How to Install Interior Doors All by Yourself

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Plus, how to install the latch & lockset
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If home improvement isn't your specialty, installing a new door may seem like an impossible task. You may be surprised that with the right tools and information, it's really not that difficult. This article covers installing an interior, wooden door. Before you start, you've got 2 choices: a pre-hung door and a slab door. A pre-hung door comes with the hinges and even a doorframe already installed. A slab door is a door without hinges or a frame. Whether you're installing a pre-hung or slab door, we've got you covered. Plus, the latch and lockset installation are the same for either type.

Interior Door Installation

For pre-hung doors, remove the old trim and frame. Push the new door in the opening and nail the hinges into the doorframe. For door slabs, measure the door opening and cut the new door to size. Chisel out space on the door and doorframe for the hinges and screw them in place.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Pre-Hung Door

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  1. A pre-hung door comes with an existing frame, so remove the old trim and frame first to make a rough opening for the new frame. Once that's done, use a level to make sure the floor is plumb (perfectly straight). [1]
  2. Place the level on the floor. Determine if the hinge side is lower than the latch side. If it is, add shims underneath the level on the side nearest to the hinges. Keep adding shims until the floor is level. Use a finish nail to tack the shims in place. [2]
    • You don't need to shim the floor if the latch side is lower.
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  3. Line up your level on the hinge side first. Place shims underneath the level until it is plumb. Nail the shims in place. [3]
  4. Determine if it is flush, meaning that it lines up perfectly with the rough opening. To do so, push the door until it is right up against the rough opening. [4]
  5. On the hinge side of the doorframe, line up an 8d finish nail with the placement of the 3 hinges on the door (1 nail for each hinge). [5] Hammer the nails through the frame and into the rough opening to securely fasten them together. [6]
  6. Before securing the frame in place on the side of the door opening (the side with the doorknob), use your level to check that the rough opening is plumb (perfectly level). [7] If it's not, nail wooden shims to the rough opening until it is. [8]
  7. Hammer 8d finish nails through the frame, shims, and rough opening. This securely fastens the opposite side of the frame. [9]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Door Slab

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  1. Your doorframe will need to be 1 ⁄ 4 inch (6.4 mm) taller and wider than the new door. That way your new door will have room to fit within the space. Measure your new door to determine if it's the right size for the doorframe. Compare the length and width measurements to the doorframe, and make sure the door frame is 1 ⁄ 4 inch (6.4 mm) smaller in width and height. [10]
    • Don't worry if the door is a little too big for the frame. You can adjust the size of your new door to fit.
  2. Use a hand plane to trim the door’s width and height if it only needs to be trimmed less than 1 ⁄ 8 inch (3.2 mm). If the door needs to be trimmed more substantially, use a circular saw. [11]
    • If you need to use a circular saw, use painter’s tape to mark where the door needs to be trimmed.
    • When shortening the door’s height, cut at the bottom side of the door. If the width needs to be reduced, trim evenly on both sides.
  3. Use the old door as a template to help. Remove the lockset and place the old door on top of the new door. Note where the hinges are located on the old door and mark the corresponding placements on the new door using a utility knife. [12] Next, use a pencil to trace where the knob was located on the old door. Mark where the old latch was located as well. Trace its shape on the new door. [13]
    • This makes 2 circles that correspond to the doorknob and latch on the new door.
    • To really ensure exact measurements, clamp the two doors together.
    • Use a utility knife for scoring to make sharp, clean lines.
  4. Use a hole saw to drill halfway through the door and then stop. Flip over the door and drill the rest of the way through the hole on the other side. [14]
    • Turning over your door halfway through helps you avoid splinters and encourages clean, sharp cuts.
  5. To make this easier, place the new door on its verticle edge. Drill the hole in the exact circular shape that you marked for the new latch. It needs to be exact so that the latch functions correctly. [15]
    • After you’ve drilled the hole, temporarily secure the latch and faceplate into the door to make sure it all fits.
  6. Use the marks you made with your utility knife as a guide. Keep the bevel of your chisel down and gently tap it with a hammer. Remove the wood to correspond with the space you’d marked earlier. [16]
    • Make sure to get rid of any splinters or remaining wood to ensure a clean space for the new hinges and faceplate.
  7. This half is the portion that includes the inner knuckles. Use a center punch to screw the hinge leaves to the door in their correct mortise placements. [17]
  8. Make sure the placement corresponds exactly to the placement of the hinge leaves and knuckles on the door. If it doesn't, adjust the hinge leaves and knuckles until they fit together securely. [18]
  9. First, position your door to correspond with the hinges in the doorframe. Fit the knuckles on the new door within the hinges that are screwed to the door jamb. [19] Hang the new door by dropping in the hinge pins. Place the hinge pins within the corresponding place in the hinges. Use a hammer to secure them in place. [20]
    • If the hinge knuckles don't fit within the hinges on the door jamb, you may need to adjust the placement of the hinges on the new door.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Latch and Lockset

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  1. This will help you avoid over-tightening the screws and breaking any delicate pieces. [21] Position the angled part of the latch so that it faces toward where the door will hit the jamb when closing. [22]
  2. This will be used to connect both sides of the doorknob on either side of the door. Place the other side of the doorknob on top of the corresponding screw holes to line them up perfectly. [23]
  3. Use the screws that came with your new doorknob. Tighten them in place with a hand screw. That way you won't over-tighten the doorknob and risk it not working properly. [24]
    • Test out how the doorknob twists and controls the latch. Make sure the latch still moves with the doorknob.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I measure for a new door slab?
    Ryaan Tuttle
    Home Improvement Specialist
    Ryaan Tuttle is a Home Improvement Specialist and the CEO of Best Handyman, Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts. With over 17 years of experience, he specializes in building home service businesses, focusing on creating scalable and efficient brands. With the help of his global team, the companies have achieved over 10+ million in sales and received recognition through magazine features, and enjoy partnerships with wikiHow and Jobber field service software. Boston Magazine and LocalBest.com have named Best Handyman Boston the Best Handyman in Boston. Ryaan holds Construction Supervisor and Home Improvement Contractor Licenses.
    Ryaan Tuttle
    Home Improvement Specialist
    Expert Answer
    All you have to do is measure the width and the height of the opening that's there, or you can just measure the original door if you have that.
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      Tips

      • Paint the door to really update the look of your space. Before installing the hardware and securing the door to the rough opening or frame, clean, prime, and paint the door your desired color. Let it dry completely before you go forward!
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      Things You'll Need

      • Interior wooden door slab or pre-hung door
      • Level
      • Shim
      • 8d finish nails
      • Tape measure
      • Circular saw
      • Painter's tape
      • Utility knife
      • Hole saw
      • Spade drill bit
      • Chisel
      • Center punch
      • Hammer
      • Lockset
      • Hinges
      • Screws

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/doors/21016350/how-to-install-a-prehung-door
      2. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/doors/21016350/how-to-install-a-prehung-door
      3. ↑ https://youtu.be/ZAkGt7xvDUg?t=201
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/ZAkGt7xvDUg?t=239
      5. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/doors/21016350/how-to-install-a-prehung-door
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/ZAkGt7xvDUg?t=282
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/ZAkGt7xvDUg?t=375
      8. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/doors/21016350/how-to-install-a-prehung-door
      9. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/doors/21016350/how-to-install-a-prehung-door
      1. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/doors/21016617/how-to-hang-an-interior-door
      2. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/doors/21016617/how-to-hang-an-interior-door
      3. ↑ https://www.ronhazelton.com/projects/replacing-interior-doors-learn-to-do-it-yourself
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/xcpC2twjeX0?t=223
      5. ↑ https://www.ronhazelton.com/projects/replacing-interior-doors-learn-to-do-it-yourself
      6. ↑ https://www.ronhazelton.com/projects/replacing-interior-doors-learn-to-do-it-yourself
      7. ↑ https://www.ronhazelton.com/projects/replacing-interior-doors-learn-to-do-it-yourself
      8. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/doors/21016617/how-to-hang-an-interior-door
      9. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/doors/21016617/how-to-hang-an-interior-door
      10. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/doors/21016617/how-to-hang-an-interior-door
      11. ↑ https://www.ronhazelton.com/projects/replacing-interior-doors-learn-to-do-it-yourself
      12. ↑ https://youtu.be/Qr-KBk_5Pys?t=10
      13. ↑ https://youtu.be/Qr-KBk_5Pys?t=42
      14. ↑ https://youtu.be/Qr-KBk_5Pys?t=51
      15. ↑ https://youtu.be/Qr-KBk_5Pys?t=67
      16. https://www.thisoldhouse.com/doors/21016350/how-to-install-a-prehung-door

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To install a door using brackets, start by removing the old door and trim. Next, screw three brackets to the back of the door frame, right next to the hinges, and screw the other three brackets on the latch side of the door. Then, starting with the top hinge and working your way down, screw the door to the wall with drywall screws. Finally, add the remaining screws to the brackets on the latch side before installing the new trim. For tips on using shims instead of brackets, read on!

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