How to remove Metal Door Frame (and put up glass shower door)

[makka619]

Hi,

Can anyone enlighten me as to how easy it is to remove a metal door frame? Is it something I can get one of the guys to help me do? Or does it require a specialist?

I am renovating a bathroom, and the shower is an ensuite which used to have a door attached and the shower was half of the room (quite squishy opening the door to get in there). I have removed the door and want to keep it off and attach a glass shower door screen there and make the shower the whole room! So I am assuming I would have to remove the metal door frame, and put something on the wall?

The walls are double brick, I just had them tiled inside the shower and plasterboarded outside, but if it is possible to remove the door frame it will show brick underneath. So would I need board or plaster board over that area to attach a shower door?

[woodsprite]

Don't know a lot about these, but I would bet the frame has been anchored back into the brickwork and should lever off if you are careful (and can't find any screws or bolts) Yes, probably exposed rough stuff underneath the frame and yes, you will need to plaster board it or put a timber fascia over the rough stuff.
Sounds like a good project-good luck with it.
Jeff

[makka619]

Thanks woody, I think it will be too hard to remove the door frame so ...

Is it possible, to just attach a glass shower door to the metal frame somehow?

[woodsprite]

G'day macka, yes, should be possible. Just read your original post again and now I think I get the picture. I think that mounting an aluminium channel onto the steel frame would be a start - could be screwed through the inside of the channel or even pop rivetted through the steel with long pops. If this part of the door is going to be fixed, you can then get the glass with a tight fitting channel type frame all around it,, which can be fitted into the channel you have just mounted with screws/pops.

If the door is going to be a swinging door, you will probably need a piece of square or rectangular alum tube fixed to the steel (with sealant between the tube and the steel) and then mount your door to this tube - our shower doors (sliders) have beaut windscreen wiper type blades the entire lenght of the door and this stops any water getting out of the shower recess.

Either of the above suggestions may help. Years ago when I fixed a shower screen to the edge of the bath I simply fitted a channel to the wall, slid the fixed part of the screen into this channel with some silicone and a few pop rivets and mounted the bottom of the screen in channel also (which was also siliconed to the top edge of the bath). The swinging door was hinged off the outer vertical edge of the fixed panel - the fixed pannel had all four edges covered in a tight fitting aluminium channel frame - with a couple of brass hinges and pop rivets. This was done about 15 years ago I think, and has caused no problems.

Hope all the above is at least a little bit relevant to your project!
Jeff

[Rossluck]

Jeff's given you good advice there. All I'd add is that I've taken a few of these metal door jambs down and they're held in by wire clips that are mortered in. You won't hurt the brickwork taking it out, but be prepared to lose the door jamb as you lever it off. Start at the bottom and just lever it out on both sides (with a jemmy). Good luck with it.

[makka619]

Yeah Jeff your post did help. I did have to read over it a few times to get a clearer idea, mainly because I didn't know what the alum and stuff was but I did a search.

So, do you think this is stuff I can do with some help? Or is it something I the shower people do?

I got 2 Quotes for a shower door installed. First guy said they couldn't attach a door to the metal frame. I thought he was lazy<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" oreferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/> </v:formulas> <vath o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/> <o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" style='12pt; 12pt'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Katie\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.gif" o:href="http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/smilies/tongue.gif"/> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->. The second guy said no prob, then gave me a quote of.....

$620<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" style='12pt;12pt'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Katie\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image002.gif" o:href="http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/smilies/eek.gif"/> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]-->:eek:<!--[endif]--> <o =""></o>

(Supply and Installation Of a white powder coated pivot door showerscreen glazed in clear glass to steel door frame.)<o =""></o>

Is this normal cost for a single door? Or is he overcharging me, do I need to negotiate? All I need is a door installed not a whole unit. Wonder if I can buy a door off ebay and do it myself<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1027" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" style='12pt;12pt'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Katie\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image003.gif" o:href="http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/smilies/biggrin.gif"/> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--> Yeah probably not.... one can dream<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1028" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" style='12pt;12pt'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Katie\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image004.gif" o:href="http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif"/> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1029" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" style='12pt;12pt'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Katie\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image004.gif" o:href="http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif"/> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]-->

[woodsprite]

Hello makka. IF your setup is similar to mine as described, then I reckon you can do it yourself in maybe a couple of hours. Should not cost more than maybe $50.00 for the bits, plust whatever you need to have made by way of screens/doors. If you already have one section at hand, you are laughing. I would also try sourcing your doors from a recycling place. Our Bendigo recycling place has hundreds of 'em - in a ll sizes, shapes, colours, clear, frosted, etc.

Hope you can work something out.
Jeff

[Bleedin Thumb]

I thought those metal frame doors were fire doors and that they were there to satisfy building code requirements.
Someone let me know if I'm wrong.