Hanging a new door may seem like an intimidating task, but it’s actually a fairly simple job, as long as you work systematically and perform your measurements carefully. If you have all the tools to hand, you should be able to remove an old door and hang a new one in an afternoon. Here are some tips to help make sure the job goes smoothly.
- When removing the old door, take the screws from the bottom hinge before the top hinge. Support the door carefully before removing the final screw.
- Check that the floor is level and the jambs are plumb. If the floor is off level, the opposite jamb will need to be cut to make up for this mismatch.
- Hold the new door up to the door frame to check the fit. Make adjustments as required. If the old door was a good fit you can use it as a template, otherwise you will have to measure the door yourself. You should aim to have a 2mm gap between the door and the frame on all sizes. You can measure this gap using two-pence pieces.
- Be sure to leave some extra space for the carpet when measuring the gap at the bottom of the door. If you have a thick piled carpet, you may need as much as a 1cm gap at the bottom.
- Always wear goggles and a mask when sawing or sanding wood.
- Check your new hinges will fit against the old ones on the door frame. If they do not fit, align them with the bottom of the existing hinge recess, and mark out the top of the new hinge. Cut the excess wood out with a chisel so that the new hinge is flush against the frame.
- Screw the hinges to the frame with a single screw, and open the pivots so that the hinges stick out from the frame edge.
- Prop your new door in the frame, resting it on wedges so that it is positioned at the height you want it to hang. Mark the top and bottom of the hinges on the door.
- Remove the hinges from the door frame and place them on the door. Tap around the outline of the hinges with a chisel, and cut out the area where the hinges need to rest. Screw the hinges to the door.
- Finally, support the door on wedges at right-angles to the frame, and screw the hinge flaps to the frame. Check that the door opens and closes smoothly. If it does, add the rest of the screws.
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