Installing a Door

Is not a difficult task for the handy woman or handy man

This article provides you with some tips on how to hang an internal door. Internal flush doors are usually hollow core and 35mm thick, and it doesn’t take much of a knock to put a hole in a hollow core door.

 

Tools you will need:

1. Wedges
2. Hammer
3. Drill and drill bits
4. Hand saw
5. Pencil
6. Carpenter’s square
7. Chisel
8. New hinges and door furniture fittings
9. Hand plane Safety Glasses

Tip:  Measure twice – cut once!

Step 1 – Measure the width and height of the door opening

If an existing door fits the opening satisfactorily, use the old door as a template for the new door. Measure the width and height of the existing door.  Corinthian Doors provide an excellent diagram on measuring for a door.  Click Here to check it out. Check the door frame for “squareness”.  To do this measure diagnonally across from top to bottom of the inside of the frame.   There are some dodgy builders out there so there are occasions when a door frame is not square.   I am a perfectionist when it comes to anything I build being square! If you can’t get a door with the same measurements buy one that is a little bigger as you can trim this down When measuring the opening, allow for a 2-3mm gap at the top and sides of the door and a 5-6 mm gap under the bottom of the door to allow for tiles or carpet.  This is particularly important it the old door has been sticking. Mark which end is the top of the door and which is the bottom – will depend on the design of the door

Step 2 – Trimming the door (if needed)

If you need to trim some off the door, using a pencil draw a straight edge along the lock side of the door to show how much must be trimmed off. Clamp the door, hinge-side down, to your workbench and plane off the excess working with the grain.   Remember to plane from the end of the door to avoid splintering.Use your carpenter’s square to check that the edge is straight. If you need to trim more than 6 mm off the door suggest you use a hand saw to remove the excess.

Note:  Hollow core doors only have narrow frames and no more than 3mm should be trimmed off from each side.

Step 3 – Mark Hinges

Stand the door on its side with the hinge side up. Mark the location of top hinge 150 mm down from the top and the bottom hinge about 230 mm up from the bottom of the door.   (Take note which end of door is the top of the door so you don’t inadvertently hang the door upside down!) If a third hinge is needed, place it equally between the two. Remove the door and clamp it hinge side up to the workbench. Place one of the hinges face down against your mark on the edge of the door, with the centre pin hard against the face of the door. Use a sharp pencil to trace the shape of the hinge onto the door edge.

Step 4 – Cut the Hinge Recess

Use a sharp chisel (bevel edge facing in) to carefully cut around each pencilled outline.  Continue with the chisel to gently remove the fill until the hinge sits in the recess and is flush with the door.

Step 5 – Fix the Hinges

Position the hinge in its correct position, drill a pilot hole, in the hinge’s middle hole, insert the screw and tighten. Once the middle screw is in place repeat this step with the second hinge.

Step 6 - Marking and Cutting out the Hinge position on the door frame

Slide the door into the opening so you can mark the position of the hinges against the door frame.  Use a 6mm packer under the door, and 2mm at the top of the door. Tip:

• Use a coin as a 2mm spacer for the gap at the top of the door
• 6mm ply as a spacer  for under  the bottom of the door.

Place the hinge against the door frame and mark around the hinges with a pencil.  Remove the door from the opening. Use a sharp chisel (bevel edge facing in) to carefully cut around each pencilled outline in the door frame.  Continue with the chisel to gently remove the fill until the hinge sits in the recess and is flush with the door.

Step 7 – Hanging the door

Refix the hinge to the door, and insert all screws into both hinges. Place the door back into the door frame so that the door is open Insert one screw into the middle hole in each hinge on the door frame, and gently close the door to see if you have fitted the door correctly.  If it closes normally, fix the remaining screws into the door frame hinges and close.  Still closing correctly?  You are now ready to fit the door furniture. If the door catches anywhere, mark where it’s catching, remove the door, plane a little more off and try again, until it fits correctly. Check that the hinges too are seating properly as you close the door. After making these adjustments if the door shuts smoothly you are ready to fix the door furniture. The following video from videojug.com  provides an excellent visual demonstration on how to hang a door.

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