Have you ever tried to hang a door alone? It can be a bit of an art form, although it sounds quite basic, it’s actually quite a tricky thing to do. We have put together a guide on how to hang a door by yourself so it fits “like a glove”.
Quick Navigation
- What tools do I need?
- Which way round do I hang it?
- Step by step guide to hang a door
- Buy a door & get it fitted
What tools do I need to hang a door?
There are a few tools you should have in your arsenal when attempting to hang a door. This includes:
- Pencil
- Tape measure
- Hammer
- Chisel
- Drill
- Workhorse / Table
- Saw
- Sandpaper
- Screwdriver
- Screws
- Packers
You may need a few extra bits and pieces as well, it depends on the situation, so just use this list as an initial guide.
Which way around do I hang a door?
It’s not always immediately obvious as to which way round you should hang the door, people often find they get it wrong!
If the door is a panelled door then you will find that the panels on the bottom half are generally larger than the ones at the top. The other thing to thing about is which was you want to door to swing, you need to keep in mind the position of the hinges when you are planning this out.
Another simple check is looking for the door handle insert. If it is located too high on the door, it is likely the door is the wrong way around.
Step by step guide to hang a door
Prepare the door
The first thing that you need to do is prepare the door itself. Most doors won’t just fit perfectly to the door frame, unless your lucky! Measure your door frame & mark the door with a pencil as to where you need to trim in order to make it fit. You should take an even amount off of each side, an a good tip or way to do this is by cutting two pieces of wood to the width and length of the frame so you can hold it against the door and adjust the markings as you see fit.
Once you’ve made the markings to the size that you require, then you need to start trimming it down. The best way to do this is to saw across the lines that you’ve made and sand the rough edges.
Check it fits
Now this seems an obvious one, but before you start putting the hinges on and attaching everything, make sure you’ve got your measurements right and that the door is going to fit in the frame.
Place the hinges
Determine which was the door will open and place your hinges around 15cm from the top & bottom of the door itself. Open up the hinges and draw round them with a pencil so your ready for the next step.
Make space to inset the hinges
Using a chisel you need to make a recess for the hinges to sit in. You want to ensure that the hinge when open sits flush with the rest of the door. Do this slowly & keep checking as not chiseling away enough of the wood is fine, however going too deep may mean that you have to get another door.
Mark the hinge screw positions & drill the holes
Now it’s time to make holes for the screws. Use a drill bit that is slightly smaller than the screws you are intending to use. Mark the holes on the hinges & drill.
Screw on the hinges
This one is simple. Screw the hinges in the recesses you’ve made in the door, you can use a screwdriver for this, it should be easy enough.
Mark the hinge position on the frame & chisel recesses
It’s the same step again, similar to what you did with the door itself you need to make a recess for the hinge in the frame. Line the door up with the frame & mark round the hinge position with a pencil, using your chisel again, slowly make the recess.
Fix the hinges to the frame
You may want to drill pilot holes again in the place of the hinges in order to make it easier to screw in, but that’s preference. Now it’s time to complete the job, place the door on some packers to take its weight. Line up the door with the frame and screw the hinges to the frame & that’s it, you’re done.
Still need help? Check out this video for some extra guidance.
