How to Hang A Door in 10 Simple Steps
You’ll want to hang around for this
- Screwdriver
- Door stoppers
- Pencil
- Straight edge
- Safety goggles
- Fine-grit sandpaper
- Hinges (optional)
- Screws (optional)
- Paint (optional)
- Door knob set
Mark Where You Need to Cut on Your New Door
Start by removing your old door, if it hasn’t already been taken down. Place your new door in your existing door’s opening. Line it up against your door frame, and with a pencil, mark where you’ll need to shave your door down, if necessary, to have a perfect fit. Also, if your door doesn’t have clearance at the bottom to help it open and close properly, mark off 3/4 to 1/2 of an inch. Once you’ve marked off how much to remove, place your door on a flat surface and use a straightedge to draw a straight line across its length or width.
Cut Your Door Down to Size
Photo: photovs / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty ImagesIf you need to remove more than five inches from your door so it can fit, put on your safety goggles and ear protection and use your circular saw to cut it. To remove a few inches, use your electric planer. Either way, take your time and slowly go through this step so the final product is even.
Check Fit
After shaving it down, place your door back in its opening and see how it fits—confirm that it is level, too. If it still needs adjusting, repeat the previous steps. Once you have the perfect fit, lay it back on a flat surface to sand down any rough edges.
Mark Where the Hinges Go
Before you can install your door hinges, use your measuring tape to see where they’ll go. The rule of thumb is to place the top hinge five inches from the top of your door, the bottom hinge 10 inches from the bottom, and the middle hinge in the middle of your top and bottom. Once you know where to place them, trace their length, width, and thickness for every hinge on your door.
Chisel Out Hinge Recesses
Use your flat-edge chisel and wooden mallet to carve out the area you marked off. You’ll start along the outline and then chisel out the middle. Make sure to get as close to the hinge thickness as possible. After, put your hinge back in its recess to ensure it’s flush against your door.
Create Pilot Holes for Hinges
Photo: zoff-photo / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty ImagesIf everything checks out, use your cordless drill and a drill bit, that’s thinner and slightly shorter than your screw, to drill a pilot hole. If your pilot hole is too large, you risk giving your screw nothing to grip onto.
Paint or Stain the Door
Take this time to finish the areas of your door that you cut down with paint or stain. Allow the paint to dry before moving to the next step.
Drill Door Knob Hole
If your door didn’t come with a doorknob cut out, use the templates provided by your doorknob’s manufacturer and your hole saw to drill its hole. You’ll also need to chisel out your door latch carefully.
Install Hardware
Photo: valentyn semenov / 500px / 500Px Plus / Getty ImagesPut all of your hardware—hinges, latch, and doorknob—on your new door into its rightful place.
Hang Door
Use your door stoppers to help keep your door steady while you hang it up. Line up your hinges on the door jamb side of your door and screw them in place, starting with the top hinge.
Mistakes to Avoid
Hanging a door requires precision and patience. Before embarking on this project, you should be aware of and avoid a few mistakes that DIYers often make.
Incorrect measurements: Doors that haven’t been measured correctly will have gaps, create drafts, and not open or close properly. Double-check your measurements, and if a friend or family member is around, ask them to confirm them, too.
Using weak hinges: If your hinges aren’t strong enough to hold your door’s weight, the door might sag. Choose hinges that match the material and weight of your door.
Over-tightening screws: Screws that have been tightened too much can cause stripped holes, weakening the door over time. Tighten screws so they are in place and secure, but don’t overdo it. If you think you have stripped the hole, you can try using a longer screw.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
If you know how to trim a door to fit your frame accurately, have the time to install the hardware properly, and can pick up a door easily, this DIY is a cinch. However, if your door is heavier and the thought of picking it up doesn’t sound like your definition of a good time, call a pro. Your local door installer will have the tools needed to hang your door so that it correctly fits into the frame. Plus, they’ll have a helper to work on heavier doors safely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most of the time, the direction your door swings does matter. Your door’s swing is also called its handing, and it determines how your door opens. The layout of your home probably only gives your door enough room to hang and swing in one direction. On the other hand, it might not matter if your door can open freely in either direction without inconveniencing you and your household.
Door installation costs $1,130, which, of course, includes hanging it. However, the average range is $500 to $1,820, and if you have the door and its hardware, you’re likely on the lower end of this range. Other cost factors include door type, size, material, and whether you need to replace your door frame.
While spring and summer’s temperate weather can make the project more pleasant and give you more daytime hours to start and complete it, there’s otherwise no advantage to framing a door in spring or summer versus fall and winter.
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