Thought I would show the step by step process of hanging an exterior door, at least it’s the way I do it, which may not be the fastest (certain of that), but it works. WARNING! May be boring!
Preparation is the key. I’ve seen (and have had to repair) too many door thresholds that had rotted out, along with the framing below it. I made sill pans from aluminum flashing. Since I can’t afford a proper metal brake, I bought a vice grip tool with extra flat and wide jaws to work with sheet metal. These were attached with roofing nails along the edges of the ends that fold up onto the rough opening sides. The sub sill itself holds the pan in place.
Here’s the sill pan and sub sill installed and then painted. It’s very important that this sub sill is level. If not, shim it before securing it. I just used my nail gun with 16 penny framing nails, but made sure I only nailed it under where the door sill would rest so they are hidden from view and from moisture.
Note that this is not how doors are usually put in these days. Usually, the walls are only built with 2x4’s or 2x6’s and so you can just set the pre-hung door into the opening without any sub sill. However, due to my wide walls (about 10-1/4” thick), I had to go this route because I couldn’t get pre-hung sills and jambs wide enough. But actually, this is a lot sturdier and water resistant. (Of course, it is overbuilt. Big surprise.)
The rough opening ready for the door and the door ready to be installed. For this 36” door, the rough opening was supposed to be 38-1/2” wide and the standard 82-1/2” high. I think I ended up with a little narrower than that, but that’s ok.
Before lifting the door, lay it exterior side up and remove the nails (usually two of them) used to hold the door in place during shipping. To help locate the door 1/2” in from the framing to match the sheet rock, I installed two boards on the door face.
Like so. These, along with 1/2” spacer installed on the framing itself (see below) will hold the door plumb with the wall and exactly 1/2” out so the sheetrock ends flush with the door frame. Before lifting the door in place, run several beads of silicon (not latex) caulk on the bottom of the threshold provided. 
Lift the door into place and install the spacers I mentioned above.
Notice how the interior door jamb rests 1/2” in from the framing. Also notice my extra-special helper making sure that door doesn’t run away.
From the outside (exterior) plumb the hinge side of the frame. If done correctly, the only two surfaces that need to be checked for level and plumb are the sub sill and the hinge jamb. If the door itself is warped (as many are that come from the big box stores), take it back. It will never work right.
Place a shim, one from the inside (this is where your helper comes in handy) and one from the outside. Place this first shim just at the top of the top hinge. Nail a galvanized casing nail through the jamb and into the framing. I usually nail it just above the shim. Every time I try and nail through the shim, it splits it.
Repeat this, making sure the hinge side of the jamb is plumb (up and down) with shims at the top edge of the middle and bottom hinges. At this point, the door is secure. I then go inside and remove the bracing and check the gap between the door itself and the jamb to ensure it still looks even. Then, I get the great satisfaction of opening the door and having it close easily, without binding, etc.
Next, go back outside (it’s easy now that you can open the door) and shim and nail the latch side. Don’t force the shims, just put them in with enough force to stay in place until you nail above or below them. However, if the jam is bowed, this is a good time to straighten it up using the shims. Just follow the gap between the door and the jamb, as seen on the inside until it looks the same from top to bottom. I install three sets of shims on the latch side, with the middle one between the dead bolt and knob holes.
Then, from the outside, add additional shims on the bottom of each hinge and nail below these.
Using a nail set, hammer in the nail heads to just below the surface of the jamb. These will be puttied later.
I’ve seen and used many approaches to removing the shim excess, from a utility knife (works pretty good if the blade is new), from a hand saw (I often dislodge the shims when I do it this way), to a wood chisel and hammer. If you have one of these Fein tools (they’re pretty pricey) or similar, its a breeze.
Now with the door installed, screw in the dead bolt and knob catch. Then, install the dead bolt and knob themselves. Now, if all went well, you can swing the door closed and it will latch on its own—a great feeling.
You can’t see it here, but I also installed a solid piece of wood between the jamb and rough framing so that the wood lies behind the dead bolt latch and extends down to the knob latch. This just gives more support and allows you to drill through the dead bolt latch hole so the throw will extend past the jamb into this extra piece of wood.
You’ll also note that I nail another set of nails on the inside of the jambs about in the same places as I first nailed the outer jamb. Set all these nail heads below the surface of the wood.
And here it is, installed. And here’s the “cottage” starting to look like a house.
After I installed the doors, I finished the sub sill by cutting a piece of 2x lumber to match the groove I cut in the first part of the sub sill and with the front edge sloping down and extending out to the sides beyond the door frame. These extensions will support and act to finish the door trim when installed. Notice the jamb extensions complete in the above pictures. These put the outer edge of the exterior jamb about an inch out from the house wrap. This is in anticipation of the 1” white oak siding I’ll be installing. The jambs will tie into these siding boards. Then, the 3/4” trim boards will cover the end of the jamb (except for an 1/8” reveal) and cover the jamb to siding joint, hopefully forming a water tight seal (after caulking the edges with latex caulk, of course).
There. That’s it. Now was that so boring? Don’t answer.
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