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Build Like a Pro: Fine-Tuning Hinges

Whether the door is new or old, Tucker Windover's technique produces a perfectly aligned door that closes properly and stays closed when you want it to

by Tucker Windover

Trim carpenter Tucker Windover shows you how to align a door's hinges through a series of incremental adjustments. First you remove the hinge, then plug the holes. Redrill the holes in the proper spot and use a self-centering screw bit to reset the hinge. Once set, gently bend two knuckles of the door hinge to close the gap even further. The result is a door that closes perfectly. Windover's methods apply equally to new work and to existing doors.

To learn more about Windover's technique, read Hinge Adjustment for a Door's Final Fit from Fine Homebuilding Issue #192 (Dec 2007/Jan 2008), pp.110-117.

November 6, 2007