How To Buy and Hang a Door

When you order a door, some doors won’t let you fit something into the hinges and call it a day. You’ll need to remove the housing for the old door, measure the space, then slide your new door into place with shims to help bridge the gaps in the frame. That means you’re not just looking at the width of the door, you’re looking at the entire frame. Here are more considerations when you’re buying and hanging a door:

Measurements

Understanding the correct places to measure makes a big difference in the size of door that is constructed. Measurements should be done at an edge, because a measurement from the center may not be straight, and can add unnecessary length. The width and length of the existing slab or doorway should be measured, and considered separate from the door jamb. It’s important not to overestimate the size, because the door needs room underneath and on the sides to be able to open and close.

Slab vs Pre-Hung

Some people are looking at replacing a door, and others need both door and trim. The door by itself is called a slab, and may come with the doorknob hole drilled or not drilled. Pre-hung doors have few problems with matching up hinges and door hardware, as all holes are matched up by the door builder. However, they do require more work to install in a doorway, versus simply hanging on new hinges.

Interior vs Exterior

An exterior door is more insulated and can be thicker, and an interior door doesn’t need to have the same insulation level. Doors can be made of steel, wood, or fiberglass and be either interior or exterior doors, so it’s important to know. An exterior is built to withstand the elements, an interior door is designed primarily for privacy.

Swing Direction

A buyer should understand whether they want a door to swing in or out (based on the orientation of the room), and whether they need a left or a right hand swing. The swing is based on the direction of the doorknob on the outside of the door.

Hardware

Items that are needed for a door include trim pieces for the doorway, hinges, door sills and doorknobs with appropriate locking mechanisms for the location (keyed entry for exterior doors and perhaps additional deadbolts, one-sided locks for bathrooms and bedrooms, etc).

ETO Doors – Our delivery process from ETO-Doors on Vimeo.

 

Source: ETO Doors is the Web’s largest supplier of doors for commercial and residential projects in the United States. All of ETO Doors products are offered with a low-price guarantee, so customers can shop with confidence. Read ETO Doors reviews online, or browse our wide selection of doors.