How to Change the Direction of a Door
Why on earth anyone would want to change the direction of a door, you might ask! It may seem a bit odd…why do that? Well, there may be a good reason why you must!. Skill rating : Intermediate
Why on earth anyone would want to change the direction of a door, you might ask! It may seem a bit odd…why do that? Well, there may be a good reason why you must!
Perhaps you are changing the purpose, the use of a room – from a bedroom to a study – or you’ve moved walls around: extended even.
Whatever the reason, it’s not such a big job, and when you’ve finished - you’d never know the difference. Provided that is you’ve took your time, used the right tools…planned how best to go about it. You will be using a few sharp tools on this project, so do take care, use appropriate personal protection.
First things first, remove the door to be changed from its fixings. This involves removing the hinge screws that attach the door to the frame. If you are lucky, it might be possible to just turn the door around, chisel out new hinge and lock striking plate recesses on the opposite side of the door frame. Without any trimming or adjustments.
Using your screwdriver, remove the hinge screws that hold the hinges into the door jamb. Leave the hinges attached to the door itself. Also remove the strike plate where the door latches when it meets the jamb.
First things first, remove the door
First things first, remove the doorTurn the door around in the door opening, so the hinges are on the opposite side of the frame. Position the door where it needs to be, press firmly the hinges against the edge of the frame, and mark with a pencil on the frame around each hinge plate. Also mark the screw holes.
Remove the door and drill pilot holes for each mark showing the holes in the hinge plates. Then, with a sharp wood chisel and hammer, shave off about 1/8th inch of the wood surface, the approximate thickness of the hinge.
Turn the Door Around
Turn the Door AroundSet the door back into the doorframe, sitting the hinge plates into the chiselled segments, and, using a suitable screwdriver, refit the same screws that came out.
Next, remove the door handle assembly and reinstall it from the opposite side, so the latch is now facing the opposite direction of what it was.
Refit Door
Refit DoorShut the door. On the other side of the frame, where the hinges previously were, mark where the door latch meets the door fame jam. Set the strike plate in position, ensuring the bevelled lip faces the door as it closes. Then, trace a hole through the strike plate. Use a 1” or 25mm boring bit. Drill down the hole, deep enough to accommodate the latch. Secure attach the strike plate jamb with the same screws that were used on the other side.
Setting the Strike Plate
Setting the Strike PlateIt’s now a simple matter of finishing off. To do this use wood filler and a putty knife to repair the any unwanted holes or recesses. Allow to dry, sand down and repaint.
