How to Install Interior Door Hinges
Installing interior door hinges isn't difficult, but it is something that has to be done in a very specific way, or you'll be fighting with that ill-fitting door for a long time. The hinges have to be set down into the wood of both the door and the door jamb (that flat span of wood in the doorway that the hinges attach to) so the metal thickness of the hinge plates don't cause a space next to the door. It's a good idea to have a helper to hold the door for this project. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Hinges with screws
- Pencil
- Razor knife
- Sharp chisel
- Hammer
- Drill
- Pilot bit
- Screwdriver bit
- Wood shims
Instructions
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1
Stand the door on its long side, with the knob side to the floor. Set one hinge on the upward-facing edge of the door. Put the hinge about a foot from the end, with the plate resting flat on the edge, and the hinge pin aligned along the side of the door that will swing out.
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2
Trace around the edge of the hinge plate with your pencil. Trace the circles of the screw holes as well.
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3
Repeat for each of the other two hinges, putting the one about a foot from the other end of the door and one in the middle. Move all the hinges off the door.
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4
Load your drill with a pilot bit and drill pilot holes an inch or two deep at each of the circular marks for the screw holes.
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5
Use your razor knife to cut around the mark for your first plate, cutting the perimeter of it about 1/8 inch deep. Set your chisel into one edge of the cut and gently tap it with your hammer, taking up a layer of the wood. Chisel it out so the whole area marked off for the plate is about 1/8 inch down from the surface of the wood (the pilot holes will still be visible). Do the same for the other two marked hinge areas.
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6
Load your drill with a screwdriver bit. Set your hinge in place at the first chiseled area. The surface of the plate should be even with the surface of the wood, and the pilot holes should be lined up with the screw holes in the plate. Sink hinge screws into the holes to secure the hinge. Repeat for each of the other hinges.
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7
Stand the door in place in its opening, putting shims under it to hold up slightly up off the floor. Have it opened at about a 45-degree angle, so you can get at the hinge side. Hold the loose side of the top hinge plate in place against the door jamb. Trace around the plate with your pencil, and mark the screw holes. Do the same for the other two hinges. Remove the door.
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8
Pilot-drill and chisel out the three marked hinge areas in the same way as you did on the door. Set the door back in place and set the hinges into the chiseled areas. Screw in the top hinge plate first, then the bottom, then the middle.
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Tips & Warnings
Wear eye protection when using your drill.
