes with a center-finding drill bit and lock down the hinges with screws.
You are now ready to hang the door in place and secure the hinge pins. 
Now mark the location of the strike plates and drill the holes for the hardware using a keyhole drilling jig. Use a mortise punch to punch out the general shape of the latch, and then use a chisel to remove the material. Repeat the process for the deadbolt.
Install lock hardware according to manufacturer's instructions and don't forget to replace the doorbell to round out the new look.  We found 1800Doorbell.com to be a nice place to find the right fit for your new door.

Choosing a New Front Door

This summer you may want to refresh the look of your house and besides a new coat of paint, nothing improves the entryway like a new front door.  The first step is choosing a new door.

The many different types of doors available and each have their advantages and disadvantages. The best door for you will depend upon the qualities (design, durability, efficiency or economy)  that are most important to you.

Some notes about the doors available:

Glass:

Many doors are available with decorative glass and most doors have insulated glass for energy efficiency.

Wood:

Wood doors are popular because of the way they look.  A natural hardwood door with decorative glass can be an elegant update to your home. You can also stain or paint wood doors.  A disadvantage of wood is the fact that it shrinks and swells with changes in the weather.  Some wood doors have laminated cores to reduce the potential for weather related problems, but the finish on all wood doors must be maintained to prevent damage over time.

Steel:

Steel doors are very popular. They have a core of foam insulation and are very energy efficient. These doors are highly resistant to shrinking, swelling, warping or splitting that commonly happen with wood doors. Steel doors do not often have the  aesthetic qualities and character as wood doors, but if you are willing to spend a little more there are some nice models out there.

Fiberglass:

Fiberglass doors have many of the advantages of steel, with the added benefit of the ability to be stained to approximate the look of a wood door. However they are relatively more expensive than steel doors, and still fall short of the look and feel of wood.

Once you have chosen a door, you will want to choose a doorknob and lock assembly, as well as a nice new doorbell to compliment your final look and feel.

Once you have completed choosing a door and accessories you can then install the door.