How To Identify Right & Left Hinged Doors
Tip
Another way to determine the door-hinge direction is to open the door and stand with your back against the hinge jamb or area. If your right hand is nearer the doorknob, then it is a right-handed hinge and door. If your left hand is nearer the doorknob, then it is a left-handed hinge and door.
Warning
When re-installing a door, make sure the strikeplate on the casing lines up with the door's latch.
Hinges are mechanisms that allow doors to open and close. The hinges support the door and provide a swinging action. They come in different styles and finishes to accent home decor. Identifying whether a door is right or left-hinged is important for installation. There are a few ways you can tell the direction of a door hinge. This includes the door's swing, hinge placement and knob location. After determining the hinge direction, you will know where to re-install an existing door or where to install a new door.
Step 1
Stand on the side of the door that swings away from you.
Step 2
Close the door.
Step 3
Open the door and observe which direction the door swings toward.
Step 4
Identify the door hinge. If the door swings to the right when you open it, it is a right-hinged door. If the door swings to the left when you open it, it is a left-hinged door.
Step 5
Observe the door casing. This is the framing the door hinges are mounted to. Left-hinged doors have the hinges on the left of the casing while right-hinged have the hinges on the right.
Step 6
Look at the knob. The knob is typically placed on the side of the door opposite the hinge direction. For example, a right-hinged door will have the knob on the left side of the door. A left-hinged door will typically have the knob on the right side of the door.