Door hinges which side

These doors are made for universal installation so they can be made to open either left or right. Since doors are not cheap, it's important to install the door hinges correctly, or your small DIY job could turn into an expensive nightmare. There are three basic types of door hinges - left-hand, right-hand and reversible. Before you purchase your hinges at the hardware store, you need to know how the door will be opening.

This can be confusing for many people as the terms "left" and "right" do not apply to which side of the door the hinges are being installed on. While there are three primary types of hinges, there are many different varieties of style available for a wide array of uses.

Some common styles of door hinges include:. The other consideration you have to make when learning how to install door hinges is determining whether you want to use surface-mounted hinges or recessed hinges. Surface-mounted is as the name applies; the hinges get installed directly to the door.

Recessed hinges require wood to be removed from the door for the hinge to sit flush. If you are installing door hinges on a brand new door, the top hinge is traditionally placed five-inches from the top of the door and the bottom hinge ten-inches from the bottom of the door.

When installing a door, measurements are critical so always double-check your measurements before making the first cut or drilling the first hole. Check the measurements on any nearby doors and use those for the new door so your new installation fits the aesthetic of your home. If you are replacing a pre-hung door, use the pre-existing hinge locations on the framing for the hinge placement on the new door.

Set the hinge against the side of the door where you are planning on installing it. Trace the outside edge of the hinge with a pencil.

Hold the door in place, using blocks under the bottom to support it if necessary. Line up the two hinge plates so that the ones on the door match the ones in the jamb. Slide the hinge pins into place, and remove the blocks from the door.

Test the door to make sure it works, and you're finished! Method 2. Use blocks of wood to steady the door. Move the door so that the entire hinge is exposed, and place blocks under the door to steady it.

When replacing a door hinge, you won't remove the door. Placing blocks underneath will help support the door and prevent it from falling over.

Compare the hinges and measure the door. Make sure that your new hinges match the old hinges in size and edge shape. Additionally, use a measuring tape to verify that the current hinges are in the right locations.

The hinges should be placed so that one is 7-inches from the top of the door frame, and the other is located inches from the bottom of the door-frame. If these are incorrect, you'll need to go about the aforementioned steps on cutting the mortise and preparing the door jamb for the new hinge.

Remove one of the old hinges. Start at the top hinge, and remove the screws holding the hinge leafs in place. Carefully pull them away from the door and the jamb, and check to make sure the wood under the hinges is in good condition. You may want to plug some of the old holes with a small wood wedge, especially if some of the holes have stripped out. Prepare the jamb and door for the new hinge. If the old door hinge had been attached for some time, you may need to do a little repair work on the jamb and door.

Sand down the wood if necessary, and add a new coat of paint or stain to match the pre-existing wood. If the replacement hinges are sized differently from the old ones, fill in the mortise holes in both the door and the door frame with wood putty.

Use a metal scraper to fill in the screw holes or plug them with a small wood wedge. Allow the putty time to dry, and sand it smooth and flush with the surface. Paint or stain the repair to match the rest of the door and trim. Install the new hinge. Place your new hinge over the location of the old one. Use a drill or screwdriver and the package screws to secure the two sides of the hinge to the jamb and the door. Place the hinge pin in the hinge to secure the new hinge.

Repeat the process on the second hinge. Move to the next hinge, and use a drill or screwdriver to remove it. Replace it with the new hinge and new screws, holding it in place to make sure the hinge doesn't get jostled out of location. Insert the new hinge pin when the new hinges are secured. If you have a third center hinge, you should replace it at this point as well. Test the new hinges. Remove the blocks from under the door, and try opening and closing it multiple times.

If the door opens without any problems, then your job is finished! Mark Spelman Construction Professional. You'll often find more slab doors in stock, and you might even be able to pick up a vintage door to re-use for your home.

Yet when the door comes without hinges , should you flush-mount the hinges? Or where do they go exactly? The process of installing door hinges on door blanks and sinking them flush is a process called mortising. This allows the door to open and close properly.

A door hinge is installed so that one half of the hinge is on the door frame and the other half of the hinge is on the side of the door. Unless the door is pre-hung on an attached doorframe, this is an essential step to hanging a door. A door hinge should be mortised—or recessed—into the door so that the top surface of the hinge is flush with the door.

Mortising gives a tighter fit and more strength to the door and hinge, but if the door frame is large enough, the door will still be able to open and close, as hinges will operate regardless of whether they are recessed or mortised or not. Still, many experts recommend mortising hinges. When mortising, keep in mind that the hinge must be level across the surface.

If it is uneven or if it is mounted below the surface level, the door will not close properly. Mortising a door hinge with a hammer and chisel is the traditional method and it is still widely used today. Though it is a simple process, you do need to be slow and patient to avoid cutting too deeply and splintering away other parts of the door. If you do not own a quality wood chisel, buy one at your local home center or hardware store. Understanding the types of door hinges will help you choose the right ones for your project.

Hinge placement affects the direction of the door swing. In some instances, the door must swing in the direction of egress. Check with your building department for door swing requirements. Mortise style hinges for doors are a good example.

One side of the hinge is offset so it mounts in a pocket either in the door or in the frame. Whether the door opens to the left or right means the offset will be on one side or the other. To mount a door you would use 3 identical left hand mortise hinges.