How to Hang a Door

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Woodie's DIY will show you how to hang a door. Maybe your door got damaged or you'd like to change the style, either way it's not as hard as you think.

How to do it

Step 1

Remove the old door. Be careful when unscrewing the door that you don’t damage the hinge recessions on the frame.

Step 2

Remove the wrapping and any protective timber edges on the new door.

Step 3

Measure the door frame from the saddle board to the head of the door.

Step 4

Measure the hinge side first and transfer the measurements on to the hinge side of the new door, measuring from the top down. Do the same for the lock side of the door.

Most doors will be a standard size of either 1981mm x 762mm (80” x 32”) or 2032mm x 813mm (78” x 30”).

Step 5

Remove the door from the room and saw off excess using a fine-tooth handsaw. Finish off using a wood planer.

Step 6

If using a wood planer, make sure to plane the wood in the direction of the grain for a smooth finish. To finish off the ends, plane in towards the centre to avoid splitting the wood.

Step 7

Bring back in the door and offer it up to the door frame. If your door is too wide for the existing frame, you may need to trim the sides. If you have a small bit to trim, take it from the hinge side. If there is a large amount to take off, trim both sides evenly.

Step 8

When you have finished planing the door, wedge the door in the frame to make sure it has been trimmed correctly. There should be at least a 2mm gap around the edge of the door.

Step 9

With the door in place mark the hinge positions. If the hinge recesses in the frame are already cut to the right size mark the top and the bottom of the recesses on the edge of the door. Always use hinges the same size as the previous hinges on the old door.

Step 10

Hold the hinge in place against the door and mark around the edges with a pencil.

Step 11

Mark the thickness of the hinge on the edge of the frame.

Step 12

Use a hammer and chisel to make a series of cuts where the hinge will sit on the door.

Step 13

Ease out the indentations to give your recess. Repeat for the other hinge positions.

Always hold the chisel with the bevel side facing the area you are chiseling out and always chisel inside the line.

Step 14

Screw down the hinge.

Step 15

With the door supported by wedges, screw the hinge to the frame. Use one screw for each hinge at the moment. It is important to make sure that all screw heads are flush otherwise the door will not close properly.