If you’re renovating or even building your own home yourself, you’ll be hanging doors and fitting door handles at some stage. They could be internal doors, external doors, or even roller doors. While this can be daunting, it’s not too complicated, as long as you follow some fairly basic steps.

Types of doors

Fitting the door will depend on what sort of door it is. Internal doors are usually timber and hollow and relatively easy to hang. External doors are often heavier and usually require three hinges rather than the standard two hinges on internal doors. Sliding doors and French doors will require different processes, as will screen doors and security doors. Roller doors on garages also involve a different process. Special care should also be taken if the door you are hanging is glass or has glass panels. The style of door you choose will also depend on your home and its existing structure.

Hanging a standard door

The first step, once an old door has been removed, is to measure the doorway. Most doorways are a standard size, and will be able to accommodate ready-made doors. If the opening isn’t standard, you will need to have your door custom-made. Check to see if the door frame is square as most aren’t, so you will need to trim your door down to fit the frame. Also take note of where the hinges are and carefully chisel out a recess for the hinge bracket on the new door, and drill the holes for the screws. Once ready, place the door in the frame with the help of wedges to keep it in place, and screw the top hinge in first, and then the lower ones.

Latches

Fitting the latch is also relatively simple. Mark out the position of the latch plate, the handle screw holes and the spindle position, making sure it’s all square with the door‘s edge and in line with the latch plate on the door frame. Drill the holes for the latch and the spindle to the right depth, and then chisel out a recess for the latch. Fit the latch and make sure the spindle turns easily before attaching it, and then after chiselling out the recess for the latch plate on the door frame, fit the new latch plate and screw into place.

Door handles

Now it’s time to fit the door handles themselves. Making sure you have the right handle for each side of the door, and turning downwards on both sides. With the spindle in place in the first handle, slide the spindle into the hole in the door, and then fit the other door handle over it on the other side of the door. If the spindle is too long, simply trim it down to the right length. Once you are happy that the door handle’s latch mechanism works smoothly, screw the handles into the door, and you’re done.

Click one of the links below to find a hardware retail outlet that stocks doors and door handles near you.