Business owners who wish to offer door installation and repair as part of their building services should take advantage of training for door installation and repair. As you look for the right training, you should keep in mind that this is a very competitive field. If you can offer services above and beyond that of the average contractor, it will definitely be beneficial to the success of your business.

Training for door installation and repair comes in the form of tutorials, webinars, online classes and seminars. However, even if you're already in the business of installing and repairing doors, you should continue to educate yourself and enhance your skills. Consider the following training options for your door installation and repairing services:

1. Start with the basics so you understand the foundation of door installation.

2. Invest in ongoing training in commercial door installation for your employees so your business is always ahead of the game when in comes to door installation.

3. Keep abreast of the latest door repair services and installation tips through online tutorials.

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The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Make ongoing training a requirement to offer your client the best door installation services

Ongoing training is always a great way for employees to polish their skills and learn the latest methods, tips and tricks in door installation. Customers will take you more seriously if you are a certified professional. For convenience, many resources offer both on-site and self-study training.

I recommend: Installation Masters USA is a great training resource for on-site classes and self study programs. They also offer certifications. Marvin Tours and Training provides tours and training to contractors, including certification, on integrity and service training.

Opt for online training to enhance your knowledge of door repair and installation services

Online training is readily available through tutorial and online seminars. Much of the information is free. In some cases you just need to register; but in doing so, you may receive a free newsletter as a bonus. Just make sure the site is reputable.

I recommend: This Old House offers a step-by-step tutorial on door installation, while HomeTips.com provides valuable information on repairing and caring for doors.

Join an institute to learn all there is to know about door repairs and installation

Associations are always a great way to learn more about your industry. They often provide a diverse range of opportunities to develop and enhance your knowledge, as well as meet with other industry professionals.

I recommend: The Association of Window and Door Installers provides installation training seminars to all its installation members through regional training sessions. The American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers (AAADM) also offers a schedule of certification classes for automatic door installers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider joining a forum on one of your training sites so you can discuss door installations and other industry topics with fellow installers and repair professionals.

Whether you run a retail operation, a garage or a factory, commercial door repairs are likely to be a fact of business life at some point. Your doors provide security, facilitate shipping and warehousing and welcome customers, and they get a lot of wear. When it's time for commercial door repair or for brand-new entry door installation, turn to experts in door installation and repair, who'll put their business to work in securing yours.

Professional door installers and door repair services offer a variety of ways to help you keep your doors open when you want them to be, and locked when they should be. Whether you choose providers of door installation services and door repairs who operate on the national, regional or local level, look for:

1. Commercial entry door installation for sliding glass mall doors, overhead dock doors and garage doors.

2. Emergency door repair services such as board-up, reentry after damage and repair or replacement of damaged security door systems.

3. Commercial door repair and preventative maintenance contracts, offering regularly scheduled exterior door repairs, fire door certification and security upgrades.

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Contact nationwide commercial door installation and repair services

Providers of door installation services and door repairs with a national presence offer competitive prices, easy online service requests and long-term maintenance contracts.

I recommend: Precision Overhead Door Service operate 70 locations nationwide for professional overhead door repair, sending out fully stocked trucks to minimize downtime. Titan Doors offers "service on site" throughout the US; their commercial door repair customers include Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Home Depot. Ask for a low competitive quote for dock and door installation from Walker Equipment and Service, Inc. Arbon Equipment's network of corporate locations and independent contractors makes them one of the nation's largest door installation and repair services.

Find regional services for commercial entry door installation and door repair

Choose door installation and repair services that operate regional networks to get the best of large-scale resources and local-area familiarity.

I recommend: Door Systems, Inc. guarantees same-day service throughout New England and Long Island. They specialize in garage door installation and repair for commercial and industrial needs. Southeastern Dock & Door, with locations in Greenville and Columbia, serves the Carolinas and eastern GA; they'll conduct a free survey to help you determine your door repair service needs. Vortex Doors serves 7 western states with 23 service areas; they claim the fastest response time in the door repair services industry.

Look to local providers of door installation services for quick response and personal service

When you need emergency exterior door repairs or have immediate entry door installation needs, nothing beats a local service provider. Many local providers offer competitive pricing and long-term door repair contracts, too.

I recommend: In Detroit and southern MI, FBH Commercial Security Electronic Doors and Hardware specializes in emergency commercial entry door repairs, fire door certification and other security needs. Bennett Door Service, Inc. provides commercial door installation and repair services and preventive maintenance to businesses in the Chicagoland area. Texdoor, Ltd., of San Antonio has 14 crews to provide door installation and repair for all brands of hollow metal and garage doors throughout south TX. Or search the listings at ThomasNet.com for industrial door installers and door repair services in your area; narrow your search by location.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Be aware that some door installers and door repair services are associated with commercial door manufacturers and distributors, and may only provide door installations and repairs for specific brands. Inquire about any service limitations when you make your online or phone service request.

Planning new commercial door installations involves many things, especially if you are going to make it a do-it-yourself project instead of calling professional door installers. You have to consider the purpose of the door, its placement and the impact the door installation process will have on your business.

Once you decide on the type of door and when you are going to install it, you will need to make sure you understand the basic installation instructions. Use the following door installation and repair education and training tips as your guide:

1. Save money with do-it-yourself pre-hung door installation.

2. Impress clients by incorporating a French door into your office space.

3. Add industrial doors or overhead doors to your business.

4. Give doors a new look by updating hardware as part of door repairs.

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Know basic pre-hung door installation methods

Pre-hung doors are by far the easiest doors to install. These are ideal for you to use as office doors, storage closet doors and other interior doors. In either case, scheduling the commercial door installation for a time when business is slow may be the best option to lessen the stress.

I recommend: HomeTips.com offers detailed instructions to walk you through installing a pre-hung door, even if you don't have any prior carpentry experience. AsktheBuilder.com contains numerous tips that you can use to ensure a smooth installation of your pre-hung doors, which is vital to minimize business down time.

Understand French door installation instructions

French doors add instant elegance to almost any office or conference room. These doors are ideal to use for offices that have an access door to a patio, balcony or sunroom. French doors are a nice touch for conference rooms or break areas. Check the weather forecast to make sure you choose a clear day to schedule the French door installations, especially if it's an entry door installation.

I recommend: HGTV.com offers a simplified set of instructions for installing French doors or patio doors. DoItYourself.com has detailed instructions that give you instructions to follow should you run across any problems during installation.

Follow industrial door installation instructions

Industrial door installation is slightly more difficult than regular commercial door installation. One reason for this is that most industrial doors have a power source or remote controls. Thoroughly reading the instruction guide for your door is necessary to avoid injury. Utilizing methods to decrease the energy lost through leaky doors and seals may save your company a considerable amount of money.

I recommend: Doors On-Line offers instruction manuals for many of the most popular overhead and industrial door models. These manuals offer easy to understand, step by step instructions. Chase Doors offers online installation manuals and owner manuals for all the doors it makes, including pharmaceutical doors. Energy Institute Press offers a tips and instructions to minimize energy lost through leaky doors.

Plan hardware upgrades into your door installation plans

Updating the look of your office may be as simple as changing out the hardware on the doors. Even if you are in the midst of a new door installation project, you will still need to know how to install the new hardware.

I recommend: DoorKnobDiscountCenter.com has instructions for installing door hardware. This website has directions on installing different types of hardware, including deadbolts with strike plates, basic doorknob and key-less doorknob. Fix-It Club offers instructions for door repair and other money saving tips to extend the use of your doors and hardware.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Before beginning any door installation project, check your local building codes to ensure that you don't need any special permits.
• •  Consider getting an estimate from door installation services. This will give you an idea of how long the installation would take. Plus, you may find that a professional installation isn't as costly as you first thought.

Doors may seem simple until you have to install or repair one. Several small elements work together to produce a working door. While the purpose of a door is fairly rudimentary, getting it to properly function can be complex, particularly as commercial doors become more advanced.

When installing and repairing doors, it's important to know the names of the door's parts as well as how they work together. Without the proper terminology, ordering the correct materials may be difficult.

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Architectural door

Architectural doors, also called commercial doors, are designed specifically to be used for commercial and industrial purposes. The standards for the construction materials used in these doors exceed the standards for residential doors. Architectural doors generally offer qualities, such as high fire ratings and low sound transmission, not seen in their residential counterparts.

I recommend: Get a better idea of the standards applied to architectural doors by reading through a brief summary of the I.S.1-A-97, a publication on standards for architectural wood flush doors, at the Window and Door Manufacturers Association website. View a picture gallery of architectural steel doors at Securall Commercial Grade Steel Doors.

Door frame

The door frame is comprised of several parts that work together to keep the door functional. A header and two jamb legs form the shape of the frame, which resembles a rectangle that is missing a side. The stop is the small strip of material that allows the door to close without swinging through the frame. Depending on the type of frame, the stop may either be built into the frame, referred to as a rabbetted stop, or applied separately, known as a stitched stop.

I recommend: See step-by-step instructions for building a door frame at DoItYourself.com. The website includes easy-to-understand graphics of the elements that comprise the frame. Learn more about repairing existing door frames at ServiceMagic.com.

Stiles

Stiles are the vertical pieces within a door's framework. Stiles may also be called side jambs. The stile that is used to mount the hinges is referred to as the hinge stile or hanging stile. The stile that is used for the door's latch and lock is called the lock stile.

I recommend: See a diagram of how stiles work with hinges to create a functioning door at HomeTips.com.

Plinth block

A plinth block, also referred to as a base block, pilaster base, or foot block, is a decorative square that connects the door's side casing to the baseboard. In addition to hiding unsightly seams, a plinth block adds stability.

I recommend: See examples of plinth blocks at Blue Ox Millworks. Learn more about installing plinth blocks at PlinthBlocks.com.

Header

A header can refer to either the horizontal piece of a door frame or the support beam that is used to provide stability when studs are interrupted for the installation of a door or window. A header must be installed whenever the width needed for the door installation is greater than the width between the studs.

I recommend: Learn more about how headers prevent excessive weight from being placed on the door frame at FineHomeBuilding.com.

Weatherstrip

A weatherstrip helps the efficiency of a door by preventing air from passing through openings between the door and its frame and baseboard. Weatherstripping also lowers energy costs.

I recommend: Read more about the different types of weatherstripping and their best uses at the U.S. Department of Energy website. The website also offers tips on applying weatherstripping.