When talking about door handing it means that we will talk about the direction of the end of the lever points on a door. It is so crucial not only for comfort but also safety. Some countries even have handing standards for building. This information will help you get more understanding of handing and choose the right one when installing a door.
The Right Way to Determine Door Handing
There are two handing doors available in the market. You should know the right way to determine it. The first thing to do to know which one of the handing doors you should use is to do small research.
First, stand outside the door. Then, ensure that the door will open away from you. Second, check the position of the hinges. You should buy a left-hand lever if the hinges are on the left. On the other hand, you need a right-hand lever when the hinges are on the right.
How about if the door requires two non-turning levers? In this case, you need one right-hand and one left-hand lever. Is it possible? Yes! You often find this case in French doors.
Handing for a Front Door
You should choose a left-hand door if the hinges are located on the left when you are standing outside the door. The inside lever of this door is pointed right to the hinges. On the opposite, the right-hand door has hinges that are located on the right when you are standing outside the door. It means that the inside level of the door is pointed left to the hinges.
Handing for Non-Turning Levers
Check the position of the hinges. You are choosing a left-hand door if the hinges are located on the left and vice versa. Check also the position of the lever to the hinges. A right-hand door should have a lever that is pointed right to the hinges. A left-hand door should have a lever that is pointed left to the hinges. The left-hand doors pair with left-handled levers whereas the right-hand doors pair with right-handed levers.
The Position of the Deadbolt
door handing process also focuses on the position of the deadbolt. You should know whether the deadbolt faces the right or the left. It is also an important thing to understand, especially if you want to install a door with a smart lock.
So, how to determine whether the deadbolt faces the right or the left? First, you should remove the battery cover. Second, take the battery pack from the lock. Third, hold the program button and reinsert the battery pack.
Fourth, release the program button once the battery pack is ready. Fifth, press the program button once again. This action leads the lock to the door handing process. In this phase, the bolt moves around in both directions. Turn on the smart lock and ensure that you hear a beep sound.
Sixth, the last thing to do is reinstall the battery cover. You should find the right instructions because different types of smart locks may have different handing process instructions.
The Reasons to Understand Door Handing
Knowing about door handing is so important for two reasons. First, you should know the right handling to ensure that you can open the door. Indeed, the door is going to be stuck when you take the wrong door.
For instance, you buy a right-hand door because you think it is cool, but the door is not compatible if the lever set is left-hand. Second, just like the definition of handing, it ensures that the door you are about to install is swinging in the correct direction. Indeed, choosing a door with the wrong handling makes it stuck and can’t be opened.
Steps to Install An outswing Door
In case you love a DIY project, you can install a door by yourself. For installing a right-hand outswing door, you need some tools, which are:
- Measuring tape
- Power drill
- ¼ inches hex head bit
- #2 square drive bit
- 1/8 inches x ¾ inches putty tape
- Hex head #8 x ¾ inches screws
- Door chain
- Lock ware lock set
- A regular outswing door
Instruction to Install an Outswing Door
First, check the mounting surfaces to ensure that they are securely fastened and flat around. Another function of this step is to ensure that there are no obstructions in the opening. Second, take the putty tape on the backside of the drip cap. You also have to apply the putty tape to the backside of the door mounting flange. Ensure that the tape covers all the screw holes.
Third, take the door you want to install and insert the door into the opening. Fourth, fasten the door with a screw beginning with the center hole of the outer frame on the hinge side. Continue the process by screwing in the top hole on the hinge side.
The last thing to do is screw the bottom hole on the hinge side. It is also the same thing with the opposite part. Fifth, slowly open the door and ensure that it moves smoothly. If so, you can install the rest of the screws.
Installing the Door Lock
Install the door lock once the door is ready. Place the seal ring on the exterior side of the door. Ensure that the position of the drain hole is at the bottom. Next, fasten the door lock using screws.
The Way to Swap Handing of a Door
So, can you swap the hand of a door? It is crucial information if the inswing door is close to other objects inside the house, such as stairs, entrance furniture, and others. The good news is that you can replace the door swing. You may ask an expert to handle the project, but experts will do these steps.
Tools for Swapping the Handing of a Door
- Hammer
- Nail set
- Saw horses
- Drill driver
- Utility knife
- Wood chisels
- Tape measure
- Pencil
- Combination square
- A saw
- Nails
- Air compressor
- A Bit
Steps to Swap the Handing of a Door
You should remove the door first. Remove the pins in the hinges using a hammer and nail set. Carefully place the door on saw horses. Next, remove the hinges using the screwdriver. Cover the hinge holes using wood dowels. Let the glue dry before continuing the process.
Take 100-grit sandpaper and use it to sand the filled holes. Next, flip the door upside down. Drill new holes to flip the door oppositely. Screw the hinges into the new holes. Remove all the hardware, such as the door handle and deadbolt by unscrewing them. Remember to reverse the striker and screw it back into place. Take all the hardware back to the place.
Take a chisel and a hammer to flip the direction of the door sweep. Measure the distance from the top of the door frame to the top of the hinge mortises. You can do it using a measuring tape. Now, use the measurement to the opposite side of the door frame using a pencil.
Cover the old hinge holes with wood glue and brad nails. Sand it to keep it smooth. Paint the patch to match the color of the door frame. Now move to the new side and create new hinge holes. Install the door and screw into the new hinge holes. That’s it! The handing of your door is not swapped.
Now, you finally know the importance of understanding door handing left or right. Installing a door in the wrong swing may interrupt you when opening the door. So, ensure the door handing first before buying and installing a door.
