Instructions for Hanging a New Door

Position your new door so it's sitting on its leading edge -- the narrow flat side where the door latch projects outward -- so that the soon-to-be hinged part of the door is facing up. Set a hinge on the edge, about 8 inches from the end, with one hinge plate on the door and the other dangling over the side. Make sure the dangling half of the hinge is hanging toward the inward-opening side of the door.

Trace your pencil around the hinge plate so it leaves a rectangle on the edge of the door. Take off the hinge. Use a utility knife to cut around the line you traced, make the cuts about 1/8 inch deep. Use you chisel and hammer to peel off all the wood within that perimeter, so the whole rectangle is carved out about 1/8 inch deep.

Lay the hinge back in place, setting it in the indented area and making sure the metal of the hinge surface is even with the surrounding wood. If it's not, chisel out a little more as needed. Secure the plate by sinking hinge screws through the holes with your screw gun.

Repeat the process for each hinge, putting the second hinge about 8 inches from the bottom of the door and the third in the middle.

Position the door where it will go in the doorway, with the dangling plates of the hinges pressed against the door jamb. Open the door enough to trace around the plates onto the jamb. Remove the door and chisel down the traced areas as you did on the edge of the door.

Remove the hinge pins so the dangling plates of the hinges are separated from the plates that are mounted on the door. Secure the loose plates to the door jamb with screws, in the chiseled areas. Set the door back in place in the opening, reconnecting the door hinges and tapping the pins back in with your hammer. The hung door is now ready to have the latch and knob assembly installed.