Internal door hanging

Poorly fitted doors can lead to draughts, rattling, and damage to your flooring or frames. Hiring a skilled carpenter ensures that even in older British homes where door frames are rarely perfectly square, your new doors will have a precise, uniform gap and a satisfying "click" when closed.

What Does the Work Involve?

• Assessment: Checking the existing door lining (frame) for squareness and structural integrity.
• Preparation: Removing the old door, hinges, and hardware, and disposing of them if agreed.
• Trimming: Measuring and cutting or planing the new door to fit the specific dimensions of the opening.
• Morticing: Using a chisel or router to create recesses for hinges, latches, and lock faceplates.
• Hardware Fitting: Installing hinges, handles, and spindles to ensure smooth mechanical operation.
• Final Adjustments: Checking the "leading edge" to prevent binding and ensuring the door clears the floor covering.

Typical Costs

Prices for door hanging vary significantly based on whether you are supplying the doors yourself and the material of the door (e.g., lightweight moulded vs. heavy solid oak). Most carpenters charge a day rate for multiple doors or a fixed price per "leaf."

Note: Costs in London and the South East typically sit 15-20% higher than the national average. Prices include VAT where applicable.

How Long Does It Take?

• Straightforward door swap: 1 to 2 hours per door.
• Trimming a door to an out-of-square frame: 2 to 3 hours.
• Hanging a heavy fire door with closers: 3 to 4 hours.
• Full house (6-8 doors): 2 to 3 days depending on complexity.

DIY or Professional?

Hanging a door is a classic "deceptively difficult" task. While a DIYer can attempt it, achieving a consistent 2-3mm gap (the "penny gap") around the entire perimeter requires specialist tools like electric planes, sharp chisels, and routers. Professional carpenters also understand "leading edges"—angling the side of the door so it doesn't bind as it swings shut.

Expert Tip: If you are installing fire doors, professional installation is vital to ensure the door meets legal safety standards and insurance requirements.

Choosing the Right Tradesperson

• Look for a carpenter or joiner with a City & Guilds Level 2 or 3 qualification.
• Check if they have a "door jig" or router setup, which often indicates a higher level of precision and speed.
• Red Flag: Avoid anyone who says they don't need to plane the door and will just "force it to fit."
• Questions to ask:
  • Are you experienced with fire door regulations?
  • Do you include the cost of new hinges and latches in your quote?
  • How do you handle the dust created by planing and sanding?

UK Regulations

• Building Regs Part B: Covers fire safety. Fire doors (usually FD30) are mandatory for rooms leading onto a protected stairway in houses with three or more storeys.
• Integral Garages: Doors between a house and an internal garage must be fire-rated and fitted with a self-closing mechanism.
• Accessibility (Part M): If you are widening a doorway, it must meet minimum clear opening widths to comply with wheelchair access standards.

Common Problems

• Binding: The door rubs against the frame or floor, often caused by seasonal wood expansion or poor trimming.
• Hinge Bound: The door springs open because the hinges are recessed too deeply into the frame.
• Latch Misalignment: The door doesn't stay shut because the strike plate on the frame doesn't line up with the latch.
• Floor Clearance: Failing to account for the thickness of a new, plush carpet, resulting in the door getting stuck.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can any internal door be trimmed to size?

No. Most modern hollow-core doors have a narrow timber "lipping" (usually 10-20mm). If you cut beyond this, you will expose the honeycomb core and ruin the door's structural integrity.

Should I paint or varnish my doors before or after hanging?

It is best to "dry fit" the door first, doing all the trimming and morticing. Then, remove the door to paint or seal all six sides (including top and bottom edges) before final installation to prevent moisture ingress.

What is the difference between a door and a door set?

A door is just the "slab" or leaf. A door set comes pre-hung in its own frame with hinges already attached, which is often easier for new-build extensions but more expensive.

Do I need three hinges or two?

Standard lightweight doors only require two hinges. However, heavy solid wood doors or fire doors must have at least three hinges to prevent warping and to support the extra weight.

Why is my new door "creeping" open by itself?

This usually means the door or the frame is not perfectly "plumb" (vertical). A professional carpenter can often fix this by slightly adjusting the depth of the hinges.