Doors can swing one of two ways—to the right or to the left—and this is very important when you’re remodeling. Door swing directionality is called door handing, and it isn’t all that obvious, especially for mildly dyslexic folks like myself who regularly get directions wrong.

When you frame a doorway next to a wall, you usually want the door to swing away from the wall. Let’s say the wall is to the right of the doorway as you look into the room. Do you order a left-hand or right-hand door? Ordering the wrong door is an expensive mistake, so here’s a quick primer on door handing to help you avoid making it.

How to Identify Door Handing

When you order a slab door and install the hinges and doorknob yourself, you can choose which way it swings. But when you order a door that already has hinge mortises and a hole for the knob, door handing is crucial. because you can’t convert it.

The terms that describe the hinge position on a door—left-handed and right-handed—can be confusing, but they’ll make sense if you follow the guidelines and check out the photos below.

Here’s how to determine door handedness in a nutshell:

Stand with your back to the jamb that has the hinges. If the doorknob is on your right, the door is right-handed. If the knob is on your left, the door is left-handed.

  • Pro tip: When you order a door, the person taking your order may not have a full grasp of door handedness and could get confused, especially if you’re ordering over the phone. To avoid this, consider ordering your doors in person so you can demonstrate what you mean.

left hand swinging door
Family Handyman

Left-hand door swing

Open the door and stand with your back to the swinging door hinges. If the door handle is on your left, it is a left-hand door.

right hand swinging door
Family Handyman

Right-hand door swing

Open the door and stand with your back to the swinging door hinges. If the door handle is on your right, it is a right-hand door.

FAQ

Is door handing standardized across countries?

Unfortunately no, says iDig Hardware, and that just adds to the confusion for directionally challenged individuals. The door handing method we’ve described here corresponds to that used in Germany, known as the DIN (Deutsches Institute für Normung) method. The ISO handing method used in the UK and elsewhere is different.

The ISO method assigns the numerals 5 and 6 to door swing direction. A “5” door swings clockwise on the hinges when you close it, which makes it a left-hand door according to the method we describe here. A “6” door swings counterclockwise when you close it (right-hand door).

This lack of standardization is a good reason why it’s better to order doors in person if you want to ensure you get the door handing right.

Can you convert a left-hand swing door to right-hand?

To do that, you’d have to remove the hinges from one side and install them on the other, and you’d have to move the door knob. You’d then have to patch the door to fill in the original hinge mortises and door knob hole. You can possibly do that on a painted wood or composite door—and re-paint after you’re done—but it’s not practical.

Why does my door swing direction matter?

Door handing matters for these and other reasons:

  • There may be an obstruction that prevents the door from swinging in one direction.
  • The layout of the space may require the door to swing in a particular direction.
  • The doorway may be more accessible if the door swings in a certain direction.
  • You may be replacing a door on an existing jamb that already has hinges.

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