Screen door installation costs depend on size, type of frame material, and the number of doors. Here’s everything you need to know.
How to Put Butterfly Hinges on a Screen Door in 4 Simple Steps
This DIY is as breezy as your screen door
Get quotes from door pros near you
No obligation · 100% free
Get quotes from door pros near you
No obligation · 100% free
SKILL LEVEL
Simple
COMPLETION TIME
30 minutes
COST
Up to $25
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What you'll need:
TOOLS
- 1-inch chisel
- Utility knife
- Drill
- Drill bit set
- Self-centering drill bit
SUPPLIES
- Butterfly hinges
- Screws
In good weather, screen doors can let in a nice breeze while keeping pesky bugs out. If you didn't buy a pre-hung door with the hinges preinstalled, you’re going to have to install them yourself. Luckily, this straightforward DIY doesn’t hinge on any special knowledge. You just need some basic tools and a little time. Use this guide to learn how to put butterfly hinges on a screen door in four steps.
Prepping to Install Butterfly Hinges on a Screen Door
Some doors come with hardware, while others don’t. Before starting, get the right size door hinges for your project. If this requires a trip to the hardware store, note down the dimensions and weight of your door. You’ll need two to three hinges for most interior doors and three to four hinges for most exterior doors. If you’re unsure, a professional door installer can help you determine the right number of hinges.
How to Install Butterfly Hinges on a Screen Door
Butterfly hinges are one of the most popular types of hinges because of their practical design. They attach right to the surface of your door. Follow these steps to install butterfly hinges on your screen door.
Determine the Placement of Your Hinges
Before installing your hinges, check your local building code. Where you place your hinges determines the direction your door opens, and some building codes require doors to open in the direction of egress.
As a rule, If you put your hinges on the inside of the door, the door will swing inwards, which is ideal for interior doors. If you put the hinges on the outside of the door, the door will swing outwards, which is ideal for exterior doors.
Mark the Placement of Your Hinges
Photo: Kadmy / Adobe StockUse a ruler to measure out the placement of your hinges and mark the location with a pencil. You’ll need at least one hinge at the top of your door (around 5 inches on center from the top) and one hinge at the bottom of your door (around 10 inches on center from the bottom). If you need to use additional hinges, spread them out evenly between the top and bottom hinges.
Mortise the Hinges (If Necessary)
Some door hinges have to be level with the surface of the door, requiring you to cut an indent known as a mortise. To do this, you can trace the outline of each hinge on the door in the correct location. Use a utility knife to score the outline at the exact depth of the hinge. Put your chisel in the score and gently dig away at the wood until the indent is the exact size of hinge.
To check your work, pop your hinge into the mortise. When you run your fingers over the hinge, it should feel flush with the door. If it sticks out, shave away more wood with your chisel. If it lays too deep, add a shim under your hinge.
Attach the Hinges
Photo: ronstik / Adobe StockUse a drill to screw the hinges into place. Most hinges come with screws, but If not, the screw size for your door hinges should be listed somewhere on the packaging. A self-leveling drill bit will help you screw the hinges directly in the center of the screw holes.
Once you attach your hinges to your door, you can hang your door by installing the door hinges in the correct location on the door frame.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
Putting hinges on your door is just the first step of door installation. If you’re not prepared to hang your door, you won’t really save much money by installing the hinges on your own. This is a job that a pro can do in about 10 minutes before they install your door.
If you’re prepared to DIY the rest of the installation and hang your own door, you’ll save on the cost of labor. Just make sure it’s something you can tackle on your own. Certain installations are more complicated. For example, there’s little room for error when cutting a mortise. Get it wrong, and you may need to buy a new door. In this case, it’s best to hire a local door repair service to get your door working.
Frequently Asked Questions
Door services reviews from real Angi homeowners in Columbus, OH
4.8★ avg. • 25 total reviews
- Sue B.
Terrible experience. Walls/trim/floors/cabinets/doors all have drip marks, overspray, etc. Tiling at the fireplace had to be redone by another vendor due to incorrect and shoddy install by Profect. Contractor had his children in our house while he was on site without prior authorization or...
Profect painting & exteriors - Maggie M.
Jason has helped me with multiple household projects, with the most recent being new door installation. He has always showed up on time and organized and has done an incredible job! Jason is very professional and he's now my go-to for anything around my house that needs to be fixed or...
Huff Garage Rescue, LLC - Thomas S.
Company came to look at my garage door that was off track. They also said I needed a brace on the other garage door. They put the door back on track, and I paid to install the brace. The technician told me I needed a new garage door opener, and it would cost $1000. Red flags went off in...
Precision Overhead Garage Door Service - Lisa S.
On Sunday 2/26 I requested quotes via Angi from 4 refrigerator repair businesses. Northwest Appliance responded to me Monday morning (2/27) and my refrigerator was repaired by noon the same day. Great communication, they did everything they said they would. The technician had the parts on...
- Warren C.
Excellent customer service and knowledge. I was recommend to him from my neighbour. My front door and window came in great and were installed beautifully perfectly, I m very satisfied with their excellent work, so decided to order one more big bow window for my living room. I cant wait for...
Window Depot USA of Central Ohio - Matthew L.
Called ahead and worked quickly to install keyless locks on vintage wooden doors.
Expert Lock and Key, LLC - Lori M.
Scott did not get appropriate access to the property prior to the scheduled inspection which required us to come back later in the day to complete it. He also, unprofessionally, knocked on a neighbor?s door in his attempts to reach someone with access. His overall report was fine though the...
Security First Home Inspections - Gary K.
Door Depot was very responsive - they came out the day after my call to assess my needs, then returned at my convenience to complete the work. They arrived early, and the work was completed in a shorter period of time than estimated. Very pleased with the results. I would definitely use them...
Door Depot LLC - Jim L.
Replace garage doors: Fast response, competitive estimate, timely work done well.
Village Garage Door - Dana M.
Jeremiah did an awesome job cleaning 28 windows inside and out! He was fast, efficient and now I have a beautiful view again. This was a Groupon for $139 for 20 windows, but I had 28 windows/doors cleaned, so there was an extra $6 per window. Totally worth it.
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