There are three types of doors: entry doors, interior doors, and combination storm/screen doors. The five steps below describe the technique for replacing an entry door. If you can master replacement of an entry door, replacing most interior doors is actually a simplified version of that process, as the locks are typically simpler or nonexistent. Replacement of combination storm/screen doors can follow the same process as that of entry doors, or it can become more complicated. If you are unsure about the process for installing a combination storm/screen door, check your manufacturer’s information for additional instructions or speak with a representative of the manufacturer or store that sold you the door.

Remove the old door.

To remove the old door, open it and wedge under the outer corner to take weight off the hinges. Once the door has been removed, set it aside to use as a pattern in trimming the new door unless it is seriously warped or damaged.

To remove the door, follow one of the two options below.

A popular method for hanging doors is the use of loose-pin hinges. With loose-pin hinges, half the hinge attaches to the door and the other half to the doorframe. Both halves are held together by a pin. If this is the type of hinge you’re dealing with, remove the pin by tapping it up and completely pulling it out. Start with the bottom hinge and work your way up. Once the hinges have been removed, you can take the door off the frame.

In some older homes, a different type of hinge may be used or the pin cannot easily be removed because it has been covered by layers of paint. In this case, unscrew the hinges from the doorframe (still working from bottom to top) and remove the door.

Remove hinge leaves.

Remove the hinge leaves from the door and the frame. You can choose to either reuse the original hinges or hang new ones. If you reuse the original ones, you can buff them with sandpaper and spray them with a clear protective coating. For new hinges, simply insure that they are the same size as the old ones.

Once you have gotten the hinges in the shape you want them, install the new hinge leaves on the door frame. Be sure your screws are long enough to pierce both the frame and the stud-wall framing. This is an extra security measure.

Trim new door.

If possible, use the original door as a pattern for the new one. Alight the top and side edges and see whether the new door needs to be cut down along the bottom. If you cannot use the old door as a pattern, measure the door opening and allow a 1/8″ bottom clearance and 1/16″ top and side clearance. If the door opens over carpet, increase the bottom clearance to 3/4″ or more. Mark the appropriate dimensions on the new door.

Trim the bottom of the door with a fine-toothed saw. Alternatively you can work from the corners to the center of the bottom edge with a block plane. Also use a jack plane for edge trimming if necessary. To prevent binding when the new door is opened, bevel the latch edge inward.

Prepare new door for hinges.

The first step in preparing the door for the hinges is to create the new mortises, which are carved or routed-out depressions where the hinge blades are placed, which keeps the surface even. Again using the old door for a pattern, mark hinge mortise locations. If you choose not to pattern after the old door, stick the new door in the opening and wedge it 1/8″ from the bottom. Mark the hinge locations on the door.

Next, set the door on its latch edge. Use a square and pencil or knife to draw a line across the door edge at each hinge location. Outline the new hinge on the door by using the hinge leaf as a template.

Score marked edges for the hinge mortises with a wood chisel. Do not cut deeper than hinge leaf thickness. Angle the same chisel with beveled edge downward. Make several cuts in the scored area, again to the depth of the hinge leaf. Remove wood chips with a chisel. Insert the hinge leaf to double check fit, but do not affix it to the door.

Typically, doors taller than six feet require three hinges for weight distribution. Place the middle hinge halfway between the top and bottom hinges.

Coat door edges with wood sealant. Use wood screws to attach hinge leaves to the new door.

Hang new door.

Placing the newly sealed door in the frame, insert the top and bottom pins. If the fit is acceptable, close the door and mark where the middle hinge falls on the door frame. If the old door had a middle hinge, the best case scenario would involve the new middle hinge falling in exactly the same place, necessitating no work on your part.

If the middle hinge falls differently on the new door, take down the door by removing the bottom hinge pin and then the top. Use the hinge leaf as a template to outline the middle hinge’s location on the door frame. Cut the mortise in the same process used for door mortises. Attach the middle hinge to the door frame.

Set the door in place and insert the hinge pins, working top to bottom.

Another project for another day is installing a new lockset. For now, open your new door and go out and celebrate your accomplishment!

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New Installation

I hereby declare this the DIY project for the complete and total non-DIYer. The easiest way to install a doorbell when there is not an existing one is to buy one of the wireless models. Talk about foolproof!

To get slightly more technical, a wireless doorbell is actually a transmitter. When a visitor pushes the button, a coded signal is sent to a receiver attached to the bell, and the doorbell chimes.

Some of the advantages of the wireless doorbells include:

If you have a hard time hearing the doorbell (even when it’s working that is), you can purchase more than one chime unit and tune them all to the same button. This way, you can place chimes all around the house to hear the doorbell ring wherever you may be.

It involves no wires and no more electricity than that of a small battery. The button unit requires a battery, but most of the indoor chime units can be plugged into an electrical outlet, ridding you of the need to remember to change multiple batteries.

Although replacing a wired doorbell is a quick project by most DIY standards, this one is even quicker. Other than the time spent choosing between the brass or gold finish, this project can be accomplished during one commercial break.

Replacement Installation

If you are really pressed for time or not interested in dealing with wires, simply replace your wired doorbell with one of the wireless models mentioned above. Remove the old doorbell switch with a flat screwdriver, tape up the wires with electrical tape, and tuck them back in the doorbell hole. Affix the new switch to the doorframe, covering the hole. Indoors, plug in the chime unit(s).

However, even replacing a wired doorbell with a new wired model will typically not take more than a half-hour. The only materials needed are the new switch and a flat screwdriver. To make life easier or show off your well-stocked tool kit, you may also choose to have wire strippers handy.

Decide whether to turn off the power. Typically this is not a question, but the main commandment of electrical work. However, because a doorbell is a low-voltage device and operates on a mere 12 volts, you can do this repair without turning off the power. If you are uncomfortable with leaving the power on or suspect that your doorbell may run on a higher voltage, go ahead and turn off the power at the breaker box or service panel.

Remove the old switch. Take out the screws and set aside, as you may choose to reuse them. Disconnect the wires, securing them so they cannot slide back in through the hold, and discard the old switch.

Cut and trim wires, if necessary. If the termination ends look worn or frayed, pull the wire out so you have a bit of slack and trim the wires to equal length. Strip approximately a half-inch of insulation from each wire.

Connect wires to the new switch. Connect wires to the two screw terminals on the new switch. It doesn’t matter which wire goes to which switch—it will work either way. Tighten the screws.

Install new switch. Feed the wires back through the hole and push the new switch so it is flush against the wall or doorframe. At this point, if the power is on, the new switch should be working. If you splurged and purchased a lighted model, look to see if it is lit. Test it and listen for the chime.

If you chose to purchase a new chime unit as well, find and replace the old chime unit using the same process. Pay attention to which wire goes to which terminal, however, because in this case they do need to be connected to the appropriate terminals on the new chime unit.

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First and foremost, you may be able to narrow down the selection by some major factors. Based on the size, weight, and shape of your work materials, does the hinge need to be small and delicate or heavy and durable?

Another factor to consider is that, while most hinges are reversible (either end can be mounted in the upright position); some are made for either a right- or left-hand door. One example of this is the loose-pin hinge. With this hinge, common for hanging doors, the pin must be removed from the top; therefore, you cannot reverse a loose-pin hinge.

You can tell if you need a right- or left-hand hinge by standing on the outside of the door. If the door opens from you toward your right-hand side, you need right-hand hinges. If it opens from you toward your left-hand side, you need to stock up on left-hand hinges.

Also think about how much of the hinge you would like to be showing when the door is closed. If the hinge is showing, should it be decorative in nature or can it be simple and functional in design? If you would prefer most of the hinge to be concealed, will this affect the functionality and ease of use in any way?

Below is an alphabetical list of some of the most popular hinges and their common uses. If you have any questions, speak with a salesperson when you go to purchase the hinges. And happy hinging!

A version of the butt hinge, the back flap hinge is smaller and mostly used for furniture.

The main advantage of a ball bearing hinge is its status as permanently lubricated. They are a more expensive hinge and are typically used for heavy-duty door mountings, such as doors opening to a building’s exterior. They can also be useful for any doors that see excessive use.

Butt hinges are usually between 13 and 150mm in size. They come in two varieties: rigid pin (pin cannot be removed) and loose pin (pin can easily be tapped out with a screwdriver). They are used for mounting regular doors and cabinet doors. The rising butt hinge is designed for use on doors that rest on shag carpeting.

The benefits of the butterfly hinge, used on light-weight doors, lay in the variety of shapes and patterns available and their ease to fit.

The double acting hinge opens in either direction and is used mostly for folding doors.

The flush hinge is not as strong as a butt hinge, and is used mostly as a cabinet hinge. The flush hinge is recommended for use on light doors and in situations where you would prefer to conceal the entire hinge except the barrel.

Knuckle hinges are loose joint hinges that are decorative in nature. Although they can hold a significant amount of weight, their design ensures that a closed door shows only the knuckle of the hinge. Knuckle hinges are recommended for door mountings.

Offset blind hinges are designed to allow a full opening and swing-away such as that typically found on screen or storm doors.

Parliament hinges are recommended when the hinge pin must project beyond the door face.

The pivot hinge is versatile, being used for recessed doors, overlay doors, or flush doors. A benefit of the pivot hinge is that it doesn’t need a door frame for mounting.

As the name indicates, the spring loaded hinge contains a spring-loaded mechanism to automatically close the door. Models with adjustable tension features are available.

Table top hinges are recommended for situations where one leaf in a section of wood must be dropped.

Concealed hinges typically come in sizes of 25mm and 36mm. The concealed hinge’s benefits include being adjustable once fitted. It was designed for use with chipboard and MDF.

Specialty hinges include strap hinges, T hinges, and continuous hinges. Strap and T hinges are available in several sizes and are recommended for heavy installation situations. The continuous hinge, on the other hand, is used mostly on chest lids, cabinets or where a long hinge is necessary. Also called a piano hinge, the continuous hinge comes in brass or steel and in many sizes.

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Learn all about how and why doors and windows stick and how to fix them, so you’re not stuck the next time opportunity pays a visit!

Stuck Windows

Windows can stick for a variety of reasons. Often wood expands and contracts, moving parts have been painted over, or two surfaces may simply seem fused together. Some of the most common problems and fixes for stuck windows are:

Painted-over joint: Cut the paint with a window zipper (tool designed just for this purpose) or a putty knife. Hold blade flat against the sash and push the edge into the joint while drawing the tool along the surface.

Paint build-up: Similar to when joints are painted over, years of painting can also result in an accumulation that causes excessive friction. Use a paint scraper to remove excess paint from the window stop, parting strip, and blind stop. Raise and lower the sash throughout the process. For a lower sash, it is also a possibility to remove the window stop to sand and scrape the edges facing the window. If none of the easier solutions were successful, remove both sashes and completely strip the paint to the bare wood. Repaint the sashes and reinstall when the pain has dried.

Too much friction: Lubricate the sash channels with candle wax or talcum powder. This can also prevent painted surfaces from sticking together. If spring metal weather-stripping is found in the sash channels, reduce tension by using a hammer and block of wood to flatten the strip.

Just plain stuck. A sharp rap to the center rail, near the lock can sometimes break a bond between painted surfaces. The blow can be administered with the palm of your hand or a rubber mallet. Another option is to gently tap a wooden block again the sides of the sash.

New friction channels. If you have some extra time on your hands and are very concerned with preventing heat loss, another option is to install new friction channels. To do this, first remove sashes, weights and pulleys.

Push fiberglass insulation into the openings for the weigh cavities. Start at the top and work your way down with the aid of a flexible rod or stick.

Using a hammer and sharp chisel, notch the ends of the top parting strip to create the new channels.

Replace the sashes in the window frame between the two new channels. Tilt the entire assembly into the opening from the bottom inside.

Finally, reinstall interior stops according to the manufacturer’s instructions for adjusting tension. If windows are too loose after the stops have been installed, increase tension by hammering a wood block against the stop at nail placements. When the tension seems right to you, drive in several nails.

Stuck Doors

Doors can stick for many of the same reasons as windows—too much tension, or painting over moving parts. However, with the addition of hinges, that also opens up a whole new area of possible reasons for stuck doors.

Door rubs against jamb. The solution to this problem differs according to which side the door is rubbing against the jamb on. If the door rubs against the jamb on the hinge side, you will need to shim the hinges out. Unscrew the hinge from the jamb and place a piece of cardboard behind it. Shimming out the bottom hinge may resolve the problem of a door binding at the top of the strike jamb.

If the door rubs against the jamb on the side without the hinge or against another part of the door frame, the door may need to be modified so it will fit. Mark the door with scribe lines so you know where to plane and remove the door (removing bottom pin first and working your way upward). Lay the door on a flat surface and plane the appropriate edges.

Loose hinge screws. To fix loose hinge screws, wedge the door open and remove the screws. Fold back the hinge, being careful not to lose any existing shims. Buy or whittle wood pieces to fit the holes. Add glue and push the wood pieces into the holes. Scrape the wood plugs until they are flush, fold the hinge back into place, drill pilot holes and drive in new screws.

Moving a stop. Sometimes it’s easier to move the stop than unwarp a door. If a door is binding against the hinge-side stop or will not close properly because of an improperly placed stop on the latch side, pry off the offending stop. Close the door and draw a line, along the doors inside edge, on the jamb. Nail the stop on this line.

Moving a strike plate. A latch and strike may get out of alignment because a house had settled. If the strike plate is too far away, shim it out with cardboard. If it is too close, unscrew the strike, chisel out a new mortise, drill pilot holes, and replace the strike. If necessary, use wood putty to fill the old mortise hole and sand until smooth.

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