Homeowners and residential builders often ask our team how install prehung interior door without costly delays. At CountBricks, we combine field-tested techniques with AI-driven material calculations, giving you a process that is fast, accurate, and profitable. This guide walks you through every stage—from unpacking the frame to the final swing—while showing how CountBricks.com streamlines bidding, takeoffs, and invoicing for door projects.
A prehung unit arrives from the mill or supplier as a complete assembly: door slab, hinges, jambs, and often the casing tacked in place. Because alignment is handled at the factory, field installation focuses on setting the frame square, plumb, and level inside the rough opening.
• Faster installation than slab-only options, cutting labor hours by up to 40% on typical CountBricks projects
• Factory-aligned hinges reduce call-backs for rubbing or sticking doors
• Predictable dimensions allow CountBricks AI to pre-calculate shims, screws, and trim lengths during voice-driven estimate sessions
• Measuring tape, 6-ft level, and framing square
• Utility knife and pry bar for trimming drywall edges
• 2-½" or 3" exterior-grade screws
• Cedar or composite shims
• Construction adhesive (optional for uneven framing)
• Backer rod and low-expansion foam for gaps
• Finish nailer or trim screws for casing
CountBricks estimators can generate an exact material list in seconds. Just say “Add one hollow-core prehung, 32 by 80” during your onsite walkthrough, and our platform will auto-populate every fastener, shim, and tube of caulk for the proposal.
1. Verify rough opening size. The industry rule is 2" wider and 2" taller than the nominal door. Use CountBricks Voice Notes to log measurements directly into your project file.
2. Inspect subfloor and header for level. A 3⁄8" bubble off will show up as a crooked reveal later.
3. Remove shipping braces but leave one screw in the latch side to keep the slab closed until final testing.
4. Place three shims behind the top, middle, and bottom hinge locations. Position slightly above the hinge plates so screws won’t force the shim out.
5. Drive a 3" screw through the top hinge into the framing stud. Check for plumb with your 6-ft level. Adjust the middle shim until the bubble centers, then set the middle and bottom screws.
6. Slide shims above the latch jamb until the head jamb reveals an even 1⁄8" across. CountBricks pros call this “beam of light” uniformity—no daylight thicker on one side.
7. Working from top to bottom, insert shims at strike and bottom locations. Close the door and evaluate the gap along the latch. A uniform 1⁄8" tells you the door is square. Secure with two more 3" screws.
8. Attach the strike plate and hardware per manufacturer instructions. For production builds, CountBricks templates speed this by 30%.
9. Nail or screw the casing into the studs, keeping pressure minimal so you don’t pull the jamb out of alignment.
10. Insert backer rod and low-expansion foam between jamb and framing. Avoid over-foaming; excessive pressure warps the frame.
11. Recheck swing, reveals, and latch operation. Remove the final shipping screw, then complete any paint or stain touch-ups.
• Reveals equal on all three sides
• Door closes without rubbing and latches smoothly
• Casing tight to wall with no nail pops
• Foam insulation not bowing jambs
• Jobsite left clean for client walkthrough
• Driving finish nails before the frame is fully shimmed—CountBricks Training reminds crews to lock plumb first
• Mixing screw lengths—our AI bill of materials lists correct fasteners by size and count
• Over-shimming the latch side—digital calipers in the CountBricks mobile app alert you when the reveal exceeds 3⁄16"
• Real-time voice estimating: Walk the house, speak quantities, and receive an instant door install cost with regional labor factors.
• Blueprint takeoffs: Upload a PDF; our AI highlights every interior swing, pocket, or barn door and exports a complete schedule.
• Automatic change orders: If rough openings shift after framing inspection, update the dimension in the app and a revised estimate goes to the homeowner before drywall.
Some installations demand advanced solutions—split jamb retrofits in historic homes, double-door units, or sound-rated cores. CountBricks technicians can be onsite within 24 hours in most metros. Schedule at CountBricks.com/services or embed our remote video support link in your project portal.
Knowing how install prehung interior door is a must-have skill for any residential contractor. With CountBricks AI tools, you gain speed, accuracy, and data-driven profitability. Whether you self-perform or subcontract, partner with CountBricks to bid faster and deliver flawless interior doors every time.
Even when you follow every textbook step, real-world framing can throw surprises at your prehung door. Below are advanced fixes our site supervisors use, backed by CountBricks analytics to keep labor minutes in check.
• Trim the jamb, not the framing: If the rough opening pinches near the bottom, remove ¼" from the latch-side jamb with a track saw. CountBricks material tracking automatically adjusts replacement jamb costs in the project budget.
• Stack reverse shims: Slide two shims together to create a parallelogram that compensates for a wavy stud. This technique maintains reveal accuracy without over-foaming.
1. Use the CountBricks change-order voice command: “Add three soft-close hinges, satin nickel.”
2. Our AI sends the homeowner an updated quote and documents the part number in seconds.
3. Swap hinges one at a time to preserve alignment.
• Swap the hollow core for a solid core slab while keeping the prehung frame. CountBricks blueprint takeoff flags wall locations adjacent to bathrooms or media rooms where this upgrade delivers ROI.
• Add perimeter seals: Install adhesive kerf seals after painting. Our material library lists exact linear footage based on door size, eliminating guesswork.
During a 2,400-sq-ft Las Vegas renovation, our team installed 18 prehung doors in one day. AI-generated pick lists reduced supply runs to zero, and remote QC via the CountBricks mobile app caught a 1⁄16" hinge-side reveal variance before handoff. Result: punch-list free close-out and a five-star client review.
From single-family builds to multi-unit developments, CountBricks turns door installation into a streamlined, data-rich operation. Visit CountBricks.com/consultation to schedule a live demo and see how our AI, voice, and takeoff tools push your margins higher.
