Control Lines for Window and Doors

There are many tutorials on how to set a window or even windows and door. They will tell you used small headed screws for your doors and lager flatter heads for your windows.  They will tell you how to adjusts your trimmers so that the reveals are constant. What many forget to tell you is that no component of your project stands alone. Before checking your openings, before installing your flashing you need to establish another control line. This control line ensures that all your casing heights are identical. You can use a level, a string level or as I prefer a laser. Set up the laser so that you can shoot down that long hall and establish the control line for the entire project. You may need to set it up in multiple locations from there but each time be sure to establish your line height at the same level as your original control line.  This will ensure your heights are constant through out your project. This is important if you do not want your eyes bouncing to different as they follow the door heights down the hall or around the room.

Once your line is established then you mark with a thin marking device both sides of the openings. When this is accomplished, you measure for your line to the floor on each side of every opening. Once that is successfully finished find the window or door opening side with the smallest number. (The smaller the number the higher the floor is at that location.) Measure your opening to ensure your windows and doors will fit. Now measure the height to figure out the height you head jams bottom will be and mark it on the trimmer above your control line. Measure that distance and use it for the entire project. This eliminates staggering casing head heights. You may wish to trim some casings to lower this number but whatever number you choose use it consistently throughout your project. You also need to consider the type of floor covering that will be used. Many floors covering will hide your shim at the bottom of the door but some will expose them so you need to consider this when choosing your number as well as the needed air flow from room to room or room to hall. Many know the proper method to use when installing doors and windows but there remain little tweaks that identify a craftsman has installed the windows and doors on the project.

Again, it is the same old adage. The preparation for the task you are preforming determines the quality of the task you are performing. Many time the prep work is more time consuming than the tasks.

Note: Images on this blog site are from a free source or taken by the author. No image or group of photos is intended to represent the people the author serves. The author does not care about Race (that is a politically correct term that he does not like because we are all of the same Race, the Human Race. He prefers the term ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender, marital status, disability, genetic information, national origin, source of income, Veteran or military status, ancestry, citizenship, primary language or immigration status.) He is a service provider for all people. We will all rise together when we band together and help one another. Joseph Erwin is a Real Estate Broker, DRE # O2131799, and a CA general contractor # B 696662. He’s a member of the CRMLS and The East Valley Association of Realtors located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California.