Get matched with top door pros in Howells, NE

You should generally cut between 1/8-inch and 1 inch when planing a door. If you cut off more than that, you risk damaging the door. Planing too much from the bottom of your door can cause noticeable gaps, so it’s always better to start with as thin of a section as possible and work in thin layers until your door no longer sticks.

As long as you do it carefully, you can sand and restain hollow core doors. However, it’s risky because the veneers on hollow core doors are so thin that sanding and restaining might cause damage to the doors. If you do move forward with this project, sand the doors lightly with a medium-grit sandpaper.

The best direction for a gate to swing depends on its location and purpose, but swinging inward is the general rule. An inward swing is often considered safer, prevents the gate from opening into public spaces like a sidewalk, and may be required by local building codes.

There are exceptions and specific considerations. If your property is on a slope, an inward swing might not be possible. For a deck gate, it's safest to have it swing away from any steps. In a backyard, the direction can be a matter of preference, though an inward swing can be helpful when carrying heavy items like a wheelbarrow into a garden.

Regardless of direction, ensure the gate can open fully without hitting any objects or blocking spaces. While an inward swing is standard, a gate that can swing both in and out offers the most flexibility if your setup allows for it.

French doors that open to exterior spaces are often installed to swing inward, as this makes them more secure than outward-swinging doors, due to the interior hinges being inaccessible from the outside. For interior doors, it’s personal preference which direction to hang your doors, but it’s common to have them open into the larger of the two spaces they’re separating.