Doors & Door Joinery
An Elegant Internal Door, Hung to Perfection
From a blank opening to a door that swings freely and closes softly — the quiet precision of hanging an internal door exactly as it should be.
Local to Berkshire
Experienced Carpenters
32 years in the trade
Fully Insured
High-Quality Finish
The Brief
A Door That Should Simply Work
This is the kind of internal door hanging project we take on regularly across Berkshire: a blank opening, or an old door past its best, waiting for an elegant and exact fit. It sounds like a simple job, and in the hands of the right carpenter it should feel simple to live with — a door that opens and closes without catching, without dragging on the carpet, and without a gap wide enough to whistle through in winter.
The graceful part of this work is almost entirely in the preparation. A door hung well looks effortless, but getting there means measuring an opening that is very rarely perfectly square, planing the door's edges in fine, patient passes, and cutting hinge recesses to a depth and position that leaves no room for a door that drops, binds, or swings shut on its own.
Done properly, the result is a door that feels as refined as the room it serves — solid underhand, beautifully even in its margins, and quietly satisfying every single time it closes.
This page illustrates the type and standard of door carpentry work we carry out — not a specific named address or client. Every project is scoped and quoted individually after a free site visit.
The Process
From Blank Opening to a Perfectly Hung Door
Every door hanging job starts with the opening itself, not the door. Width, height, and both diagonals are measured carefully, because very few openings in an older Berkshire home are perfectly square — and a door that is forced in square to an opening that is not will never close properly. That measuring work tells us exactly how much needs to come off the door, and where.
The door is then planed to fit in fine, patient passes along each edge, checked repeatedly against the opening rather than cut to a single guess. Once the fit is right, hinge positions are marked precisely with a marking gauge and cut by hand — each recess chiselled to a crisp, consistent depth so the hinge leaf sits flush, with no proud edge to catch the door as it swings and no sunken recess to leave it loose.
The door is then offered up, hung, and checked exhaustively: gaps measured all round with a gauge for consistency, the swing tested through its full arc, and the closing action checked for a soft, solid action rather than a slam or a stick. Ironmongery and any architrave work are finished to match the rest of the property before we call the job complete.
The Work, Step By Step
A Closer Look
A closer look at the measuring, fitting and hanging involved in getting an internal door exactly right.
Specification
Materials & Approach
- Solid-core or engineered internal door, selected or supplied to match the room and existing doors in the property
- Two hinges for a standard internal door, three for a heavier or taller door, in a finish to match existing ironmongery
- Hinge recesses cut by hand to a consistent, flush depth rather than measured once and assumed
- Gap tolerances set to roughly 2-3mm at the hinge side and head, with the leading edge and floor clearance adjusted to suit flooring and swing
- Architraves scribed and fitted to match the existing profile and finish where the opening is dressed as part of the job
- No door forced square into an out-of-square opening — edges are scribed and planed to follow the true shape of the frame
Common Questions
Internal Door Hanging — Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to hang a single internal door?
A straightforward internal door, into an existing frame that is square and true, is typically a half-day job including final adjustments. Where the opening is out of square, the frame needs attention too, or the door needs significant planing to fit, it can run closer to a full day. We confirm a realistic time estimate as part of the written quote.
Can an old door be rehung rather than replaced?
Very often, yes. If the door itself is sound — no warping, rot, or significant damage — rehanging it with new hinges and a careful refit of the hinge recesses and gaps is usually quicker and more cost-effective than fitting a new door. We make that assessment honestly on a free site visit rather than defaulting to a sale.
What happens if the door opening is out of square?
Very few openings in older homes are perfectly square, and that is entirely normal. Rather than forcing a square door into an irregular opening, we scribe and plane the door edges to follow the true shape of the frame, so the gaps still read as even and consistent even where the opening itself is not perfectly true.
Do you supply the door, or can I provide my own?
Both are straightforward. We can source and supply the door to match your specification, or hang a door you have already bought or had made. Either way, the fitting, planing, and hanging is carried out to the same exacting standard.
How many hinges does an internal door actually need?
Most standard internal doors are hung on two hinges. Heavier doors — solid timber rather than hollow-core, or taller than standard — are generally better served by three hinges, which spreads the load and reduces the chance of the door dropping or binding over time. We specify the right number for the door in front of us, not a fixed rule.
What gap should there be around a properly hung door?
As a guide, around 2-3mm at the hinge side and head, a touch more at the leading edge to allow for clearance, and enough at the floor to clear any carpet or flooring finish without dragging. The exact figures are set by eye and by feel on the day, so the door swings freely and closes with a soft, solid clunk rather than a slam or a stick.
Will you match the ironmongery and architraves to the rest of the house?
Yes — hinges, handles and any other ironmongery are specified to match existing doors in the property wherever possible, and architraves are scribed and fitted to suit the existing profile and finish, so a single hung door does not look out of place.
Do you offer any guarantee on door hanging work?
All our door hanging work is covered by our standard workmanship guarantee, confirmed in writing with your quote. If a hung door were ever to drop, bind, or swing incorrectly under normal use, we would come back and put it right.
Related Projects
More Door & Door Joinery Work
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The unglamorous but essential final step — checking and adjusting a hung door until it is perfectly level.
Fitting a Fire Door to FD30 Standard
A fire door fitted exactly to its manufacturer instructions, intumescent strips and all.
Beautiful Door Ironmongery, Fitted with Precision
Hinges, latches and handles selected and fitted with the same care as the door itself.
Get Started
Request a Free Quote for Your Door
Got a Door That Needs Hanging True?
Whether it is a single internal door or a whole hallway of them, a precise hang makes all the difference. Get a free quote or arrange a site visit.