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  Hanging a door              
 

Doors tend to come in standard sizes so you should be able to measure your door frame and buy something very similar in size which will fit or, more likely, may just need a small amount trimmed off to fit. It's especially important to get a similar size when buying cheaper internal doors which may in fact be hollow in the middle with just a thin wooden frame for fitting the hinges and door furniture to.

     
                       

Offer up the door to the door frame to fit it. Use small wedges on the bottom to hold it in the required position. I like to aim for a 2 mm gap on both sides and the top. The bottom gap usually needs to be slightly bigger to clear carpet or uneven floors.

Trim door. Remove large amounts off with a hand saw and trim exactly to size with a planer.(see section on planing wood)

     
      Using wedges on the bottom of the door to position it exactly where you want it.  
 

If it's paneled door and you need to take a lot off the sides you'll need to take some off both side to keep the paneling symmetrical.

   


For light weight internal doors two 3" butt hinges should be adequate.

For heavier doors I use two 4 " butt hinges, or for very heavy doors three 4 " butt hinges.

The top hinge need to be positioned approx. 170-180mm(6 inches)from the top. The bottom approx. 190-200mm.(9inches) from the bottom. If you have a third hinge place it midway between top and bottom hinge.

How to put hinges on a door

Offer up the hinges to the door and mark the position on the frame and door. This way you can get where the hinge sits on the door and where it sits on the door frame perfectly lined up(otherwise the door won't fit where you intended it to)

 

 

           
               
Remove the door from its position in the door frame. Using those marks you've just made as a guide with a sharp pencil mark the position of the hinge rebate on the side of the door.
Then do the same on the door frame.    
   
 
Placing the hinge to mark the door recess
   
   

Chisel out the rebate.(a very sharp chisel is essential)

First chisel vertically
very carefully around the lines you've marked to the thickness of the hinge. Notice also the dotted lines. If you chisel these too it will make removing the wood much easier. Then chisel sideways to remove the depth of wood to allow the hinge to sit flush with the door.

Do the same for the door frame.
   

Fit the hinge into the rebate making any adjustment if necessary. When you've got a good fit screw the hinge to the door and then with the door in the open position screw it to the frame. (drill pilot holes for the screws) To keep the door in position use wedges to support it's weight and get it at the right height.

NB Make sure the screw heads are sized so they fit into the counter sink of the hinge(they generally come supplied with the hinge) so that they don't. If they stick out a little that may stop the door closing properly.