How to Hang an Internal Door
Hanging a new internal door is a satisfying upgrade that improves the look and feel of any room. It looks intimidating but is very doable with basic tools.
Difficulty
Medium
Time
2-3 hours
Cost
30-120
Safety First
Internal doors are heavy. Get someone to help you hold the door while marking and fitting. Wear safety goggles when using a chisel or plane. Clamp the door securely when planing edges. Keep fingers clear of hinge recesses when chiselling.
Replacing an internal door transforms a room. Whether you are swapping a tired old door for a new panel design or fitting doors in a renovation, the process is the same. The key is accurate measuring and taking your time with the hinge recesses. A standard internal door is 1981mm x 762mm (the most common size) but always measure your frame first. Most doors need trimming to fit, so buy a door slightly larger than you need.
What You Will Need
Tools
- - Tape measure
- - Pencil
- - Square (combination or try square)
- - Sharp wood chisel (25mm)
- - Mallet or hammer
- - Hand plane or electric planer
- - Drill and drill bits
- - Screwdriver or drill with screwdriver bit
- - Spirit level
- - Workmate or saw horses
Materials
- - Internal door (measured to fit)
- - 3x 100mm butt hinges (or 76mm for lighter doors)
- - Hinge screws (usually supplied)
- - Door handle and latch set
- - Packing wedges or cardboard shims
Step-by-Step Instructions
Measure the frame
Measure the height and width of the door frame opening in at least three places. Take the smallest measurement for each. You need a 2-3mm gap on each side and at the top, and a 5-8mm gap at the bottom (more if you have thick carpet).
Mark and cut the door to size
If the door needs trimming, mark the cut line with a pencil and straight edge. For small amounts (under 5mm), use a hand plane. For larger cuts, use a circular saw with a fine blade and a straight edge clamped as a guide. Sand the cut edge smooth.
Mark hinge positions
Place the door in the frame with wedges underneath to set the correct bottom gap. Mark the hinge positions on both the door edge and the frame. Standard practice is three hinges: 150mm from the top, 225mm from the bottom, and one centred between them. Use the old hinge positions on the frame if they are in good condition.
Cut hinge recesses
Using a sharp chisel and mallet, cut the hinge recesses into the door edge. Score around the hinge outline first with a craft knife, then make a series of parallel chisel cuts across the recess about 3mm apart. Clean out the waste so the hinge leaf sits flush with the wood surface. Repeat on the frame.
Fit the hinges
Screw the hinges to the door first using a drill and the supplied screws. Then hold the door in position (get someone to help) and screw the other hinge leaves into the frame recesses. Use packing wedges to support the door at the right height while you drive the screws.
Check the swing and adjust
Open and close the door several times. It should swing freely without catching on the frame or floor. If it catches, identify the tight spot and plane or sand a small amount off. If there are gaps that are too wide on the hinge side, you may need to deepen the hinge recess slightly.
Fit the handle and latch
Mark the handle position (usually around 1000mm from the floor). Drill the hole for the latch bolt through the edge of the door using a 25mm flat bit. Then drill the handle spindle hole through the face of the door. Chisel a recess for the latch plate. Fit the latch, then attach the handles on both sides. Finally, mark and chisel the strike plate recess in the frame.
Buying Tip
Standard UK internal door sizes are 1981mm x 610mm, 686mm, 762mm or 838mm wide. Measure your frame and buy the next size up so you can trim to fit. Fire doors must NOT be trimmed more than the manufacturer allows (usually 10mm per edge).
Perfect Hinge Recesses
Score the outline deeply with a sharp craft knife before chiselling. This gives you a clean edge. Take the recess depth very gradually. You can always remove more wood but you cannot put it back.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- - Not measuring the frame in multiple places (frames are rarely perfectly square)
- - Cutting too much off the door (measure twice, cut once)
- - Making hinge recesses too deep (door will not close properly) or too shallow (door binds on the hinge side)
- - Using screws that are too long and poking through the other side of the frame
- - Forgetting the bottom gap for carpet or flooring that has not been laid yet
- - Not using three hinges on heavy or tall doors (two hinges will sag over time)
When to Call a Professional
Call a carpenter if you need to modify the door frame itself, if you are fitting fire doors (which have strict regulations about trimming and intumescent strips), or if the frame is badly out of square and needs rebuilding. Also get professional help if you need to move the door opening to a different position in the wall.