Classic Series Bilco Basement Door

Installation
Instructions
Imagine...
What Bilco can do for your basement
Bilco Customer Service (800) 854-9724
www.bilco.com

About These Instructions

It may be helpful to you to look through this entire folder before proceeding with the detailed assembly and
installation instructions. The names of the various parts referred to in the instructions are indicated below.
IMPORTANT: Door must be painted within forty-five (45) days of installation. See paint label on interior of door leaf or go to
www.bilco.com for complete painting instructions.

Slide Bolt Lock

Hinge (optional Keyed Lock
Header Right Door Kit available)

Gas
Spring
Upper
Spring
Bracket
Right
Left Door Side piece
Lower Spring
Bracket

Left
Side piece

Patent # 6,799,395 Sill

Depending upon the type of installation,

some or all of the following will be required:
• Hammer and Nails • Wrenches or sockets: CAUTION
• Circular Saw 5/16”, 7/16”, 1/2” When the doors are open for access, the area should be personally guarded to prevent
• Masonry Chisel • 5/16” Carbide Masonry Drill Bit anyone from falling down the stairs. Doors should be closed and locked when not in use.
• Shovel and Trowel • Exterior grade KEEP OFF DOORS TO AVOID INJURY
• Level polyurethane caulk (opaque) Surface may be slippery. In extreme conditions steel in the summer sun can become hot
• Tape Measure • Work Gloves and cause injury. White enamel or light color oil based alkyd enamel will reflect sunlight
• Electric Drill • Safety Goggles and reduce the temperature of the metal. KEEP OFF DOORS
• Flat blade Screwdriver
Printed in U.S.A. © Copyright, 2011, The Bilco Company, New Haven, CT 06505 04/11 ABC155B REV 8.0
Installing the door on an areaway that is smooth and level and
properly sized to fit the door
The Bilco basement door will shed water in all normal conditions only when installed and caulked in accordance with these instructions. If there
are no rain gutters above, a diverter must be installed to prevent roof water from flowing directly onto the door. If the foundation areaway that
you are installing the door on is not smooth and level, or does not fit the door properly, see the bottom of page 3 of these instructions.

Before installing the door, verify that #1B

you have all the parts shown above Round heads of
and that you have the tools required for bolts outside
installation that are listed on page 1 of
these instructions. If you are replacing Left Flat heads
side piece Header IMPORTANT: of bolts
an existing door, mix a small batch of outside
concrete and patch any holes in the Caulk vertical seam
between header Nuts
present concrete caused by the anchors and side piece on inside
that held the old door in place. both sides
STEP 1: Frame Assembly: The Bilco Nuts under
basement door consists of six parts (the Right
names of the parts are on page 1) plus Sill side piece
a set of gas spring operators, and the
hardware* packed with this instruction
sheet. Start frame assembly by attaching A
header to side pieces with four round #1A
head bolts as shown in Figure #1A.
The header must rest on top of the side
pieces, with heads of bolts outside and
#1
nuts below . Tighten bolts with wrench B
to complete header installation.
Next, attach sill to side pieces using two #2B
flat head bolts as shown in Figure #1B.
It is essential that the heads of bolts are
on the outside and the nuts are inside Shingle or
as shown. Clapboard
Drill anchor holes and
tap plastic anchors into Header
STEP 2: Anchoring the Door Frame to place. Secure side piece
the house and areaway Foundation: flange to concrete with
hex head screws Sheathing
Move assembled door frame into place
on foundation areaway. Make sure that
vertical edge of side pieces are flush FRAME CONSTRUCTION
against the house. For replacement
applications, siding may need to be
#2A Flashing
removed and replaced to position door (by others)
frame properly. Place a level against
each side piece and check plumb as
shown in Figure 2A. Square door by Header
measuring diagonal dimensions as
shown in Figure 1. Shift frame as re-
quired until measurements A and B
are equal. Level

With the door plumb and square, mark MASONRY CONSTRUCTION

all anchor hole locations on foundation
areaway and wall with pencil or marker.
Remove frame from areaway and drill Sill
all masonry anchor holes using 5/16” Caulk
carbide tip masonry bit. Once all anchor
holes are drilled, insert plastic anchors Header
into all holes flush with concrete as
shown in Figure 2A. Reposition frame Drill anchor holes and tap plastic
on areaway and anchor side pieces to anchors into place. Secure side
areaway foundation using #12 x 1-1/2” piece flange to concrete with three
slotted hex head screws. Anchor Sill to slotted round head screws
areaway foundation using (3) #12 x 2”
pan head screws.
Finish anchoring vertical flange and header to wall using the *Hardware
appropriate fasteners for the wall construction as shown in (4) 1/4” x 1/2” round head bolts & nuts (9) Plastic shields
Figure 2B. (Note: these fasteners are not included in the (2) 1/4” x 1/2” flat head bolts & nuts (2) Lower Spring Brackets
hardware package). (4) 5/16” x 1-1/4” hinge & cotter pins (1) Pair of Gas Springs & fasteners
(6) #12 x 1-1/2” slotted hex head screws (4) Rubber bumpers
When anchoring is complete, replace shingles as required (4) 5/16” x 3/4” bolts & nuts
and caulk all around the exterior of the frame where it meets (3) #12 x 2” slotted pan head screws
the masonry with polyurethane caulk (opaque) (Do not caulk
using mortar).
IMPORTANT: Caulk vertical seams between header and side pieces as shown in Figure #1A.
Page 2
 STEP 3: Door Installation: CAUTION: Doors are
heavy until gas spring operators are installed. Two
Hinge Pin people may be required for door assembly. Install
#3 right door by holding it vertically over the right side piece
as shown in Figure #3. Position the door so that the
door hinges fit into the hinge brackets that are welded
onto the side piece as shown. Line up the holes in the
hinges with the hinge pivot holes in the brackets and
insert the 5/16” x 1-1/4” hinge pins and cotter pins as
shown. Install the left door in the same manner.
STEP 4: Gas Spring Installation: With the Bilco
basement door frame solidly anchored, the gas spring
Cotter Pin operators can now be installed. Attach lower spring
bracket to side piece stiffener (on side of stiffener facing
top step) using (2) 5/16” x 1/2” bolts and lock nuts as
shown in Figure 4B. Attach ball fasteners supplied in
bag with gas springs to lower spring bracket and up-
per spring bracket as shown in Figure #4A & B. Note:
Make sure the that ball portion of the fastener is
facing towards the house on both brackets. With
fasteners securely tightened and door in the open
position, push gas spring onto lower ball fastener as
shown in Figure 4B until you hear it snap into place.
Install hinge pin so that head of pin is facing towards the Position and snap other end of gas spring onto upper
house as shown (Left door and side piece shown)
spring bracket shown in Figure 4A to complete spring
IMPORTANT! An interior door at the bottom of the steps is installation. Repeat process on other door leaf.
required to prevent heat loss and reduce condensation.

STEP 5: Painting the Bilco basement door:

A IMPORTANT: Door must be painted within
A Push
forty-five (45) days of installation.
The Bilco Basement Door and optional extension
panels are supplied with a uniform baked-on
Sherwin-Williams primer finish. See paint label on
the interior of the door leaf or go to www.bilco.com
for complete painting instructions.

Optional stair stringers and foundation plates are

galvanized steel but can be painted for aesthetic
purposes. If painted, a metal primer must be used
prior to applying the finish coat of paint.

B B Side piece
stiffener
STEP 6: Rubber Bumper Installation: After the
finish paint has dried, install two rubber bumpers
Lower in the holes on the outside edge of each door.
spring Bumpers are installed by twisting the small end
Push bracket into the hole until it is fully seated. Bumpers
cushion the doors in the open position and protect
Figure #4 the finish paint.
A:Upper Spring Bracket B: Lower Spring Bracket

IMPORTANT: Install Gas Springs as shown with

larger diameter portion of spring on top.

Replacing a door where concrete

areaway is in need of major repair
If the surface of your concrete areaway is in need of major repair, you will need to
recap it or install Bilco foundation plates before installing your basement door.

Foundation Plates
Optional Foundation plates are the
fastest and easiest way to improve the
surface of an areaway with minor dam-
age. They easily cover rough masonry
to improve the areaway’s appearance
and can be used to reduce the width of an odd size areaway to allow installation of a standard size door.
Foundation plates are constructed of galvanized steel for long-life and durability. Contact Bilco or your
local dealer for more information.

Capping your Concrete Areaway

If the surface of your foundation areaway is in need of major repair, the top of the areaway should be
recapped with concrete before installing a Bilco basement door. Contact Bilco for guidelines on recapping
your areaway or log-on to www.bilco.com to find a certified Bilco basement door installer in your area.

Bilco Foundation Plates Page 3

Installation on sloped masonry side walls
Side walls in poor condition
If the slopped masonry side walls of your areaway have loose or crumbling masonry
and are not structurally sound, they can be removed and a door can be installed on
the new flat areaway after a concrete cap is poured. Contact Bilco for guidelines
on recapping your areaway or log-on to www.bilco.com to find a certified Bilco
basement door installer in your area.

Side walls in good condition

Doors can be installed on side walls if they are structurally solid, have no loose or
crumbling masonry, and have a uniformly flat and level surface on which to anchor
a door. If your side walls meet these conditions, it is best to return your door and
use a Bilco Sloped Wall Basement Door (see photo on far right).

How to correct installation errors or repair minor damage*

Door not shedding water. If your Bilco basement 5. Blocked header channel. Make certain channel below. Pull door down on it to a point where you
door does not shed water, look for and correct is clear. Any blockage in this channel will cause feel pressure of the screw driver relieving bind-
these installation errors. water to overflow the header. ing condition.
1. Header not properly caulked at side pieces. Doors Out of Alignment. This is caused by Hinge Damaged. A hinge can be bent downward
Run a bead of silicone caulk along the small failure to align the doors and square the frame as by mishandling during shipment or by someone
vertical seams between the header and side instructed. With doors closed, sight across bottom. trying to force the door closed without releasing
pieces (see instruction 2 on page 2). Remove door that is higher than the other. Hold the hold-open safety latch, and as a result the
vertically with top edge on the ground as shown door does not fit properly on the frame. Such
2. Doors do not fully close. Stand on steps and
in Figure 1 below. Strike each hinge three or four damage to a hinge can be identified by a bump
slowly close each door to see if the bottom
solid blows with a hammer. This bends hinges on the top of the door. To correct, remove the
flange of one or both is binding on the concrete.
in the direction of top of door, thus lowering it to door from the frame, place it on the ground with
Chip away or rub down excess concrete with
line up with other door. If additional adjustment the hinge side up and step downward on the
mason’s stone so flange is not obstructed.
is necessary, remove lower door, place lower hinge to bend the pivot point back to its correct
Refer to instructions at right for adjustments if
end on ground and strike each hinge with a location (see Figure 3 below). The other hinge
required.
hammer. This bends the hinges in the direction on that door, which has not been damaged, can
3. Masonry not high enough. The masonry under of the bottom of the door, thus raising it to line be used as a guide in bending the hinge back to
the Bilco basement door should be 4” higher up with other door. the proper place.
than the surrounding grade and concrete should
Doors Not Seated Properly. If doors do not seat Door Warped or Bent. Place the end of door
be level so water cannot accumulate in front
themselves properly or bounce slightly when in on a block or bottom step of a nearby stairway,
of the sill.
closed position, and bottom flanges of doors are and step down on it with your foot. Door can be
4. Water seeping between steel and masonry. Door not obstructed by concrete in front of sill, apply bent back to the original shape very easily, but
should be caulked all around the exterior where lubricant such as WD-40 to hinges, then refer to when it’s installed on the frame and supported
the steel and masonry meet, as well as where STEP 2 on page 2 and check frame for plum all around it’s extremely strong and will not bend
the unit joins the building wall. If side pieces and square. Hinge can also be adjusted to get during everyday use (see Figure 4 below).
have been buried in concrete, the unit should the door to seat properly. From below with door
be removed and stairwell recapped so that the open three-quarters of the way, insert a screw-
assembly rests on top of the areaway. driver along side of hinge as shown in Figure 2

Bilco Basement Door

Warranty
Bilco Basement Doors are designed
to operate to the customer’s
satisfaction and to provide years
of trouble-free service. Should a
part fail to function in normal use
Figure 1 Figure 2 within a period of five (5) years
from the date of purchase, a new
part will be furnished at no charge.
Finish warranty voided if doors
are not painted inside and out per
instructions in STEP 5 on page 3
within (45) days of installation.

Figure 3 Figure 4 Bilco Customer Service

(800) 854-9724
*The Bilco basement door is carefully and adequately packed to withstand all normal shipping abuse.
This information is provided to show how easily minor repairs can be made, thus saving the builder or (Mon- Fri)
homeowner much unnecessary inconvenience. For additional information or assistance, please contact www.bilco.com
our customer service department .
Page 4