How to Replace a Door Hinge – DIY Guide
How to Replace a Door Hinge
Fix a sagging or damaged door hinge yourself in under an hour.
To replace a door hinge, remove the door, unscrew the old hinge from the frame and door edge, chisel the recess to fit the new hinge if needed, then screw the new hinge in place and rehang the door. Most replacements take 30–60 minutes with basic tools.
- Screwdriver (cross-head and flat-head)
- Chisel (25mm)
- Mallet
- Drill and drill bits
- Tape measure
- Pencil
- Spirit level
- Replacement butt hinge (matching size)
- Woodscrews (matching gauge and length)
- Wooden toothpicks or matchsticks
- PVA wood glue
- Timber filler or plug
- Fine-grade sandpaper
Step-by-Step Guide
Remove the Door from Its Frame
Open the door fully and support the base with a wedge or folded cloth to take the weight off the hinges. Unscrew each hinge leaf from the door frame first, then the door edge — this order prevents the door falling. Have a helper hold the door steady on larger or heavier doors. Once free, lay the door flat on a workbench or padded floor to work safely.
Unscrew and Assess the Old Hinge
Remove all screws from the old hinge leaves on both the door edge and the frame. Check the condition of the screw holes — if they are stripped or oversized, fill them with a wooden toothpick or matchstick dipped in PVA wood glue, leave to dry fully, then trim flush. This gives fresh timber for the new screws to bite into and is the most reliable fix for loose hinges. If you are working on other joinery in the same area, our Timber & Joinery Guide covers related techniques.
Check and Adjust the Hinge Recess
Offer the new hinge into the existing recess and check it sits perfectly flush with the surrounding timber surface. If the new hinge is slightly thicker or a different size, use a sharp 25mm chisel and mallet to deepen or widen the recess incrementally — take off thin shavings and test repeatedly. The hinge leaf must sit dead flush: too deep and the door will bind on the latch side; too proud and it will not close. If your door has been sticking persistently, see our guide on how to plane a sticking door before hanging.
Fix the New Hinge to the Door Frame
Position the new hinge leaf in the frame recess, ensuring it is square and seated flush. Use a bradawl or drill with a fine bit to create pilot holes before driving in the screws — this prevents the timber splitting and keeps the hinge accurately positioned. Drive screws in straight and fully home, but do not overtighten as this can strip the hole immediately. Check the hinge pivots freely once fixed.
Attach the Hinge to the Door Edge
With the frame-side leaf fixed, offer the door up and align the door-edge hinge leaf into its recess. If the recess on the door edge also needs adjustment, chisel carefully in the same way. Drill pilot holes and fix with screws. At this stage, keep the door supported — do not rely on the single hinge to take the full weight while fitting the remaining fixings. Where new flooring has been fitted recently beneath the door, check our guide on laying laminate around doors to confirm clearance.
Rehang and Test the Door
With both hinge leaves fixed, gently close the door and check it swings freely without binding, dragging, or sitting unevenly in the frame. Check the door closes flush with the frame rebate all the way round and that the latch engages the keep cleanly. If the door drags at the bottom, re-check that both hinges are fully flush — a proud hinge is the most common cause. Open and close the door several times to confirm smooth operation before removing any floor wedge.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know what size replacement hinge to buy?
Measure the existing hinge from top to bottom of the leaf when it is open flat — this gives you the hinge size (typically 75mm, 100mm, or 125mm for residential doors). Match the width and thickness of the existing hinge as closely as possible so it fits the existing recess without modification.
Can I replace just one hinge on a door, or do all three need replacing?
You can replace a single damaged hinge, but if the other hinges are the same age and showing wear, replacing all of them at the same time is far more practical than doing the job again in six months.
My door is still sticking after replacing the hinge — what next?
Check that all hinge leaves are fully flush with the timber surface, as even 1mm proud will cause binding. If the door still sticks after confirming flush fit, the door itself may need planing — see our guide on how to plane a sticking door for the next steps.
What type of hinge should I use for an external door?
External doors need heavy-duty butt hinges in stainless steel or a corrosion-resistant finish — standard zinc-plated hinges will rust quickly in exposed conditions. External doors also typically need three hinges rather than two to carry the additional weight and provide adequate security.
The screw holes on my door frame are in solid masonry, not timber — can I still fix the hinge?
If your door frame is fixed directly into masonry, you will need to use frame fixings or wall plugs rated for the substrate rather than standard woodscrews. Alternatively, if the frame is timber but the masonry behind is the issue, our Timber & Joinery Guide covers fixing into different frame types in more detail.
When chiselling a hinge recess, score the outline with a sharp chisel held vertically before making any horizontal cuts — this severs the wood fibres cleanly and prevents the recess from splitting beyond your marked line. Working across the grain in stages of 1–2mm removes far more control risk than trying to clear the full depth in one pass.
Sources
- HSE — Manual handling and safe working with doors — hse.gov.uk
- Which? — Door hinge problems and repairs — which.co.uk
- GOV.UK — Building regulations: doors and means of escape — gov.uk
This guide is for general information only. Always work safely and follow manufacturer instructions. DIYnut accepts no liability for injury or damage arising from DIY work.
