Are you grappling with a door swinging in the wrong direction during a room remodel? This might seem like an easy fix until your contractor throws you a curveball: “Your door is a right-handed door, but the swing is left handed. You’ll need a different door or a complete overhaul of the door jamb,” Then they quote the time it will take leaving you in a state of bewilderment. But hold on a moment — aren’t all doors supposed to swing the same way? The answer is both yes and no. All doors do swing but their swing directions are different depending on how you enter a room.
The correct way to call a swing of an interior door is “handing”. Handing refers to the direction of the door swing as it opens. Corey Valdez, PARR Lumber Contractor Salesman and Co-Host of the PARR Weekend Warriors Home Improvement Show explains it best. “Look at the hinges. Press your back to the hinge side of the jamb and lift both arms up to doorknob height. If you swing your right hand the direction the door opens away from you, that is a right-hand swing. If you swing your left hand in the direction the door opens away from you, that is a left-hand swing.” says Valdez.
If you’re standing in front of the door and the hinges are on the left side with the door swinging in toward you, that is called a left-hand reverse. The opposite applies to the right. Hinges on the right side of the door with the door swinging toward you is called a right-hand reverse.
Clear as mud? Let’s Recap:
- Left Hand Swing: The door hinge is on the left and the door swings away from you.
- Right Hand Swing: The door hinge is on the right and the door swings away from you.
- Left Hand Reverse Swing: The door hinge is on the left, and the door pulls towards you.
- Right Hand Reverse Swing: The door hinge is on the right, and the door pulls toward you.
Want to watch Corey demonstrate door handing? View the PARR Weekend Warriors, Redo with Q Episode 8, How to Switch Door Direction.
Whether changing up the door jamb or getting a new door suits you best, the experts at PARR can help you with either option. Visit a Parr location to find out more.
Shannon Quimby is an internationally acknowledged salvage designer.
