Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Hard Core Remodeling but Were Afraid to Ask Part 18!

We've finished buttering the walls, so the condo is starting to take shape

We showed you how to remove doors and widen them,

so today with

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Hard Core Remodeling but Were Afraid to Ask!

I think it's time we put them back in!

We took the frames back out to reinforce the walls and saved them, so now

we'll need to clean them up a bit.

And your Tool of the Day makes this a snap.

Notice that nice, straight edge, just perfect for grabbing?

Since the heads of most nails are sunk below the surface

 of the wood, it's easier to pull them through.

And you know me and easy.

We'll set a 1x4 scrap on either side of the doorway to raise the frame

off the cement sub-floor.

This gives us 1/2".

Remember, a 1x4 is actually 1/2x3 1/2.

Slide it into place.

Notice those gaps?

We need to shim them up to make the fit tight and solid.

Place another lumber scrap against the wall to make sure the frame is plum with the surface.

We'll get our nail gun all oiled and ready to go too.

Go ahead and fuel up yourself.

These are the usual shims you use.

However, I've learned a little something new.

My teacher, Mark, uses cedar shingles.

These are easily broken by hand to fit spaces.

Slide the shingle shims in from both sides.

Make sure the frame is level.

Start sinking nails into the frame through the shim.

Measure the top...

...and the bottom, making sure they are exactly the same.

Now, since this is NOT a good look...

...we'll use a razor knife to rectify that.

This cool little puppy has on-board blade storage.

Run it down the shim, scoring it deeply...

...and snap it off.

This will be hidden when we add molding.

Is this doable?

Sure it is.

That's my dainty little hand.

I'm never going to show you a project I won't do myself,

and a lot of this is stuff I'm tackling for the first time.

Like this doorway.

I did this one all by myself.

Here's the test though.

If you put that door in, and it closes perfectly, you've done your job.

BOOM.

I think I need a nap though.

Okay, grab your purse, because it's time to go rent a truck and get some COLOR!