How To Take Out A Sidelight-Equipped External Door?

Tom Silva, an Old House general contractor, shares a video on how to install an exterior door with sidelights and save $400. To replace a pair of sidelights on a front door, follow steps 1 through 4 and trim the new sidelights to fit the existing openings. If the door has two sidelights, repeat steps 1 through 4. If the door has two sidelights, remove the second sidelight and trim the new sidelights to fit the existing openings.

In most cases, order a new door the same size as the old one. If you alter the size or add sidelights, you’ll need to reframe the opening and alter many details, usually double or triple the size. To begin, remove the current door and sidelights, including weatherstripping, screws, calking, riser, and shims. Purchasing a replacement door that will fit can be done by discovering the actual unit dimension of your existing door and sidelights.

You can replace only the sidelights of a front door without removing the entryway or installing glass to an existing door. Remove the stop moldings in the inside of the sidelights and place extra shims under the sidelight and door on the hinge side to raise the latch side of the door on top. Trim the new sidelights to fit the existing openings, cutting them to length with a circular saw and trimming them to width with a hand plane.