Interior door installation is a relatively easy project with the right tools. Most interior doors come in standard sizes (if you have a period home you may have to get the door custom sized) and hanging a door can be done in an hour or two.  If you need to replace the jamb as well, you may need to install a prehung door, which is even easier because the hinges are already mortised and positioned for you.

Installing a Door in an Existing Jamb
If you are replacing the door and not the jamb, your biggest challenge will be setting the hinges and lockset correctly. Measure your opening very accurately, including the precise position of your hinges on the door. The easiest solution is to have the home center or door company mortise your hinges for you and cut the hole for the door hardware. To do this accurately they will need precise measurements. If possible, take your existing door in and have them use that as a template.

Mortising your own hinges can be tricky. Either draw an outline of the hinges you will be using, or purchase a hinge template. Then use a chisel or router to carve out the wood to fit your hinges. Again using your hinges as a template, mark where the screws will go and pre-drill shallow holes. Then attach the hinges to the door.

It's easiest to have two people to install an interior door, especially if it is heavy, but it can be done by one person. Line the door up and slide the hinges together. Sometimes balancing the bottom of the door on your toes is helpful here. You can also use wooden shingles to shim the door up to the correct height. Slide the hinge pins in as far as they will go, then tap them down into place.

Once the hinges are on, check to make sure the door can close properly. If it does, you’re ready to install the lockset and doorknobs. Locksets often come with a template that makes it easy to mark the proper location for holes.

Install a Prehung Door
Measure your rough opening precisely. Most doorways are standard sizes, and you should be able to pick up a ready-made prehung door. The standard height for the opening is about 80” tall. Figure on buying a door that is two to three inches narrower than your opening. If the width of the rough opening is 38”, you need a 36” wide door. The jambs will be left long enough for you to cut them to fit the contour of your floor. You will also need to buy shims to wedge the prehung door into place. You may also need a lockset. Most prehung doors come with the hole already cut out for the door hardware. If you are installing new trim as well as the prehung door, buy that as well.

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