Installation
Install your own Novatech doorglass
Practical advice
Step 1
Set up a 4ft X 8ft plywood sheet on a horizontal surface that you can work on. Remove all hardware such as doorknob, dead bolt, hinges, etc. Using a felt-tip pen, mark the place on the door where the cover plates for the door knob and dead bolt are positioned. This is to ensure that you do not cut your door at these spots.
Step 2
Once you have determined what size doorglass you will be installing and ensured that it will fit into the opening to be cut, outline the cut out with a felt-tip pen and a square. Be sure to center the glass relative to the panels.
Step 3
Repeat step 2 on the other side of the door.
Step 4
Using a metal punch, punch all four corners of the indicated area on both sides of the door. Set your markings slightly inside (1/4 inch) the cutting perimeter that you traced.
Step 5
Using a drill with a 3/8 drill bit, drill a hole where your punch markings are, making sure to drill the hole only in one side of the metal door skin at a time (do not drill through to the other side of the door).
Step 6
Wear safety glasses for this step. Protect the outer perimeter to be cut with masking tape to prevent scratching the door while cutting with the jigsaw. Repeat on the other side of the door. You may also wish to put masking tape on the saw plate where it makes contact with the door. Use a shortened metal blade that has been cut down so that the blade will travel no more than 1 inch deep (on most jigsaws, you can run the motor with a screwdriver, which will allow you to measure the travel of the blade). To shorten your saw blade, place it in a bench vice and break it at the right length. Cut along the lines that have been marked with the square. Make sure that the blade is not making contact with the metal skin on the opposite side of the door on the blade down stroke, as this will damage the door.
Step 7
Wear gloves for this step. Repeat step 6 on the other side of the door. With a kitchen knife, cut the insulation that is between the door faces and remove the panel that has been cut.
Step 8
Remove your new Novatech® Decorative Door Frame from its protective packaging. Be sure not to throw out the small bag of installation screws and caps. Detach the inside frame (the one with the screw holes).
Step 9
Carefully insert the exterior frame with the glass into the door opening.
Step 10
Next, carefully insert your interior frame. If the door is upright when you do this, have someone hold the glass from the other side. Be sure the frame is well installed and level in the opening.
Step 11
Line up the frame and install the screws. Do not over tighten them. (If you are using an electric screwdriver, set it to 2). Once all the screws are in, insert the screw hole caps. Ensure that the door is level both horizontally and vertically.
Steps to follow if your door has an existing doorglass
Practical advice
Step 1
Unscrew all screws from the interior side of the door.
Step 2
Carefully, pry away the exterior doorglass frame from the door. Have someone hold the doorglass as it is being pried away from the door.
Step 3
You will probably have to remove the existing caulking from the opening using paint thinner or Varsol. Go to step 8 (above) and proceed from there.
What you will need for the installation :
- Safety glasses
- Jigsaw
- Felt-tip pen
- Work gloves
- Drill
- Hammer
- Square
- Metal punch
- Screwdriver
- Knife
- Masking tape
