Say Bye-Bye to Squeaky Door! Learn How To Install Door Hinges
This is a step-by-step guide article for people who fail every time they try to fix their sagging door.
You can quickly call a carpenter for this, but now you decide to save money and do it yourself. Throughout your childhood, you might have learned a lot. However, you might have missed out on how to install the door hinge.
Installing Door Hinges: A General Overview
Generally, new doors do not come with frames because, as you can guess, the door hinge installation is not ready yet.
Furthermore, doors come with different installation modes because some doors open inwards and outwards.
The door that opens outwards gives more security to the house, but in rainy weather, it might get tight. It also offers privacy in family members’ rooms.
If you want to try out the DIY skills to put hinges on a door, you better learn how to use hinges.
In this article, you will get everything you need to know about how to install door hinges.
What Are Hinges?
A hinge is a movable mechanism on which a gate, door, or lid opens and closes. It is a joint that connects linked objects.
When you purchase door slabs or blanks, you have more design choices than pre-hung doors. Often, you will find slab doors more in stock.
Furthermore, in some cases, you might even be able to pick up a vintage door for reuse. However, you might find that the door you like is without hinges in all these cases.
In such cases, you must know how to install hinges on your door. You can also hire a professional or a carpenter to attach hinges to the door.
It is called mortising when you install door hinges on door blanks and sink them flush. As a result, you can open and close the door properly.
However, you might find closing the door intimidating initially. Nevertheless, you can simplify this task by being careful and having enough patience.
Apart from that, it is also essential to mortise or recess a door hinge into the door. You can do this by keeping the top surface of the hinge flush with the door.
With the help of mortising, you can provide a tighter fit to the door. Apart from that, the door and the hinge will have more strength.
The Tool Kit You Need
Here are a few tools you need before you start installing hinges on your door:
- Hammer
- Utility knife
- Pencil
- ½ inch Chisel
- One-inch screws
- Cordless screw gun
Step By Step Process On How To Install Door Hinges
This section will be beneficial for those new to this and who haven’t ever held a hammer in life.
You must follow the following before you hammer yourself or do the work incorrectly.
1. Mark It Out After Placing The Hinges
It is essential to mark the right place where you are about to place the hinges.
If you are following the rules on how to install door hinges, then ignoring this will be a stupid move.
You must know the place. The exterior door hinges offer the best security for your house, but if the weather changes, it won’t stay that good.
Therefore, you need to fix the top of the door with a seven-inch high hinge and the bottom 11 inches. The top and the bottom need to be fixed so that it doesn’t get stuck while opening and closing the door. In case you need the third hinge, then you have placed it in the middle.
Just between the top and bottom. After doing the entire thing, you can quickly fix the hooks to the jam and the door. Check out how to install cabinet door hinges.
Make sure the jamb is the same thickness as the hinge. Again, trace that place out; this time, use a utility knife to do an outline so that it makes the cut easier.
2. Remove The Mortise
As I said, a carpenter will take a lot less time to complete the entire process as they know the exact place to cut the mortise out in the shape of the hinge. Be patient and do what you are doing right now.
The gap which you will be making shows the rigidity and beauty of the hinge.
Use your chisel and hammer because you will need them to cut out the mortise.
Positioning is crucial for a perfect outcome. Slant your angle to get the woodcut chips.
Don’t cut the mortise too deep, or it will affect the depth of the hinge while removing its durability and strength. Now, chisel along the marked portions; you need to have your tools very sharp. Without chisels, it is impossible to focus on how to install door hinges.
If, by mistake, you have the mortise too deep, insert some wood chips as a filler.
3. Maintain The Position Of The Screws
Install the hinge in the mortise that you have cut with so much effort, and now look for the spots for the screws. Use your pencil to mark it on the door before moving back and forth.
Bore a screw hole on the traced positions that you just made on the jamb with the help of a screwdriver or drill machine.
Do the work very gently; more force can change the correct position of the screw.
To perfect the process, use the screw guide so that they enter the right way in.
4. Attach The Door To The Jamb
The last thing you need to do is place the hinges in the correct positions with the help of the screwdriver or the drill machine. This helps to fasten them one after the other.
The next thing is to attach the door to the frame by making it hold fast while you support its blocks.
The places need to be right when putting the hinges because only the strap hooks will be in position. Check the door to see if it is working correctly or not by taking out the blocks you used to support the door. If it does date even after taking the blocks out, then you have done a great job. If not, start over and look for the mistakes you made.
Tips To Stay Safe While Hinging A Door
The following are a few tips you need to follow to ensure that you perform the hinging in a safe manner:
- Wear protective gear
- Have more than 3 hinges
- Get the right hinge
- Be perfect with the dimensions
Factors to Consider While Hinging a Door
Hinges are of different types and sizes that people use in their everyday lives. Hence, it is also essential to consider which type of hinge you might want for your doors.
For example, if you’re going to install a lightweight interior or exterior door, you can consider installing butt hinges.
However, if your doors are wide and heavy, it is best to use ball-bearing hinges. This is because they have better opening and closing action.
Furthermore, if you want to install a screen door or a door that swings outward, you must choose spring hinges. This will help the door swing back into its closed position.
Wrapping Up
Installation of interior door hinges or any other door hinges is not a regular job around the house, but if you learn how to do it, it won’t make you any less of a creative person. DIY can save you money when installing hinges on your doors.
You must adequately read this article on how to install door hinges before you take action.
However, if you do not know what hinges are and if you are just searching for an article that would tell you how to do it, then also this article will help you a lot.
Leave a comment below in the comment section and share your experience with us.
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