# closing off a door (help?)



## s52e368 (Jan 11, 2010)

so some may have seen my HT/mancave has an ill placed EXTERIOR door. that ive debated removing. 
any of you suggest ideas on how. now this is the only regular size door in my basement there is a garage door in the other portion of the basement. 

seen here (right)











now some pros and cons of doing so:

PROS: (of removing)

no more battles with window light
may help with climate control in the room
safety: no worry of entry point for theft.

CONS: (of removing) 

no more access to the outside from the room
(rarely used, and too small to move furniture in and out) 
safety: worry of entry point for theft. 

for install my thoughts were to the leave the frame/casing. remove the actual door install a toe and frame out a small wall in its place using ply for the exterior and insulate and drywall from the inside.. 
the only issue with that is from the outside aesthetics.

thoughts?


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## Anthony (Oct 5, 2006)

I hate to say it, but you need two egresses from a basement to be up to residential code. Some places allow exemptions and alternate safety mechanisms (like egress windows, sprinklers, etc). 

But if that door is the only "extra" exit to the outside, you need to keep it (assumes the staircase upstairs is your second egress). If you have another door to a garage or such in the basement, then you will be okay and that door can probably go.

I just worry about fire safety and resale. If you board it up and if that's a no-no in your locality, then potential buyers might not be interested (or worse, put in an offer then pull it back after a home inspection).

I'd just do a true deadbolt (completely inside the house, no outside tumblers) and some blackout curtains on the window panes of the door -- or a new door with no window panels.


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## s52e368 (Jan 11, 2010)

Anthony said:


> I hate to say it, but you need two egresses from a basement to be up to residential code. Some places allow exemptions and alternate safety mechanisms (like egress windows, sprinklers, etc).
> 
> But if that door is the only "extra" exit to the outside, you need to keep it (assumes the staircase upstairs is your second egress). If you have another door to a garage or such in the basement, then you will be okay and that door can probably go.


look at pics, clearly another entrance.


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## Anthony (Oct 5, 2006)

I've seen houses like that where the garage or basement was completely isolated, despite being on the same level :scratchhead:

Well, if you do have another egress, then you can board up a door rather easily. It already has a header to take the load, so you just add a bottom plate (pressure treated) and a stud in the middle.

Exterior grade ply, insulation, then a vapor barrier, and drywall.

The hard part is going to be matching the brick, or just throw out a non-sequiter and frame a mini-shed or something over that opening for a bit of storage (and then it doesn't have to match perfectly). If you don't brick it, make sure anything you put there is properly flashed/sided so that water doesn't get behind it.

Good luck.


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## s52e368 (Jan 11, 2010)

Anthony said:


> Well, if you do have another egress, then you can board up a door rather easily. * It already has a header to take the load, so you just add a bottom plate (pressure treated) and a stud in the middle.
> 
> Exterior grade ply, insulation, then a vapor barrier, and drywall.*


my thought as well. be much cheaper than a custom door that would never get used. 
this route could be undone rather easily if needed as well..
vapor bayer on the exterior side of the insulation or on the inside? 



Anthony said:


> The hard part is going to be matching the brick, or just throw out a non-sequiter and frame a mini-shed or something over that opening for a bit of storage (and then it doesn't have to match perfectly). If you don't brick it, make sure anything you put there is properly flashed/sided so that water doesn't get behind it.


also something im thinking of, not sure how but something would need to be added.
i have some brick (think its the same) but im no mason by any means..


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## Anthony (Oct 5, 2006)

Vapor barrier is on the inside of the house. Some people just use the facing on the insulation as vapor barrier. That's minimum code in some places. In colder climates, it's common to use bats (no face paper) and then use plastic sheeting over top of the studs, then drywall.

If you have plastic to the sides of the doors (existing), be sure to "tuck-tape" it, which is this red and black plastic tape that can tie multiple sheets of vapor barrier together.

Can't help you with mason stuff  I'm good with tile and pavers, but not brick and mortar.

Keep us posted!


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## s52e368 (Jan 11, 2010)

found a steel door in that size it is special order but only 125$ . compared to pricing out materials and time to seal off. 

still worried about the kick in of the door though. (paranoid)


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## Anthony (Oct 5, 2006)

Eh, with a steel door, deadbolt, long screws on the hinges and deadbolt cup -- they'd likely break through the window first -- or find another way in.

Swapping doors is definitely a lot easier than a full build-out. If you can, get a pre-hung door. Since it's steel, it's not like you can shave off a little on the top if it's barely off. Much easier to trim out the door jamb or house frame. If you can't get it pre-hung, make sure the measurements are EXACT!


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## glaufman (Nov 25, 2007)

Just remember it's not just the long screws... even the longest of screws only provides as much strength as what they're screwed into... I've seen time and time again 4 inch screws going through the casing into nothing else...


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