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How to hang a door
From 
When buying a new front
door fi nd one that fi ts
into the existing jamb
opening. A standard solid-core
construction door is 2040mm high,
820mm wide and 40mm thick,
although you can order an oversized
one through a door manufacturer.
It should be fi tted with a 10mm
gap from the fl oor, and a gap from
the jamb of 3mm on the sides and
top to allow for expansion and
contraction with weather changes.
TIP If the new door is a tight fi t,
trim it using a circular saw or planer.
Federations Doors
Homes built at the beginning of
the 20th century, mainly between
1900 and 1914, were often a sign of
prosperity, an Aussie version of the
English Edwardian house but with
native motifs of flora and fauna
in leadlight doors and windows.
Front doors were similar in
style to Victorian, with single
convex-curve moulding with a fl at
edge and long panels, showcasing
shiny brass doorhandles and knocker.
Fanlight features
A fanlight is a semi-circular
or square window over a doorway
featuring in many Federation
houses, with leadlighting to
match the glass door panels.
Interior fanlights can be opened
slightly to allow for ventilation.
Front door fanlights were
often fi xed for security.
STEP 1
Check the jamb is square
Use a builder’s square to check
the corners of the jamb are square.
To make adjustments wedge the door
at the top hinge side of the jamb to
scribe lines down the hinge side of
the door and at the top and base.
STEP 2
Trim the door to fit
Position the door on sawhorses
to trim the top and base using an
electric or hand plane to the marked
line, planing from the ends to the
centre. To trim the side, stand
the door vertically in a door block.
STEP 3
Mark the hinges
Position a hinge leaf on the edge
of the door 100mm from the top,
150mm from the base and in the
centre, marking around it. On the
back of the door, use a marking gauge
at each hinge position to scribe a line
matching the thickness of the hinge.
STEP 4
Make the hinge housings
Use a 25mm chisel to cut lines
1mm inside the hinge marks to
prevent the timber from splitting.
Turn the chisel bevel face-down to
make close fl uted cuts, then pare the
waste to the setout lines. Test then
secure hinges with 40 x 8g screws.
STEP 5
Prepare the jamb housings
Wedge the door in the jamb with
even gaps to mark hinges on the jamb.
Chisel out housings and check the fi t.
TIP: Drill 2mm pilot holes for screws
towards the back of the hinge holes so
the screws pull tight into the housing.
STEP 6
Hang the door
Position the door at 90º to the
jamb, wedging it so the hinges fit in
the housings on the jamb. Drill the
pilot holes and secure the top and
base hinges only with two screws,
test the opening and closing before
securing all hinges.
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