Left vs right hinges

[DBACT]

I'll be ordering some doors predrilled for hinges soon. so that there is no confusion, what is a left hinged door? Is it from the outside or inside? ie. if the hinge is on the left hand side of the door looking at it from the outside, is this left or right?

[Sybarite]

When I order my doors the side I specify the hinge on is looking at the cabinet from the front - so hinge left would have the hinges on the gable to your left - and the door would open from right to left.

Might be best to check with your supplier anyway, just to make sure you are both looking at the same picture.

Cheers,

[arms]

When I order my doors the side I specify the hinge on is looking at the cabinet from the front - so hinge left would have the hinges on the gable to your left - and the door would open from right to left.

Might be best to check with your supplier anyway, just to make sure you are both looking at the same picture.

Cheers,

ideally you should have your hinges set up so that it doesnt matter what hand you need the door it will fit both ways

[journeyman Mick]

ideally you should have your hinges set up so that it doesnt matter what hand you need the door it will fit both ways

Yeah, but that doesn't work if you have a timber door with an arch top or a board door with an oarch top pattern routed in it.

Mick

[Sybarite]

You beat me to it Mick...this can be a real embarrasment if you get them the wrong way around, not to mention expensive...

Obviously if one is only going for a flat door or a symetric pattern then it is not neccesary to specify left or right, but if there is any sort of distinction in the door between top and bottom then getting the left and right correct is definitely something to double check.

[joe greiner]

I agree with Earl about checking with the supplier to make sure of definitions. If you have an equal number of each type and size, it really doesn't matter though: just put each door where it belongs.

Joe

[arms]

Yeah, but that doesn't work if you have a timber door with an arch top or a board door with an oarch top pattern routed in it.

Mick

i did say ideally !

[silkwood]

Left handed and right handed door detail is important when buying pre-hung doors and door furniture which requires handing (not many but some levers). I have builders coming in getting confused about this one. Probably the easiest way to figure it out is..

Go to the side of the door where you can see the hinge (opposite the stops). We'll call this the inside, but it's not always (hence the confusion). When you are looking at the closed door and can see the hinge knuckle, which side is it on, left or right? This tells you which door it is.

Cheers,

Mark