Differences to Know When Installing a Brickmold vs. No Brickmold Door

Installing an exterior door requires a good bit of skill, and ordering an exterior door requires a good bit of knowledge. Most people tell the building material supplier that they want a front door or a rear door and after that, aren’t really sure what other specifications need to be known. Here’s a short list:

• You need to know the jamb depth. 

• What is the width and height of the door?

• Do you want a double bore or a single bore?

• Is the sill a mill finish or bronze? 

These are a few of the specifics that you’ll need to know in order to correctly select an exterior door. However, there is one more important item for the list: Should you select a door with brickmold or without brickmold?

To answer these questions requires an understanding of the overall project: 

1. Are you replacing just the door on an existing home? 

2. Is this a new construction home?

3. Is this a remodel where there will be many exterior changes made?

How you answer will determine if you want brickmold installed on your door or not. You may want some other type of trim installed on the door. How do you know which option is right for you? Let’s consider what brickmold is and how it is used.

What is Brickmold?

Brickmold is an exterior trim that is typically used to finish and seal the openings of exterior doors and windows and provides an attractive transition between the door or window and the siding on the home. It was invented during the time when brick was the common siding on a home and it covered the gap between the door frame and the brick siding. It served the same purpose for window installations.

It is normally pre-installed on exterior prehung doors and windows that are found in most building material stores, but it can also be purchased as single sticks of molding so you can install it yourself. 

The most common brickmold on the market is known as WM180 brickmold and is available in primed wood, stain grade wood, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or as a textured composite. The standard size is 2”, but it is also available in 1 ¼” and 1 ½”. 

Regardless of the pattern chosen, the various materials are used with a specific purpose in mind. 

Fingerjoint raw wood and primed wood brickmolding are made to be painted and are primarily sold as the value line option. Solid wood (no fingerjoints) is sold for those that intend to stain the wood. PVC and composite products are sold to those wanting a maintenance-free product. 

Common Brickmold Materials

Wood

When brickmold was first developed it was made from hard pine or oak due to its inherent weather resistance. It was raw and had to be finished by the painter on the job, after installation. Today’s wood brickmold is still pine but it can be purchased in raw (unfinished) fingerjoint, primed fingerjoint, or stain-grade solid pine. Brickmold is also made in mahogany, maple and other species to match the new designs of hardwood doors on the market. Wood can be painted or stained using latex or oil-based products.

Vinyl

PVC brickmold is rapidly replacing wood as more and more homes are being featured as maintenance-free. The main benefit of PVC is that it is impervious to rot and water as well as insect infestation, mold, and mildew. PVC doesn’t split or crack like wood trim and it can be painted or used, as is. Many like it because it doesn’t use wood in its manufacture. PVC is usually finished with an acrylic latex paint.

Composite

Composite brickmold is a poly fiber material that gives you the strength of wood but like PVC, won’t rot and is not affected by insects. Composite brickmold comes as a textured product to simulate the look of real wood and can be painted or gel-stained to simulate wood.

What to Know When Installing a Door With Brickmold

Installing a door with brickmold is a typical installation. However, there are some things to be aware of prior to installing the door to make sure your project goes smoothly. 

Pros of Doors With Brickmold 

• There is no need for a mitre saw on the job as the moulding is already cut and professionally installed for you.

• The door install is easier because the brickmold acts as a stop — keeping the unit from moving too far into the opening.

• You can temporarily set the door by nailing through the brickmold while you level the door in the opening.

Cons of Doors With Brickmold 

• If the exterior wall that the door is being installed in is not level and square, the brickmold can be a hindrance to getting the unit plumb and level and in some severe cases, the brickmold may have to be removed to install the door correctly.

What to Know When Installing a Door Without Brickmold

There are situations that arise where it is advantageous not to have brickmold installed on your doors, and the extent of the remodel will determine whether or not brickmold should be attached to the door. Generally speaking, if you purchase a door without brickmold, you intend to use another type of molding to finish the project.

Pros of Doors Without Brickmold

• Houses constructed with cement siding will often use a trim board of the same material (1x4, 5/4 x4) to trim the door.

• By not having to remove the brickmold you save money, time, and avoid damaging the door frame and door when removing it.

Cons of Doors Without Brickmold

• It is more difficult to set a door unit without brickmold attached to the frame because there is nothing to keep the door unit from sliding in and out of the framed opening while it is being installed.

• You will need to have a mitre saw on the job site to properly cut the molding that you are going to install on the frame.

Alternative Uses for Brickmold

At the end of the day, brickmold is a member of the trim family. Like other types of trim, it isn’t limited to one specific application. Brickmold profiles offer a flexible style that can be used in alternative areas of the home. 

For example, brickmold can be used as crown moulding or even as an apron or transition under a window sill. Brickmold can be a great way to make your home unique and full of character. 

The Best Place to Buy Brickmold

Whenever you are searching for mouldings to trim a door, you want to shop as many options as possible at one time, and in one place. Brickmold comes in a few variations of pine and PVC, and Metrie.com is the best resource for brickmold as well as hundreds of other moulding designs. Metrie.com has many decorating suggestions to help you put all of your design thoughts together and develop a renovation plan that will give your home the designer touch. 

Contact us today for a list of dealers near you.